Lilith

Before Eve… Lilith

The official website for the Lilith Opera

The opera Lilith explores and celebrates an ageless erotic myth of the Lilith, the woman who preceded Eve in the Garden of Eden. The opera, which blends a variety of powerful musical tropes from jazz to classical, reenacts the tale from a twin timeframe of contemporary America and the beginning of Paradise. 

SCenes

Lilith the Performance

The Act I Performance with the addition of the fifth scene

World Premiere

The complete opera performance.

 

Performance

Act 1

SCENE ONE:  An urban, self-service café.  Claire (Lilith) approaches Eppy’s table and sits.
Claire shocks Eppy with intimate assumptions about Eppy’s husband and Eppy’s pre-pubescent son.  Claire sings at scene’s end, “No boy ever weans completely.”

 

 

SCENE TWO:  Creation in the Garden of Eden.   In the presence of an invisible archangel, biblical Adam awaits the arrival of his mate Lilith.  The occasion is the first divorce hearing known to the human race.  The archangel questions Adam if he is resolute about going through with the dissolution of this sexual union.   Lilith and Adam quibble.  (Duet: “The Creation of Woman”) The archangel has a private interview with Lilith and previews Eve’s debut.

 

SCENE THREE: Right after we see a fleeting image of Eve as modern day “Eppy”, the action resumes in Eden during the hearing as Lilith warns Adam that he will need an amulet against her in some future time.  Still, Adam and Lilith engage in suggestive foreplay (Aria: “Give me your handsome shoulders”) and consummation as Lilith declares (Aria: “A Blue Flame lives forever.”

 

SCENE FOUR:  The archangel invades their intimacy and chastises Adam for impregnating her.

The archangel commands Adam to bind Lilith with cord and also to drug himself asleep.  Oddly flattering her, the archangel admonishes Lilith and declares that her womb will be sewn shut for eternity. (Aria: “An Error for Infinity”) She returns the archangel’s words with her sarcasm and her defiance.

 

SCENE FIVE:  Back to contemporary times, Claire watches Earl in a public park and fantasizes about a more innocent relationship. (Arietta: “Little Me”)

 

Lilith Premiere

Act 1

SCENE ONE:  An urban, self-service café.  Claire (Lilith) approaches Eppy’s table and sits.
Claire shocks Eppy with intimate assumptions about Eppy’s husband and Eppy’s pre-pubescent son.  Claire sings at scene’s end, “No boy ever weans completely.”

 

SCENE TWO:  Creation in the Garden of Eden.   In the presence of an invisible archangel, biblical Adam awaits the arrival of his mate Lilith.  The occasion is the first divorce hearing known to the human race.  The archangel questions Adam if he is resolute about going through with the dissolution of this sexual union.   Lilith and Adam quibble.  (Duet: “The Creation of Woman”) The archangel has a private interview with Lilith and previews Eve’s debut.

 

SCENE THREE: Right after we see a fleeting image of Eve as modern day “Eppy”, the action resumes in Eden during the hearing as Lilith warns Adam that he will need an amulet against her in some future time.  Still, Adam and Lilith engage in suggestive foreplay (Aria: “Give me your handsome shoulders”) and consummation as Lilith declares (Aria: “A Blue Flame lives forever.”

 

SCENE FOUR:  The archangel invades their intimacy and chastises Adam for impregnating her.

The archangel commands Adam to bind Lilith with cord and also to drug himself asleep.  Oddly flattering her, the archangel admonishes Lilith and declares that her womb will be sewn shut for eternity. (Aria: “An Error for Infinity”) She returns the archangel’s words with her sarcasm and her defiance.

 

Act 2

SCENE FIVE:  Back to contemporary times, Claire watches Earl in a public park and fantasizes about a more innocent relationship. (Arietta: “Little Me”)

 

SCENE SIX:  In Eppy and Arnold’s home, Eppy confronts Arnold about this mysterious woman from his past. (Aria: “Arnold, I met her”)  Arnold denies any knowledge of Claire.   Eppy intuitively worries about their son Earl.

 

SCENE SEVEN:  Arnold meets with Claire in the public park.  She declares her love for Arnold’s son Earl and forces herself into Arnold’s a raw romantic embrace. (Aria: “I’m in love with your boy”) He rebukes her and offers an envelope of cash.  She is undeterred and kisses him.

 

SCENE EIGHT:  Some days later. Claire and Eppy meet again in the café. Eppy conveys to Claire that Arnold is steadfast in breaking from Claire and the family will call the police about her. (Duet: “My husband told me everything”) Claire argues that once she had a child with Arnold and the child resembled Earl.  Eppy is told that God was always against Claire. Claire confides further but is met with Eppy’s threat of violence.

 

SCENE NINE:   Eppy sings to Arnold how she is unloved at home.  (Aria: “The petals of my flower bleed”) This leads to an ultimatum and Arnold agrees to address the problem one last time with Claire.  

 

SCENE TEN:  The next day, Claire comes to Arnold’s home while Eppy is away.  She blindfolds Adam and Claire partakes in domineering sexual interplay.   Pressed this far, Claire will stop at nothing. (Aria: “This is your bridal night from heaven”)

 

SCENE ELEVEN:  Eppy confronts Arnold with his latest act of adultery. He cannot defend himself. (Aria: “Say something, God damn it!”)

 

SCENE TWELVE:  Claire sequesters Earl inside a hotel room where they play a precocious and amoral video game celebrating the theme of an erotic succubus.   Claire is coaching Earl to act out and enjoy every moment of this pleasure. In the game, Earl defeats the Angel in a battle over the Red Sea. (Duet: Shoot him the head, Aunt Claire!”)

 

SCENE THIRTEEN:  Arnold finds Claire and charges her with abduction and molestation of his son. For the first time ever, Arnold declares that he will kill Claire if she continues invading his family’s life. (Aria: “I’m at a decisive disadvantage”)

 

SCENE FOURTEEN:  Eppy has taken Earl to another hotel room. Earl plays his video game, “Lilith, the Succubus Bitch” and is annoyed when his mother wants him to stop. “Duet: “Just a minute”) Earl is playing online with the Angel who asks to speak with Eppy. The voice tells Eppy about the amulet to protect her from Lilith-Claire. Eppy articulates a clear act of murder in front of Earl. (Trio: “Kill that Bitch!”)

 

SCENE FIFTEEN:   The scène à faire with Claire, Eppy and Arnold together in the family home.
There are no further pretences and in the heat of the battle, Arnold endures massive chest pains.  Although Claire cries out she is an endangered species, Eppy has no mercy for her nemesis.  (Duet: “I did a  little research”) She is aware that Claire ordered Arnold to kill Eppy.  Earl enters the scene.  Paradoxically, Claire sees her own image in Eppy’s determined face. Eppy has prepared a magic vial to vanquish Claire from the family’s home forever.  Before she can douse Claire, Claire manages to kiss Eppy on the lips. (Aria: “Kiss me, Eppy. End my pain.”) Claire is transfixed, covers her face, lights radiate from her hands, and as she stretches her arms a great spirit soars in silhouette.