The Tender Land
Saturday, February 27th at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 28th at 2:00pm
Step outside the theatre for a new opera experience!
Ancient City Farmstead
395 St. Marks Pond Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32095
TICKETS
Adults: $45, $75, $90
Young Patron (under 30): $30*
Child/Teen (18 & under): Up to 2 free with each adult ticket*
*Discounted tickets not available for premium seating
Step outside the theatre and experience opera in a whole new way with our site-specific production of Aaron Copland's The Tender Land. We'll transform Ancient City Farmstead into the perfect setting for this heartfelt American story of family, hope, and new beginnings.
Directed by Helena Binder, the production features Copland's soaring score, including the beloved choral anthem "The Promise of Living."
The Tender Land is supported by a grant from the Terry Family Foundation.
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, the Terry Family Foundation is committed to extending the legacy of generous giving established by its visionary founders, the late C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry. In their honor, the Terry Family Foundation supports organizations whose work benefits the Northeast Florida community and other select organizations that were uniquely important to them. (www.theterryfoundation.org)
In the American heartland during the Great Depression, the provincial existence of a rural farming family hinges upon the high school graduation of the eldest daughter, Laurie Moss. However, on the eve of her graduation, Laurie finds herself questioning her place in the world and wondering what kind of life she could lead if she were to leave the farm.
Her restlessness is fueled by two drifters, Top and Martin, who are hired to help with the harvest. While Ma and Grandpa Moss are suspicious of the strangers, Laurie is captivated by their vivid tales of travel, and she and Martin quickly fall in love, culminating in a tender kiss at Laurie’s graduation party. Grandpa Moss, furious, banishes the two men, leading Martin and Laurie to make plans to elope, but Martin quickly realizes that this would cause trouble for all involved, and reluctantly sneaks away before daybreak.
Heartbroken, Laurie realizes that, though now alone, it is still time for her to go. She bids farewell to the farm and sets off into the unknown, leaving her weeping family to completely reassess their hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. A vivid portrait of the rural mid-west, The Tender Land is painted richly with Copland’s quintessentially American harmonies and tells a beautiful and simple story of a young woman’s coming of age.
Composer: Aaron Copland | Librettist: Horace Everett