In late 1920s New York City, Dr. Curtis and his daughter, Elise, prepare a new Egyptian exhibit of their recent excavation. There, the Forgotten Prince lies in his sarcophagus. In his life, he was cursed. The curse killed off his entire family, ending the dynasty. It also left him alive and trapped in his tomb for thousands of years. Since his discovery, he has watched in secret, learned the new language that he hears, and fallen in love with Elise. Guided the ghost of his mother, he will now reveal himself to Elise, so begins their love story. But the curse isn’t finished with him yet…
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Press/Reviews
“Emmy-nominated producer and songwriter Craig Brandwein (Brandwynne), brings over 50 years of experience to the music business, and that’s a lot of background to cover and takes up too much space to add, but it doesn’t go without saying when reviewing his one act opera – Longing, A Love Across The Ages (Original Cast Recording). This album features music composed by Brandwein himself, with Libretto by David Allen Sellers. And I’m not sure how this goes over with hardcore opera lovers, but it’s a good introduction if you’re not familiar with opera or haven’t paid attention to the genre itself.“
~ Cleopatra Patel Big Celebrity Buzz
“Longing – A Love Across The Ages (An Opera In One Act), is a one-act musical play recording of the opera variety, about a love story set in 1920’s New York City, featuring (Dr. Curtis), sung by baritone Christopher Blake Farley, and the doctor’s daughter (Elise), sung by Laura Melton, with other cast players in the form of (The Forgotten Prince), sung by Austin Green, and (The Queen), sung by Ashley Black. Music composed and produced by Craig Alan Brandwein, with libretto by David Allen Sellers, with the Center Sound Orchestra among the many others credited on the disc.”
~ Mark Druery, Indieshark
“There are stories that insist on being rediscovered. They lie dormant—not lost, merely waiting—until the right voice stirs them back to life. Longing – A Love Across The Ages, a one-act opera by composer Craig Brandwein and librettist David Alan Sellers, is such a story. Set in a museum among the hushed relics of antiquity, it unfolds like the opening of a forgotten scroll: quietly at first, then with emotional force that feels at once ancient and eerily immediate.“
~ Mindy McCall, IndiePulseMusic
“There is a moment near the end of Longing – A Love Across The Ages when the Forgotten Prince, newly awakened after thousands of years entombed, pleads with the gods of every name—Ra, Odin, Zeus—not to save himself, but to save the woman he has come to love. “Close your eyes and take my hand,” he says to her, with nothing but darkness and memory ahead. The line is not grand. It is quiet, soft, almost unsung. And that is the defining strength of this one-act opera: its refusal to overstate the very thing it understands best—longing itself.“
~ Chadwick Easton, Melody Maker
“The phrase “modern opera” can spark a range of reactions — some hopeful, others skeptical. But in Longing — A Love Across The Ages, composer Craig Brandwein and librettist David Alan Sellers offer a compelling answer to what opera in the 21st century can still achieve: honest storytelling, musically rich landscapes, and emotional directness without pretense.“
~Colin Jordan , Medium
“In an era where opera often wrestles with staying relevant, Longing – A Love Across The Ages is a refreshing reminder that great storytelling, when married to heartfelt music, still holds power. Composed by Emmy-nominated Craig Brandwein with a libretto by David Alan Sellers, this one-act opera is a moving, musically rich, and emotionally sincere work that deserves attention.“
~Garth Thomas, The Hollywood Digest