The story of an emperor, his music-loving court, and two nightingales, only one of which can sing without being wound up.

The first work in a cycle of three new operas about birds, The Nightingale is based on a story by Hans Christian Anderson, in the English translation by H. P. Paull, and a variation on the same story from Andrew Lang’s Yellow Fairy Book. The songs for both nightingales are excerpted from, in order of appearance: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Nightingale”; William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice; Christina G. Rossetti, “Bird Raptures”; Thomas Nashe, “Spring, the Sweet Spring”; Lord Byron, “Parisina”; Thomas Campion, “Tune Thy Music to Thy Heart”; and Christina G. Rossetti, “Sweet Death.” Scored for performance with soloists, chorus, and pre-recorded accompaniment, this recording has been realized using a digital choir and soloists. The text adaptation for the libretto, as well as the music, is the composer’s creation. Duration 53 min. Copyright © 2019 by Cynthia Sternau. All rights reserved. musicbycynthiasternau.com. Album illustration © Shutterstock.

Click below to hear a sample of The Nightingale, from Scene 6 ~ Death Comes Calling.