“Richard Maltz’s music is direct and communicative. His craftsmanship is such as to enable him to accomplish any creative project he undertakes skillfully. He has a melodic gift and makes the most of it.”
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Bio
Richard Maltz composes instrumental and vocal music for large and small ensembles including opera. His compositions, mostly neo-classical, have received hundreds of performances nationally and abroad.
Maltz was raised in Randolph, Massachusetts, attended Berklee College of Music and earned degrees from the universities of North Texas and South Carolina. He studied composition with Robert Ward, Ben Johnston and Dick Goodwin. He taught theory and composition at USC Aiken retiring as a University of South Carolina Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
Richard is currently seeking performance opportunities for his recently completed Valley of the Kings, a full-scale comedic and tragic chamber opera in which the historic tradition of the Passover seder and the Jewish cultural affinity for Chinese food mash up with a raucous putt-putt golf tournament.
Maltz and his wife live in Abingdon, Maryland where he enjoys singing with the Harford Choral Society.
Music
Valley of the Kings: A Tragicomic Chamber Opera
Valley of the Kings
Where the Passover Seder and Chinese takeout collide with the high stakes of miniature golf.
Everyman (Act II) Tenor Aria - Set in an unspecified time period, Monk delivers a prophecy of his own premature death.
Thank you for being my brother (Epilogue) Trio for Soprano, Tenor, and Bass - Binkie and Bud stand at Monk’s gravesite. Monk, transfigured, thanks Binkie for being his brother and charges Bud to continue the tournament.
Pupu dance (Act I) Quartet for barbecued spare rib, egg roll, beef teriyaki strip, and Peking ravioli (potsticker).
About the Work
Valley of the Kings is a genre-bending theatrical experience: part singspiel, part morality play, and part ballet. Set to a semi-autobiographical libretto, the opera weaves together arioso, arias, duets, trios, and choruses with extended passages of dialogue and integrated dance. The music is primarily neo-classical with calculated juxtapositions of modernism to serve the drama. With a prologue and epilogue set in the present—bookending two acts set in the past—the work balances whimsy with deep emotional resonance, exploring brotherhood, potential, and the tragedy of a life cut short.
The Story
Brothers Monk and Binkie Bloom gather annually with their friend Bud Hobbes for a weekend of raucous festivities. Their traditions include eating, drinking, singing, a poker game in which they gamble for punches in the arm, and an unconventional putt-putt golf tournament. Though they admit their activities are silly, they regard them as the most meaningful moments of their lives. While Monk and Bud are decorated champions of the tournament, Binkie’s inability to win is a symptom of his broader shortcomings in life. Yet, Monk and Bud see potential in him—as does an ancient Egyptian king who gifts Binkie a precious gem endowed with virtue. Monk’s greatest wish is to see Binkie win the tournament and succeed in life, but his time is cut short before he has the chance. Will Binkie ever win?
Production Specifications
Instrumentation: 15-piece orchestra (fl/pic, ob/Eng hn, cl/bs cl, bsn/cbsn, hn, tpt, tbn, tba, 2 perc, 2 vn, va, vc, bs)
Cast Requirements:
Principal Roles: Soprano (pants role), Tenor, Bass
Supporting Roles: 1 lesser Soprano role, 1 principal Spoken role, 2 lesser Spoken roles (children)
Chorus
Dance Requirements: The opera features both integrated and stand-alone dance pieces, requiring soloists and ensembles.
The Appetizer Quartet: A whimsical ensemble representing a barbecued spare rib, an egg roll, a beef teriyaki strip, and a Peking ravioli
The Fable Trio: A depiction of a traditional story involving three large stones and three sticks
The Animal Fight: An interpretive trio for a bird, a monkey, and a tiger, mirroring the vocal narrative
Click on any piece to listen and to learn more.
Overtures and Fanfares
Symphonies and Concertos
Young Audiences
Opera and Vocal
Chamber and Percussion
