Steven Jobe

Joan of Arc: An Opera in Three Acts

"Steve Jobe's Opera: I ask you, where else on the planet would an Early Music-Folk-Wizard like this land, and get all his musical friends to join a battalion for Jeanne d'Arc at Bell St. Chapel for three nights of dark and wonderful genius?"

-Laura Travis, from her folk music column, The Nice Paper, Dec 30, 1993

Jobe wrote the libretto of Joan of Arc beginning in late 1990, using verse forms based on medieval French poetic structures (rondeau, ballade, etc). He began the music a year later and spent the following eighteen months working on the score. The result was a concert version of the opera performed at the Bell St. Chapel in Providence, RI in May 1993.

That production was made possible by the strong participation of the Providence community of artists, providing a unique ensemble of performers both onstage and in the orchestra. And most of the same friends came around to perform the piece again in May 1997 as part of AS220's (downtown Providence's community arts center) annual Fool's Ball fundraising event.

Soprano Ellen Santaniello sang the part of Joan of Arc in both productions, and John Fleagle sang the role of the Dauphin in 1997.

Joan of Arc 2010

Joan of Arc will be produced for the first time as a fully staged opera in May 2010 at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI. Jobe will music direct the production and he will join forces with RI theatre luminary Bob Colonna, who will direct the staging. Onstage, soprano Teresa Wakim -- who enjoys an internationally successful career as soloist in opera, oratorio, and chamber music -- will sing the role of Joan of Arc. Renowned tenor Jason McStoots will sing the role of the Dauphin.

The musical setting of Joan of Arc contains sonorities characteristic of Medieval and Renaissance music, but with a modern twist. The orchestra features early music instruments such as cornetto and hurdy gurdy and portative organ as well as modern strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion. Additionally, there were two instruments designed especially for Joan of Arc. One was the Drone Machine. The instrument is seven feet long and constructed out of an oil drum cut in half length-wise with a plywood top. A crank on one end turns a wooden wheel that vibrates four bass-range strings, creating a powerful droning sound, utilized specifically for the tragic Burning at the Stake at the end of the narrative. The other special instrument was the set of Glass Bells. Based loosely on composer Harry Partch's Cloud Chamber Bowls, their sound serves as a tone-color symbol of Joan's visions.

Jobe also wrote the libretto of the opera and in telling the story, he chose to emphasize Joan of Arc's visions. Jeanne claimed to have witnessed appearances by St. Michael the archangel, St. Margaret and St. Catherine who gave her guidance and inspiration. This aspect of her is at once deeply characteristic and yet finally enigmatic. While one cannot know the nature of her visions, it's clear that, for a short time, they were such that Joan enjoyed unprecedented success in her quest to liberate France at the end of the Hundred Years War in the early 15th c. But as we know too well in the present day, "things fall apart," and in most ways they did, tragically, for Joan. And therein lies an intriguing human question: what is the experience of the person endowed with visions when chaos intervenes? Must she close her ears to the voices or continue to listen? Retreat or accept the consequences? Jobe has tried to present the events so as to emphasize these questions. It does appear that Joan of Arc indeed continued to listen to her voices, to follow her visions in such a way that still inspires us today.

Joan of Arc highlights: 

Visions 1 St. Michael appears to Joan	Mother of God The French court awaits a savior
Recognition Joan is tested	Angel of France Dauphin acknowledges Joan
Maid with a Sword The legend begins	Visions III The Saints inspire Joan
Seven Tears/City of the Maid/Triple Ballade Joan in triumph	Visions IV Joan accepts her fate