THE GOLEM OF LA JOLLA

In 2013 there were 751 reported anti-semitic acts in the United States. In 2022 there were 3697. As I’m writing this, within the context of the current horrors in Gaza, there are as we all know rising incidents of anti-Semitism, including reports of “swatting” in Southern California, a phenomenon wherein anti-semites call synagogues with a bomb threat, usually leading to an evacuation, only to have it revealed as a false alarm.

I’m submitting this work-in-progress opera THE GOLEM OF LA JOLLA, - including this film of the work in concert, a workshop-reading - in hopes that its development will interest Reboot and others who support progressive work. With my principal collaborator librettist Allan Havis, who has written the librettos for two operas with Anthony Davis, this project has evolved over the past few years within an atmosphere that has expanded diabolically from Charlottesville, when we first conceived of it, til now. Neither of us, nor I imagine anyone really, could have foreseen how the world might have grown since then.

The attached video is of the first three scenes, from a developmental workshop concert - combining concert footage with recording studio video fronting a green screen. We hope this project when finished will be both a theatrical/opera presentation and eventually a film as well - much of my own work of late has explored opera as film, we hope this will continue that idea.

SUMMARY OF THE FIRST THREE SCENES, SEEN IN THE VIDEO:

THE GOLEM OF LA JOLLA explores the Jewish Golem myth within the context of rising contemporary anti-semitism. Rabbi Joan, the new rabbi at a synagogue in La Jolla, California, a younger woman of color, is very much aware of a Neo-Nazi march coming to town in a few days. Preparing for the march, Joan is, like all modern rabbis, actively dealing with the extra security needs of all contemporary synagogues. A Congregant from Joan's congregation meets with an older Rabbi visiting from Prague who thinks they need more protection than what’s planned, and he knows how to summon a Golem to bring powerful supernatural protection. He presses his case to meet with their new young Rabbi and eventually the congregation. The Prague Rabbi is passionate, persuasive, the Congregant agrees to bring him to Rabbi Joan.

The Congregant meets with Rabbi Joan, convincing her of the urgent need to meet with the Prague Rabbi and take seriously his desire to bring more powerful albeit supernatural protection. She is of course skeptical, there are no Golems after all, though when the Congregant sings of his fear, followed by the Hashkeveinu, the Hebrew prayer for peace, she sings with him, joining him in prayer. She agrees to meet with this strange Rabbi from Prague because, among other things “we will always open the door for a stranger.”

In the third scene, the two Rabbis meet - the young American Rabbi, a woman, and the older patriarchal Rabbi from Prague. Bit by bit he insinuates himself into her universe, and as the opera continues, makes his way into the synagogue for the Shabbat service to meet with the congregation - and lead the way through darker arts towards a more powerful seemingly mystical protection.

REMAINDER OF THE OPERA (still being composed):

As the congregation sings, debating in complex a cappella textures whether there is wisdom in asking for supernatural help, the Prague Rabbi starts the ceremony to bring in the Golem, creating a ring of fire. The music builds until there is an explosion - and a mysterious creature is seen approaching the synagogue creating destructive havoc in the midst of enormous fire. Musically this section will likely to some extent be composed for and feature members of the Los Angeles Partch Ensemble, tbd.

The creature (is it a Golem?) enters the synagogue, and suddenly all is peaceful, even domestic, we see this creature is in fact beautiful. The creature, in a beatific peaceful cadence, among other things sings insistently that unfortunately “I don’t exist ... and I can’t help you.” The congregation pleads for help, for advice, for anything that might help make the present situation less dire - but the creature continues, elegiacally, that there’s little a creature that doesn’t really exist can do. Dayenu - yes, it is enough that a creature that doesn’t exist can’t help. Finally, this mysterious entity, as in the Golem legend of old, climbs over the wall and ... disappears.

With that it’s revealed that in fact nothing happened - no fires, no overturned cars, no destruction, all is as before. Rabbi Joan sings to the congregation and everyone that these problems are our problems, our problems alone to solve - no mythical creature can help us. The Prague Rabbi is seen in the doorway, the opera ends with the two rabbis staring at each other.

This new opera is a parable, this exploration of my own Jewish heritage at this time of such pain is extremely personal - and not a time to embrace or even think about myth per se, as that way might contain and embrace the madness that threatens to infect us all - rather than a clear eyed and even perhaps painful devotion to truth and progressive thinking. These times demand it.
I hope you find this project and this new opera of interest and worthy of your support.