A Long, LONG Overdue Premier for Lewis Spratlan's "Life is a Dream"

Anthony Tommasini reviews the Santa Fe Opera production of Life is a Dream, composed more than 32 years ago by Lewis Spratlan with a libretto by fellow Amherst College professor James Maraniss (adapted from Calderon).

“Life Is a Dream”: Roger Honeywell and Carin Gilfry in this Santa Fe Opera production of Lewis Spratlan’s work from the late 1970s. Photo: Ken Howard

I (Bonnie Gibbons) hate to read of the piece “languishing” (a Pulitzer about ten years ago is a nice way to languish). But more than ten years before THAT, I could be found in the Amerst music department offices photocopying “Life is a Dream” for college spending money — seemingly for days at a time in preparation for various submissions. Even then, it was ten years old or so. It’s a delight to read about its first full production at long last.

I would never at any time have boasted of the musical chops to have any idea what the opera was like from all that photocopying (you’d need John for that, or maybe Data from Star Trek) but while I don’t have fond memories of photocopying I do have fond memories of playing under Lew’s baton. His theory classes were also a pleasure, with Lew’s patience over (most of*) our composition and analysis attempts balanced out by slightly naughty (back then) suggestions to “sex up” our humble submissions. I distinctly recall being told to “give it balls” when my “Bach” chorale was found to be lacking in passing tones.

*Disclaimer: these classes did include some real deals like Harold Meltzer and George Mathew. That must be what keeps a composition teacher going.