Details

At a square-dance in New Hope Valley, 19-year-old Susannah unwittingly provokes the lust of four church Elders - and the jealousy of their wives. Next morning, while bathing naked in a creek, she is spied upon by the Elders, who are supposedly looking for a suitable spot for baptisms. They blame her for their own lust and go back to the village to denounce her. At a revival meeting that evening, evangelist Olin Blitch fails to make Susannah publicly confess her sins. He follows her home. Her brother is away hunting, and Blitch takes full advantage... The next morning, however, he is torn by remorse: she had been a virgin. Sung in English with supertitles.

Cast/Performers

Emily Pulley (Susannah Polk), Simon O'Neill (Sam Polk - her brother), Stephen Kechulius (Olin Blitch - an evangelist), Glenn Alamilla (Little Bat McLean), Sean Clayton (Elder Gleaton), Paul Featherstone (Elder Hayes), Paul Carey Jones (Elder Ott), Anna Burford (Mrs McLean), Martene Grimson (Mrs Gleaton), Kim Sheehan (Mrs Hayes), Frances McCafferty (Mrs Ott)

Creatives/Company

Music: Carlisle Floyd
Producer: Wexford Festival Opera
Conductor: David Agler
Director: John Fulljames
Design: Conor Murphy
Costume: Conor Murphy
Lighting: Giuseppe Di Iorio
Other: Lubomir Matl (chorus master)
Company(s): Wexford Festival Opera Chorus, Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra