Craig Alan Brandwein Longing “A Love Across The Ages by Craig Brandwein, etc” (LP)

Craig Alan Brandwein Longing, “A Love Across The Ages by Craig Brandwein, etc” (LP).

Longing – A Love Across The Ages (An Opera In One Act), is a one-act musical play recording of the opera variety, about a love story set in 1920’s New York City, featuring (Dr. Curtis), sung by baritone Christopher Blake Farley, and the doctor’s daughter (Elise), sung by Laura Melton, with other cast players in the form of (The Forgotten Prince), sung by Austin Green, and (The Queen), sung by Ashley Black. Music composed and produced by Craig Alan Brandwein, with libretto by David Allen Sellers, with the Center Sound Orchestra among the many others credited on the disc.

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“Overture” sets up the story with a minute’s worth orchestration in what is essentially a longing for recall story with a Prince falling in love with the doctor’s daughter, as each scene is depicted via the libretto of David Allen Sellers, with some sense of drama but mostly emotional openness throughout on Longing – A Love Across All Ages (An Opera In One Act). “Scene 1” swiftly follows and wastes no time getting into the story based around preparing for an ancient exhibit, which finds two voices sparring throughout a nearly twenty-minute piece of beautiful classical music, with intricate strings, and commanding piano flurries.

“Scene 2” comes into the picture like a breath of fresh air on Longing – A Love Scene Across All Ages (An Opera In One Act), after the epic previous Scene which takes up most of the space of the story and the disc, as you’re left stunned from its musical and vocal masterclass. But it’s still half as long in its own right, however, it brings the story to a more compelling section and with that comes a more cinematic sound by the orchestra to back it up. And this is where the story picks up and the prince reflects his mother crying from inside his tomb.

“Scene 3” finds the story at its most lyrically interesting, with an even more cinematic approach as the scenes spell out one by one, and this might be where it all comes together bringing out the most emotions and everything holds your attention, almost like a coming home celebration point (complete with coughing). I also love the piano in this scene, as it comes in so nicely out of nowhere and the strings softly stroke behind it, fading away smoothly into the next scene.

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With “Scene 4” coming on stronger as the story winds down and the vocals almost remind of rock operas of the past, and that is a compliment to Brandwein, Sellers, the Center Sound Orchestra and entire cast of Longing – A Love Scene Across All Ages (An Opera In One Act). But there’s more to this scene than meets the ear, as everything continues to build throughout it and make way for a fair story ending, although not before more synchronized voicing and mesmerizing orchestration. Top notes are reached in every scene, but you’ll know the grand finale when you hear it, making its point loud and clear, as well as going out with a bang.

Mark Druery