“Longing, A Love Across The Ages” by Craig Alan Brandwein

Longing, A Love Across The Ages, is an opera in one act and original cast recording with music by Craig Alan Brandwein, and Libretto by David Allen Sellers and featuring Laura Melton, along with Matthew Barron and Center Sound Orchestra featuring many of the University of Alabama Birmingham players. The story is set in 1920’s New York City and centered around the emotional journey of a doctor and his daughter, when they unveil a new Egyptian exhibit, but the twist comes with the central character who is The Cursed Forgotten Prince that has fallen in love with the doctor’s daughter.  

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/cbrandwynne/

If you like opera, you’ll like Longing, A Love Across The Ages, and even if you don’t, you’ll still find it an interesting story whether the music is up your alley or not. The opera starts off with “Overture” making its obligatory appearance at the right of passage, and it’s a short but sweet motif that sets up the first scene of the opera in one act. “Scene 1” comes along without notice, and the story begins with their preparation of the museum exhibit, so the words exchanged in this scene take longer to get across before things get more serious.

The sheer beauty of Melton’s voice is the star of the show without question, also being one of the main characters it can’t be described without mentioning how stunning her voice is, and she establishes it in 18-minute first scene of Longing, A Love Across The Ages. It’s so good the male role takes a back seat, although possessing a strong voice himself, and you can take the words literally or just enjoy the whole concept without having to follow the story at first, then get into it as you hear it more, as I did because I’m not used to opera records.

“Scene 2” is mellower as the story wears on, and the music takes a front seat more often during this scene, but it also gets more dramatic as it edges into the romance factor with the two singers sparring at their best on Longing, A Love Across The Ages. Moving into “Scene 3” is like a trip into the age of discovery, with the scenery getting descriptive over the museum and its artifacts of the time, and it’s a shorter scene, but it’s packed with exciting drama, and likely the most accessible point of the opera in one act.

APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/craig-brandwein/1565269873

“Scene 4” takes the story into headier territory surrounding the curse, and once again, Melton steals the show with her exquisite voice, and the orchestra answer back with full complements in what contends with the most intense scene on Longing, A Love Across The Ages. And this is also the most Egyptian felt scene on the album and the most complex composition, as well. And the opera in one act ends in the even shorter “Scene 5” wrapping up the story by the gifted Craig Alan Brandwein and company on this remarkable album with all the orchestral magic and amazing upper and lower register voicings.  

Michael Rand