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2021 Season Second-Stage: Glory Denied

The curtain has fallen at the McConnell Theater, and we thank our amazing company for a tremendous production!

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Tenor John Riesen as Younger Jim.

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Baritone Daniel Belcher as Older Jim.

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Soprano Maria Valdes as Younger Alyce.

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Soprano Caroline Worra as Older Alyce.

Glory Denied is a gripping tale of an American family during one of our nation’s most turbulent times.  It tells the true story of Colonel Jim Thompson, America’s longest-held prisoner of war, from his suffering in the jungle of southeast Asia to his personal torment following his liberation as he returns to a country he no longer recognizes and a family that barely recognizes him. 

GLORY DENIED

Music and libretto by Tom Cipullo

Based on the book by Tom Philpott

Thursday, July 22, 2021, 7:30pm

Saturday, July 24, 2021, 1:00pm

 

Bard College at Simon's Rock

Daniel Arts Center, McConnell Theater

Great Barrington, MA

Our production of this powerful opera received critical acclaim:

Mike Moran from In The Spotlight wrote:  "This searing production demands to be seen and confirms BOF’s stature as a leading presenter of world-class professional opera."

Linda Hirshman from The Berkshire Edge wrote:  "Although [Daniel] Belcher got the show-stopping aria, each of the singing actors served the material to great effect, creating four unforgettable portraits."

Rick Perdian from Classical Voice North America wrote:  "Berkshire Opera Festival revealed its power in this remarkable production."

OperaLens:

Commentary on the opera from Stage Director Sarah Meyers

The Cast

The Cast

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DANIEL BELCHER
Older Jim
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JOHN RIESEN
Younger Jim
 
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CAROLINE WORRA
Older Alyce
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MARIA VALDES
Younger Alyce

The Creative Team

The Creative Team

Conductor

Stage Director

Scenic Designer

Costume Designer

Lighting Designer

Hair and Make-up

Designer

Principal Pianist

English Diction Coach

Production Stage Manager

GEOFFREY LARSON

SARAH INA MEYERS

CAMERON ANDERSON

CHARLES CAINE

TLÁLOC LÓPEZ-WATERMANN

 

BECKIE KRAVETZ

NOAH PALMER

LYNN BAKER

CINDY KNIGHT

The Story

The Story

The action takes place during and after the Vietnam War.

 

Act I - In Captivity

 

Colonel Floyd James Thompson (Jim), America’s longest-held prisoner of war, looks back on his years as a captive.  He sees himself as a young man and recalls episodes from his nine-year ordeal – escape attempts, torture, the overwhelming loneliness of four years in solitary confinement, and being forced to sign a propaganda statement.  Through it all, he finds the strength to survive in memories of his family.  He recalls every letter his beloved wife, Alyce, sent to him before his capture.  Pregnant with their fourth child, Alyce receives the news that Jim’s surveillance plane has been shot down.  Denied any reliable information about his status or whereabouts, Alyce soon begins a relationship with another man, Harold.  She eventually moves in with him and tells the children that their father has died.  Alyce denies permission for Jim’s name to be released to the public as missing in action, nor inscribed on one of the P.O.W. bracelets that were common at the time. She consults a lawyer in an effort to have him declared legally dead.  In captivity, Jim finds comfort in the 23rd Psalm.

 

 

Act II - Welcome Home

 

The P.O.W.’s are released and Jim returns home, but the Pentagon honors another man, a Navy pilot, as the longest-held prisoner.  With the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, Jim receives a letter of welcome from President Nixon, the text noting ominously that “some things about America may appear to have changed” since his departure.  Alyce meets Jim and confesses her new relationship.  She offers to go away if that is what he wishes, but Jim decides to attempt a reconciliation.  He notes how the nation has become different during his ordeal, and soon, the couple begins to fight.  Jim complains that Alyce is not the wife he left behind.  For her part, Alyce asserts her independence, refusing to be the docile and obedient wife.  She tells of what her life was like during his absence, of the callous behavior of neighbors and family, of late-night crank calls from malicious strangers, and of her fear and loneliness.  Jim visits the church where he and Alyce were married.  He speaks to the congregation hopefully, ignoring the fact that his dream of home and family has been shattered.

 

Years pass and Jim, having suffered a stroke, lives alone and estranged from his family.  He struggles with all that has occurred.

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