Three Shakespearean Monologues for
​Three Shakespearean Women
for mezzo-soprano actress and piano (2015, 14 min.)

note
Madness. Guilt. Desire. Love. Mourning. Madness again. These are the timeless themes explored in playwright William Shakespeare's famous texts for three of his most important and complex female characters. In my interpretation, these themes are explored in non-traditional musical ways, which force both the performer and the listener to approach them with a new perspective. The emotional tone of this piece can waver between grotesque, winsome, and even humorous, revealing the many complicated sentiments associated with not only these three famous female characters, but the themes and ideas that they signify, which are universal.

Three Shakespearean Monologues for Three Shakespearean Women (2015, 14 min.)
for mezzo-soprano actress and piano
I. Lady Macbeth
II. Juliet
III. Ophelia
Written for Genevieve Clements

premiere
Genevieve Clements, mezzo-soprano actress
Aaron Israel Levin, piano
Casa Verdi
12/17/15 | Milan Italy

other performances
Lisa Neher, mezzo-soprano actress
Sasha Burdin, piano
Sebring Lewis Hall, Grinnell College
4/24/16 | Grinnell, IA

Three Shakespearean Monologues for Three Shakespearean Women text by William Shakespeare

I. Lady Macbeth
Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why,
then, 'tis time to do't.--Hell is murky!--Fie, my
lord, fir! a soldier, and afeard? What need we
fear who knows it, when non can call our power to
account?--Yet who would have thought the old man
to have had so much blood in him

II. Juliet
[JULIET]
​O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

[ROMEO]
Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

[JULIET]
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

III. Ophelia
[OPHELIA]
​Where is the beauteous majesty of Denmark?

​[QUEEN GERTRUDE]
How now, Ophelia!

[OPHELIA]
Pray you, mark.

White his shroud as the mountain snow
Larded with sweet flowers
Which bewept to the grave did not go
With true-love showers.

There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray,
love, remember: and there is pansies, that's for thoughts

There's fennel for you, and columbines: there's rue
for you; and here's some for me: we may call it herb-grace o' Sundays: O you must wear your rue with a difference. There's a daisy: I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died: they say he made a good end,--

For bonny, sweet Robin is all my joy

Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies;
​good night, good night.