a chamber opera in one act
music and words by Matthew Schickele
poem "The Grand Teton" by Edith Sargent
based on a true story
JOHN SARGENT ... baritone
EDITH SARGENT ... mezzo-soprano
DR. NOBLE ... bass
Men & Women of Jackson's Hole, Wyoming
(folk voices: baritone, tenor, alto (adjustments are possible))
Piano, fiddle, violin, viola, bass, clarinet (bass clarinet), mandolin
Scored for both classical and folk musicians
ca. one hour ten minutes
"In 1888 an odd, quiet man named John Sargent moved from Maine to Wyoming with his business partner and his wife. Within a few years he was penniless and alone: he was suspected of murdering both wife and partner, and his children had been
removed from his care. He left.
Later John Sargent returned to Jackson’s Hole with a new bride.
Edith enjoyed sunbathing nude, sitting in trees, and playing violin. Often all at once.
This strange couple’s brief, troubled time in the shadow of the Teton mountains
is the subject of the chamber opera Marymere.
The story centers on Edith Sargent and her struggle to live in an unfamiliar place
with a sad, possibly dangerous man."
All video is from the 2012 concert production at Mannes School of Music
In this excerpt Edith, sunbathing nude, interacts with the local doctor, and her husband.
music and words by Matthew Schickele
poem "The Grand Teton" by Edith Sargent
based on a true story
JOHN SARGENT ... baritone
EDITH SARGENT ... mezzo-soprano
DR. NOBLE ... bass
Men & Women of Jackson's Hole, Wyoming
(folk voices: baritone, tenor, alto (adjustments are possible))
Piano, fiddle, violin, viola, bass, clarinet (bass clarinet), mandolin
Scored for both classical and folk musicians
ca. one hour ten minutes
"In 1888 an odd, quiet man named John Sargent moved from Maine to Wyoming with his business partner and his wife. Within a few years he was penniless and alone: he was suspected of murdering both wife and partner, and his children had been
removed from his care. He left.
Later John Sargent returned to Jackson’s Hole with a new bride.
Edith enjoyed sunbathing nude, sitting in trees, and playing violin. Often all at once.
This strange couple’s brief, troubled time in the shadow of the Teton mountains
is the subject of the chamber opera Marymere.
The story centers on Edith Sargent and her struggle to live in an unfamiliar place
with a sad, possibly dangerous man."
All video is from the 2012 concert production at Mannes School of Music
In this excerpt Edith, sunbathing nude, interacts with the local doctor, and her husband.
Here's the transition from the second scene, "Arrival", to the first folk song scene, "Life is Not a Line".
Edith cares for John when he is sick
John refuses to join the search party for the missing Mr. Snow.
At the town dance, Edith and John start waltzing to a fiddle tune. They briefly change the music to fit their waltz, but the people of Jackson out-dance them and change the music back.
An excerpt from the final scene
One of the few known pictures of John and Edith Sargent
The score was refined and improved in 2022.
Performance history:
2020 excerpts performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY
2012 concert production, Mannes School of Music, NY
2010 concert production, Jackson, WY
2009 public workshop, NY
More video is available at YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYMapGBwpY5Tf1z_26AtyG2hfNYTbAGYJ&si=JgKN_NGNBNFsPN2Q
Performance history:
2020 excerpts performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY
2012 concert production, Mannes School of Music, NY
2010 concert production, Jackson, WY
2009 public workshop, NY
More video is available at YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYMapGBwpY5Tf1z_26AtyG2hfNYTbAGYJ&si=JgKN_NGNBNFsPN2Q