DRYAD’S KISS
A Musical Fantasy - Highlights
Music by Charles Kalman Libretto by June Barbour
This CD presents the world premiere recording of Dryad’s Kiss, a 2002 musical by Charles Kalman, with libretto by June Barbour. It is a fairy-tale musical, in an almost-classic sense—a show full of melody, wit, and charm, and featuring something paradoxically lacking in most contemporary musicals—music! There are waltzes, marches, a bossa nova, jazz numbers, leitmotives, and real lyric expression. Filling out the CD are three works written and/or arranged for two pianos.
Musical Director: Adam Aceto
Orchestra Conducted by Sylvio Zondler
ACT I: A village at the foot of the mountains
1. Overture
2. Mumble, Mumble
Mother
3. Mumble, Mumble (reprise)
Old Pipes, Villagers
4. Poor Old Soul
Mayor, Villagers
5. Free, Oh How Lovely to Be Free
Dryad
6. She Loves to Dance
Mayor, Villagers
7. I’ve Worked Many Years
Echo Dwarf, Dryad
8. The Last Word
Echo Dwarf
9. When I Close My Eyes
Old Pipes
10. The Dryads Are Here All Around Us
Echo Dwarf, Mayor, Villagers
ACT II: Some time later
11. Every Bone in My Body Aches
Mother, Dwarves
12. Jig Dance
13. Easy Promise
Old Pipes, Dryad
14. Summer Is Over
Old Pipes, Villagers
15. Finale Ultimo
Ensemble
CAST
Old Pipes, a man in his mid-70s—Nathan Brian
Mother, his 92-year-old mother—Sarah Best
Chenette, a dryad—Natalie Ballenger
Mayor—Bryan Vickery
Echo Dwarf—Stephen Faulk
Tailor, Cobbler—A. J. Teshin
Woman—Kristin Mellian
Chorus: Natalie Ballenger, Sarah Best, Nathan Brian, Stephen Faulk, Kristin Mellian, A. J. Teshin, Bryan Vickery, Ina Woods
Concertino in Three Movements for Two Pianos *
Music: Charles Kalman
(adapted by Adam Aceto)
16. Movement 1
17. Movement 2
18. Movement 3
Tribute to Fred Astaire * ‡
(Suite for Two Pianos and Percussion)
Music: Charles Kalman
19. Introduction
20. George Gershwin Visits Fred
21. Forever Ginger
22. Fred’s Own Blue Tango
23. Fred Loves to Samba
La Parisienne *
(Waltz)
Music: Charles Kalman
(two-piano arrangement by Adam Aceto)
24. La Parisienne
* Pianists: Adam Aceto, Jan Roper
‡ Percussion: Paul Angers