Operas Criseyde (2010) — Chamber opera in two acts Duration 2 hours Alice Shields, composer and dramatist; Middle English libretto by Nancy Dean, with Medieval Italian lines taken from Boccaccio by Alice Shields A feminist reconstruction of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde.  For soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 baritones, lyric bass, ensemble of 2 mezzos and 1 soprano, and 14 instruments (fl, ob, enghn, bssn; horn, trumpet, trombone; harp, piano; vln1, vln2, vla, cello and bass). See www.criseyde.com for more information.     Apocalypse (1994) Duration 107:00 Opera in two acts for MEZZO-SOPRANO, CONTRALTO, BARITONE, CHORUS, DANCERS, ELECTRIC GUITAR & TAPE Choreographed by the composer in Bharata Natyam style. Drama by Shields, on Greek, Gaelic, and Sanskrit texts, in which a woman seeks spiritual knowledge. Information about the recording Listen to an excerpt ("Apocalypse Song") Listen to an excerpt ("Organ Screaming")   Background/surround for the opera Apocalypse  Mass for the Dead (1993) Duration 60:05 Opera in one act for SOPRANO, MEZZO-SOPRANO/COUNTERTENOR, BASS- BARITONE, 8-PART SATB CHORUS; DANCERS; CELLO, OBOE, BASSOON, ORGAN & TAPE. Based on a ghost story and the Gregorian chants of the Requiem mass. In Latin, Greek, & English. Gallery of production photos Listen to an excerpt ("Agnus Dei") Click on the images for sample score pages Wraecca (1989) Duration 17:00 Opera in one act for SOPRANO, MEZZO-SOPRANO, BARITONE, CELLO & PIANO. Drama by Shields, using language from two Anglo-Saxon poems. In the plot, the god Odin manages to sacrifice himself. Based on Gregorian chant. Click on the images for sample score pages Shaman (1987) Duration 45:00 Opera in one act for SOPRANO, MEZZO-SOPRANO, TENOR, BARITONE, CHORUS (SATB), FLUTE, OBOE, ENGLISH HORN, CELLO & TAPE. Created out of wolf-calls, coyote screams, and manipulated human voices. The plot, in which a shaman heals himself, is based on Native American shamanic ritual. Text is by Edward Barrett and Shields. Odyssey 3 (1975) Duration 30:00 Opera in one act for TENOR, BASS-BARITONE, MALE CHORUS & 21-PIECE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (piccolo, oboe, english horn/alto krumhorn, bassoon; french horn, tenor-bass trombone, tuba; mandolin, harp; violin, viola, cello, contrabass;and 8 percussionists). Choreographed in Noh theater dance style. Drama by Shields, based on the Homeric Odyssey: Odysseus meets his son Telemachos without recognizing him, and tricks him. Odyssey 2 (1970) Duration 30:00 Opera in one act for TENOR, BASS-BARITONE, MALE CHORUS, PIANO & PERCUSSION. A surrealistic opera in which two men agress against each other. Choreographed in Noh theater style, with drama by Shields based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead and Roger Gilbert-LeConte's Dada play "The Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped." "imaginative and exploratory in its contrasts of comedy and tragedy...disturbing connotations...a horrifying power in the defilement of the paper woman."                                                                     — Glens Falls Times on "Odyssey 2" The Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped (Odyssey 1) (1968) Duration 20:00 Opera in one act for TENOR, BASS-BARITONE, MALE CHORUS, PICCOLO, CELLO, FRENCH HORN & PERCUSSION. A surrealistic opera in which two men agress against each other. Choreographed in Noh theater style, with drama by Shields based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead and Gilbert-LeConte's "The Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped."