The Dream
After a successful first novel, Penny Pensive is afflicted by a bad case of writer’s block. Working on a sequel, she has engineered the murder of her main character’s husband, but she has no idea how to continue. She takes a nap, only to be awakened (or is it a dream?) by loud knocking on the door. She opens and is confronted by a woman who claims to be her main character, Verity Semper! Verity complains bitterly about the recent murder of her husband Frank, which took place in exactly the same way as in Penny’s manuscript. At first, Penny dismisses Verity’s story as a hoax, but she is soon persuaded that she is face-to-face with her own creation.
The two women share a glass of wine and engage in a passionate debate about grief and fortitude, quoting poetry and menacing each other with famous operatic arias. Penny explains that she had invented Verity to embody the happy life she herself never knew. For example, as a schoolgirl, Penny was mocked when she first tried on lipstick, and she has never worn it since; but Verity always wears lipstick.
Verity diagnoses Penny’s problem: she identifies so closely with Verity that she is paralyzed by grief over Frank’s death. Verity persuades Penny to delete the fatal chapter. As soon as this is done, the phone rings: it is Frank, telling Verity that they will be moving to Oregon to manage a winery. This, then, is the happy ending that Penny was trying to find. Verity leaves, and Penny drifts back to sleep.
A phone call from her agent awakens Penny. She tells him that she has found the answer to her writer’s block in a dream about Verity. She then starts to tidy up a bit. She picks up a wine glass and discovers that it bears a smudge of lipstick!
Metropolitan Opera veteran Emily Pulley, who created the role of “Penny Pensive,” said:
“One of the joys of this piece is that it’s simple, but not simplistic: although it delves into genuine silliness at times, it also poses some profound existential questions. There are fun musical and literary jokes, and there's a beautiful moment at the end that sort of brings all of these elements together.”
Audience reactions have been enthusiastic:
“joyous experience” – “ingenious” – “clever, funny, poignant” – “amazing and delightful”
“An interesting philosophical question treated with entertaining humour.”
Performance history
March 24 & 26, 2023
Cascadia Chamber Opera
Wildish Theater, Springfield, Oregon
Emily Pulley (Penny Pensive)
Jocelyn Claire Thomas (Verity Semper)
Nathalie Fortin (Piano)
Directed by Emily Pulley
August 26 & 27, 2023
Cascadia Chamber Opera
Charlene Larsen Center, Astoria, Oregon
Emily Pulley (Penny Pensive)
Jocelyn Claire Thomas (Verity Semper)
Andrew Pham (Piano)
Directed by Emily Pulley
October 1, 2024
Eugene Opera
The Shedd Institute, Eugene, Oregon
Emily Pulley (Penny Pensive)
Jocelyn Claire Thomas (Verity Semper)
Andrew Pham (Piano)
Directed by Emily Pulley