Theremin
Synopsis
Theremin is an opera based on the life of Leon Theremin, inventor of the theremin. Born in Russia and recognized as a genius and the inventor of the theremin, Leon Theremin was invited to the United States to give a series of concerts and demonstrations of this radically new instrument. What was not known at the time was that he was also recruited to be a spy for Russia, and during his time lived in these two personas. But in addition he fell in love with and married an African American ballet dancer, Lavinia Williams. Then one day he disappeared mysteriously and ended up in a Russian gulag, where he continued to spy on the United States.
Demo Excerpts
The video below was taken from a reading in August 2025 at the Seagle Festival, where Theremin was workshopped. Excerpts from the complete libretto are highlighted in yellow.
(The following time markers are available within the video.)
- 00:00 Title screen
- 00:08 Synopsis
- 00:31 Prologue: Leon Theremin - Beauty can be sound
- 01:26 Act 1, Scene 4: Lavinia Williams - Beauty can be movement
- 02:16 Act 1, Scene 1: Mikhail Federov - My name is death
- 02:51 Act 1, Scene 2: Ruth Golding (R.C.A.), Leon Theremin - Families with music. Democracy in sound.
- 03:43 Act 1, Scene 4: Lavinia Williams - This new thing we’re becoming right before our eyes
- 04:24 Act 2, Scene 1: Lavinia Williams - Hopeful; Leon Theremin - Hopeless
- 05:44 Act 2, Scene 2: Lavinia Williams - Did he kill you?
- 06:23 Act 2, Scene 3: Lavinia Williams - And sometimes in the night I hear that lovely sound
- 07:20 Act 2, Scene 5, end of opera - Lavinia Williams and Leon Theremin: Beauty