The Biddle Boys and Mrs. Soffel – Act II, Sc. 2 (excerpt) – Duet (“Caught”)
Catherine (Kate) Soffel is accused by her mother, Margaret,
of going back to the prison after Kate had promised she
would not return there.
The Biddle Boys and Mrs. Soffel – Act III, Sc. 1 (excerpt) – Trio (“Escape”)
“[S]uperb … more successful compositionally …
than many new works seen at major opera houses.” – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Biddle Boys and Mrs. Soffel – Act III, Sc. 2 (excerpt) – Finale
Following the death of the Biddle Boys, Catherine (Kate) Soffel,
stands on trial for her role in their escape.
Once a Year on Christmas Eve (Sc. 1 – “Christmas time is here”)
Commissioned and produced by TADA! Youth Theater in New York City, “Once a Year on Christmas Eve” is a musical fable. Presents appear in a magical forest only on Christmas Eve and the villagers learn a valuable lesson about the importance of giving to others. In this excerpt from Scene 1, the villagers celebrate the season.
Once a Year on Christmas Eve (Sc. 1 – “The presents shine”)
In this further excerpt from Scene 1, a traveling stranger enters the Town and the villagers share their celebration with him.
Once a Year on Christmas Eve (Sc. 2 – “Chloe’s Song”)
In this excerpt from Scene 2, Chloe decides to look for presents for her brother Joey. The part of Chloe is performed by a young Mizuo Peck.
Once a Year on Christmas Eve (Sc. 2 – “Chloe found gifts”)
In this further excerpt from Scene 2, the villagers are unable to find any presents; they are surprised when Chloe tells them she sees gifts everywhere. (The villagers are looking for themselves, while Chloe is looking for her brother Joey).
Once a Year on Christmas Eve (Sc. 3 – “Christmas time is here”)
In this final scene of “Once a Year on Christmas Eve,” the villagers learn a valuable lesson about the importance of giving to others.
The Highway (an opera noir in four scenes) “At Home” (excerpt)
Based on a tale by O. Henry, “The Highway” is a contemporary story of a young man’s attempt to forge an artistic life in the face of various difficulties. In this excerpt from the Prologue, James expresses his dream of making it in the music business. “[A]n impressive opera … [Beck’s] handling of dramatic relationships and superimposed time was masterful.” – The New Haven Register
Once a Year on Christmas Eve (“Fa-la-la”)
Commissioned and produced by TADA! Youth Theater in New York City, “Once a Year on Christmas Eve” is a musical fable. Presents appear in a magical forest only on Christmas Eve and the villagers learn a valuable lesson about the importance of giving to others. In this scene, the villagers prepare to hunt for the presents (it is followed by a reprise of “Fa-la-la” after the final curtain).