Shepherd on the Rock: A Timeless Inspiration for LUCIDITY
Laura Kaminsky quotes the Franz Schubert song “The Shepherd on the Rock (Der Hirt auf dem Felsen)” at key moments
in Lucidity. Schubert composed the lied for soprano, clarinet, and piano in 1828, during the final months of his life. For lyrics, Schubert wove together verse by poets Wilhelm Müller and Karl August Varnhagen von Ense. “Shepherd” is about a young shepherd standing on a mountain who calls to the valley below. He hears the echo of his voice, which causes pain as he thinks about how far away his love lives. The second section delves into expressions of grief and longing. The final part turns hopeful as the shepherd sees that spring is coming and prepares to journey.
Why did Kaminsky choose this Romantic piece? She knew that Lucy Shelton had recorded “Shepherd” in 1982 with 
pianist David Golub and clarinetist David Shifrin and wanted to weave that sonic memory into the sound world of Lucidity. Librettist David Cote knew that “Shepherd” would not only be a treasured memory for Lili but offered a rich source of symbolism for the rest of the opera. The shepherd on the mountain, lonely and isolated, might represent a person struggling with dementia, having trouble connecting with family, their memories, and their sense of self. But the shepherd is really all the characters. Each faces a unique personal “block” or crisis and works their way—individually and as a group—toward the light. As the clarinetist Sunny, estranged from her parents, muses: “Maybe an echo is better than silence?”
In the end, we hope the audience comes away with key moments in the score: “Life is precious, what is given to you, what you choose, what you cannot choose.” But we all must live.
