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We Elect To (Audio)

Jan 01, 1989
Created by Donald Swearingen
A radio opera featuring the voices of seven American presidents and singer Pamela Z, who counterbalances their lofty words with the reality of newspaper headlines. This piece is about the highly charged and emotionally loaded phrases that our leaders employ and which, over the years, have acquired a life of their own. In We Elect To they are placed in a musical context, with the music integrated into the flow and rhythm of their words, and their pronouncements highlighted by varying musical styles and moods. Interwoven throughout the piece are continuing references to religious themes and familiar hymns. Commissioned by New American Radio.