Floyd “Jim” Thompson was held for nine years in Vietnam, his wife Alyce unsure if he was alive. When he was released, he returned to a very different country – and a very different marriage.
Glory Denied is a deeply compelling drama with achingly beautiful music.
“continuously absorbing and musically rewarding.” – Joshua Rosenblum, Opera News
“. . . a luminous score that offered vivid embodiments of the protagonist’s mental states.” – Joan Reinthaler, The Washington Post
STARRING
Timothy Mix as Older Thompson
Caroline Worra as Older Alyce
John Riesen as Younger Thompson
Cree Carrico as Younger Alyce
Conducted by Robert Wood
Directed by Kristine McIntyre
Scenic Design by Adam Crinson
Lighting and Projection Design by Kathy Maxwell
Costume Design by Grace Santamaria
Featuring members of Inscape Chamber Orchestra
SYNOPSIS
Capt. Floyd “Jim” Thompson was shot down over Vietnam on March 26, 1964. He was captured by the Viet Cong, and held for nine years; his wife Alyce was uncertain if he was alive. Faced with the prospect of raising their four children alone, she decided to move on, and settled down with another man. When Thompson returned, his long-held vision of Alyce was crushed, and his family’s lives were thrown into turmoil. Based on the oral history by Tom Philpott, the opera Glory Denied tells the true story of Jim and Alyce – their relationship, their choices, their joys, their disillusionment.
For further reading about Thompson, you can visit Wikipedia here. The article is a good summary of his life and background. For a very detailed chronicle of Thompson’s life, we recommend the oral history by Tom Philpott. The opera deals with only a portion of the events surrounding Jim and Alyce’s lives – some things had to be condensed for the theater. You can read the New York Times review of the book here, and it is also available for purchase wherever you buy books.
Parental Advisory: Glory Denied contains mature references, and may not be suitable for young children.