Leanne McGiffin, soprano, "Isabelle/Madeline"; Barry McCauley, tenor, "Larry/Matt"; David Holloway, baritone, "Tom/John"; George Banks, cello; Alice Weir, flute; Henry Mollicone, piano; Central City Opera
The opera tells two tales, separated in time but parallel in characters and theme. In present day Central City, Isabelle, a member of the opera chorus, and her boyfriend Larry visit a local bar. Larry orders champagne and asks about the face painted on the barroom floor. In responding, Tom, the bartender, becomes a nineteenth-century frontier bartender, John, who welcomes the bargirl Madeline as they toast the future of the “Golden West.” A disheveled traveler, Matt, enters and orders drinks all around while John tells Madeline to sing. Unable to pay for his whiskey, Matt offers instead to paint a portrait on the floor of the bar of the only woman he ever loved. John discovers the portrait is of Madeline. The two men fight until Madeline throws herself between them as John shoots at Matt, killing her instead. Larry, now back in the twentieth century, laughs drunkenly at the old legend and forces Isabelle to dance with him. Tom reveals his past love affair with Isabelle. Declaring that he still loves Isabelle, Tom challenges Larry. During their fight Isabelle is shot and dies on the portrait of the face on the barroom floor.
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Liner notes are accessible via the link above.
Henry Mollicone: The Face on the Barroom Floor
| MP3/320 | $16.00 | |
| FLAC | $16.00 | |
| WAV | $16.00 | |
| CD-R | $16.00 |
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
Track Listing
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: Prelude - "Now this looks like the West"
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "A Face..."
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "It was about a hundred years ago"
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "He came to the West"
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "All right, mister..."
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "He paints the portrait of his love..."
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "An insult!"
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "Bravo! Bravo!"
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "The face on the barroom floor"
Henry Mollicone
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The Face on the Barroom Floor: "I'll teach you..." - Postlude
Henry Mollicone
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