About:

Composer Danaë Xanthe Vlasse follows the GRAMMY®-winning chamber album MYTHOLOGIES (2021) with a sequel of epic proportions. Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, MYTHOLOGIES II offers orchestral tone poems highlighting sopranos Sangeeta Kaur and Hila Plitmann, tenor Omar Najmi, and pianist Robert Thies, as they embody iconic figures from Greek mythology.
 
The musical exploration of these myths demonstrates a nuanced perspective on the protagonists of ancient stories, which speak fundamental truths about the human condition and societal values. There is duality and complexity in each character, asking audiences to ponder how timeless archetypes fit into the modern world.



Tracks:

1)  MEDUSA & PERSEUS
2)  ANDROMEDA, I. “Ocean Overture”
3)  ANDROMEDA, II. “Cassiopeia's Lament”
4)  ANDROMEDA, III. “Andromeda's Farewell”
5)  ANDROMEDA, IV. “Cetus”
6)  ANDROMEDA, V. “Perseus' Proposal”
7)  ANDROMEDA, VI. “Andromeda's Vow & Lover's Duet”  
8)  DREAMS OF ITHACA



Track 1) MEDUSA & PERSEUS
(Feat. Sangeeta Kaur, Hila Plitmann, Omar Najmi, Robert Thies, Danae Xanthe Vlasse, Emilio D. Miler, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)

Medusa was a beautiful priestess devoted to the goddess Athena. When Poseidon, god of the sea, violated Medusa’s chastity, it was an affront to Athena’s power. But Athena could not seek vengeance on a more powerful god, so she transformed Medusa into a Gorgon, a creature who would turn to stone anyone who gazed upon her. This transformation protected the former priestess from men’s advances while reminding the world of Athena’s sovereignty.

Athena eventually decided it was time for Medusa to serve her in a new way: she chose a virtuous young man called Perseus to release the priestess from her Gorgon form by severing her head and returning her spirit to Mt. Olympus. Zeus provided Perseus with a special sword, and Athena gave him a polished shield through which he could see Medusa’s reflection, thus remaining immune to her powers. 
 
In this musical retelling of the story, Medusa is represented with sympathy, and Perseus’ compassion is as important as his physical strength. After hunting her, Perseus shows Medusa great reverence by singing to her as life leaves her body. In this nurturing act, he witnesses a magnificent birth when the winged horse Pegasus emerges from her neck.

Pegasus will ultimately live with the gods on Mt. Olympus, and Medusa's head will be molded into Athena's armor as a means of deterring evil. Medusa will therefore serve her goddess in death as she had in life.

          
Chapters:

 Medusa’s Memories as a Priestess
 Perseus
 Medusa's Cave
 The Hunt
 Perseus' Compassion
 Birth of Pegasus & Medusa's Ascension

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
MEDUSA & PERSEUS
Lyrics by Danaë Xanthe Vlasse

Medusa, Medusa,
I must defeat you;
I shall release you!
The gods challenge me;
testing piety,
with a shield and blade to
see and unbind you.

Medusa, Medusa
You were once gentle.
worshipping, faithful,
'til the gods' checkmate
set in stone your fate!
Your gaze so dangerous,
gives my quest purpose!

Medusa, Medusa
You were once joyous;
You were one of us,
'til life condemned you,
transformed you!
Now death reveals you,
with wings to fly true
where faith is renewed.
A legend in a new form;
Pegasus is born!

Medusa, Medusa
Free from sadness past;
Soar!
Sorrows gone at last!
Now adorn the shield
Athena will wield,
And she will then hold you;
She will embrace you,
Near her heart anew!
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

ANDROMEDA 
(Tracks 2-7) Lyrics by Danaë Xanthe Vlasse

Cassiopeia, queen of Aethiopia, offended Poseidon when she boasted of her daughter Andromeda’s beauty. Poseidon reacted by sending a deluge of tides and a sea monster named Cetus to ravage the land as a penalty.

An oracle foretold that the kingdom would be spared from starvation by having Andromeda’s life sacrificed to the sea monster.

Cassiopeia bids farewell to her child. Andromeda accepts her fate: she is tethered to a rock and awaits death on the shore. However, as Cetus approaches to devour Andromeda, Perseus emerges from the clouds atop Pegasus. After failing to defeat Cetus with his sword, he displays Medusa’s head to turn the sea monster to stone, and Andromeda is saved.

Perseus – admiring Andromeda’s courage – proposes marriage to the princess, who accepts his hand.
           
The young lovers will marry and raise six sons, founding the fabled birth of the Mycenaean dynasty. After Perseus and Andromeda’s passing, Athena will honor their bravery and self-sacrifice by placing them in the sky as constellations.


Chapters:

I - Ocean Overture
II - Cassiopeia's Lament
III - Andromeda's Farewell
IV - Cetus
V - Perseus' Proposal
VI - Andromeda's Vow & Lover's Duet
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 
Track 2) ANDROMEDA, I. "Ocean Overture"
(Feat. Robert Thies, Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)

Ocean currents churn with Poseidon’s theme, and reach the shore under calling seagulls.
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Track 3) ANDROMEDA, II. “Cassiopeia's Lament”
(Feat. Sangeeta Kaur,  Hilá Plitmann, Robert Thies, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)

CASSIOPEIA'S LAMENT
"My treasured darling with fearful eyes aglow,
How I wish this separation were not so!
 
Imagine an eternity of sorrow:
Without you I’ll thirst, barren all tomorrows.
 
I'll fade, for all the land of my heart is dry.
To appease the gods, all that blossoms must die!
 
Though if my life is long enough, you should know:
my sobs shall water earth for roots to grow.
 
Stems of peace may rise once my well is empty,
So that memories may flower aplenty."
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Track 4) ANDROMEDA, III. "Andromeda's Farewell"
(Feat. Sangeeta Kaur,  Hilá Plitmann, Robert Thies, Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)

ANDROMEDA'S FAREWELL
"Farewell to this life in passion and in pain!
I long to sing with you together again:
Let joyful memories be our life’s refrain!
 
My love for you remains now and eternal!
Hold me in death as though I were immortal:
Forever see my light shining celestial!"
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Track 5) ANDROMEDA, IV. "Cetus"
(Feat. Sangeeta Kaur,  Omar Najmi, Robert Thies, Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)

CETUS
Andromeda cries out as Cetus emerges from the sea:
"Farewell to this life; my love for you remains!"
 
Perseus arrives on Pegasus and battles Cetus.
  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Track 6)  ANDROMEDA, V. "Perseus' Proposal"
(Feat. Sangeeta Kaur,  Omar Najmi, Robert Thies, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)

PERSEUS' PROPOSAL
"Innocent beauty with tearful eyes aglow,
How I wish your frightened hours were not so!"
Andromeda echoes: "How I wish my frightened hours were not so!"
 
"If you’ll allow it, I’ll guard you from sorrows,
With loving vigilance for all tomorrows!"
Andromeda echoes: "With loving vigilance!"

"I’ll smile when you are free and your eyes are dry,
nevermore to cry!"
Andromeda echoes: "Nevermore to cry!"
"Please accept my hand to wipe the tears gone by!
Please accept my hand...
For if my life is long enough, you should know:
I'll give your heart the sunlight for joy to grow."
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Track 7) ANDROMEDA, VI. "Andromeda's Vow & Lover's Duet"
(Feat. Sangeeta Kaur,  Omar Najmi, Robert Thies, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)
 
ANDROMEDA'S VOW
"You gave me life; in darkness you were my sunrise!
So now within your loving refuge I may thrive.
My hand is yours 'til soil sweeps across my eyes."
LOVER'S DUET
"May our happiness transcend time eternal!
Hold me, Love me,
so our hearts are entwined in love immortal!
Forever see our light shining celestial!"
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
Track 8) DREAMS OF ITHACA
(Feat. Sangeeta Kaur, Hila Plitmann, Omar Najmi, Robert Thies, Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)
 
Odysseus, king of Ithaca, was immortalized in Homer’s Odyssey, which narrates the hero's long homeward journey after the Trojan War. His story is at the crossroads between fact and fiction, and his adventures are an allegory for the identity quest within each individual seeking a "home" in peace.
 
The music depicts Odysseus lost at sea. In exhausted slumber he meets his guides: Hope and Purpose. They shepherd him through the dark night of his soul, and in 1178 B.C.E. King Odysseus finally returns to his beloved island of Ithaca after 20 years away from home.

 Dreams of Ithaca is dedicated to my father, Marcus Vlasse, a child of Ithaca who raised his sails to live the American Dream: this composition honors his 90th Birthday, Dec. 18th 2023.  ~ Danaë
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

DREAMS OF ITHACA
Lyrics by David R. Brunt, for Danaë Vlasse, 2021
 
Come Odysseus;
Raise high your sail.
Be guided by the moon so pale.
To scented scenes
of childhood dreams.

Back to Ithaca I go.

 Here darkness is shattered
By moonlight scattered.
A spotlight on  stage;
Each ripple bright
With fractured light.
By stars to a true course stay.

Back to Ithaca I go.

But Odysseus, if per chance
In sleep you lose your way;
Drop a pebble in the sea
And follow the ripples home.
 
And when the ripples turn to waves,
Then on the shore to foam;
Fall on your knees in the golden sand
And spell your name in stones. (Odysseus)
 
Hold a prayer in your upturned hands
And to the heavens shout;
I am a child of Ithaca
Remade by wind and war!

I am a child of Ithaca
And I am home,
I am home,
I am home!
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sangeeta Kaur, Soprano (1, 3-8)
Hilá Plitmann, Soprano (1, 3, 4, 8)
Omar Najmi, Tenor (1, 5-8)
Robert Thies, Pianist
Danaë Xanthe Vlasse: Singing Bowl, Rattle, Thunder Drum, Orchestral Chimes (1), Ocean Drum (2,5), Piano String Effects (2,4,5), and Lyra (8)
Emilio D. Miler, Concert Toms (1)

Recorded between July 2023 - Jan 2024 in London, Los Angeles, Austin, New York and Buenos Aires
London recording sessions conducted by Michael Shapiro at Abbey Road Studios, London, Nov 11-12th 2023

All music composed by Danaë Xanthe Vlasse

Lyrics by Danaë Xanthe Vlasse (Medusa, Andromeda) and David R. Brunt (Dreams of Ithaca)
Orchestrators: Jeff Atmajian, Lead Orchestrator & Booth Reader (8), Jon Kull (1), Patrick Russ and Geoff Alexander (2-7)
Copyists: Colin Rae, Juan Camilo Arboleda, and Duy Tran

Producers:
Executive Producers: Hai Nguyen and Sangeeta Kaur (a.k.a. Loan Xuan Mai)
Producers: Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, Emilio D. Miler, Robert Thies, Hai Nguyen, Kitt Wakeley, and Jeff Atmajian
Associate Producers: Greg Scelsa and Hilá Plitmann
Assistant Producers: Duy Tran and Nicholas A. Booth

Engineers:
Mix Engineer: Gerhard Joost, Studio Hill Austin
Mastering Engineer: Silas Brown, Legacy Sound
Lead Engineer, Abbey Road: John Barrett
Recording Engineer: Gerhard Joost
Protools Engineer: Daniel Hayden 
Assistant Engineer: Freddie Light
Second Assistant Engineer: Martin Riley

Additional Recording Sessions:
CasaFraga, Buenos Aires, July 25, 2023 (1), engineered by Emilio D. Miler
Studio Hill, Austin, August 7-10 2023 (1-8), engineered by Gerhard Joost
East West Studios, Los Angeles, July 2, 2023 (1), engineered by Brian Vibberts, assisted by Chaz Sexton
East West Studios, Los Angeles, July 23, 2023 (1), engineered by Matthew Brownlie, assisted by Chaz Sexton
Allegro Recordings, Los Angeles, December 7, 2023 (8), engineered by Matthew Snyder, assisted by Myra Choo
The Bridge, Brooklyn, January 16-17, 2024 (1-8), engineered by David Merrill, assisted by Greg Tock

Photography, Makeup & Styling: Robert Hayman
Album Artwork: Greg Spalenka
Graphic Design: Jeff Burne

©℗2024 Studio Hill Records
Studio Hill Records is a division of Studio Hill Productions, LLC
All music published by Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, MusicVisionPublishing, Studio Hill Music LLC, and David R. Brunt (all ASCAP).
Catalog number: SH071924

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Special Thanks:

Ian Maclay, Eleanor Clements, and James Williams with RPO management, and Vasily Petrenko, RPO Music Director
Kayla Hopkins at Abbey Road Studios, London
Candace Stewart and Keith Munson at East West Studios, Los Angeles
Priti Gandhi for recommending Omar Najmi
Gloria Parker for Mr. Najmi’s management
Mona Kahayan at The Bridge, Brooklyn