CIRCE

Circe, a goddess of the ancient Greek pantheon, was vividly re-imagined as a quietly powerful immortal in Madeline Miller’s novel Circe. That portrayal inspired the verse Saga of Circe, which in turn became the springboard for this dramatic vocal setting and for shaping a live musical encounter with the re-envisioned goddess.

Circe is associated with several defining traits: the power to shapeshift herself and others, deep knowledge of plants and minerals capable of healing or destruction, and a profound resilience forged through exile and marginalization. These qualities are reflected aurally throughout the work, inviting the listener into Circe’s world and into the enduring magic of her transformation.

The text for CIRCE is original, written by the composer as part of the work’s conception. The piece also serves as the first installment of Pantheon, a larger collection of chamber dramatic works that draws upon figures and stories from Greek mythology as a lens through which to explore contemporary human and societal questions. Rather than retelling the myths, Pantheon places their archetypes in new contexts, allowing ancient characters and ideas to speak to the present.