Babe Didrikson Zaharias, public domain photo courtesy of Wikicommons
Audrey Yoder, soprano, as Babe Didrikson Zaharias
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Par for the courseA micro-opera for unaccompanied singer
3 minutes 2020 Music by Lisa Neher Libretto by Kendra Leonard High Key/Soprano Version Range: Bb3 - A5 Medium Key/Mezzo Version Range: Ab3 - G5 Additional Transpositions available by request. ScorePreview the score (high/soprano key)
Preview the score (medium/mezzo key) Contact Lisa to request a specific transposition Program noteOne of the greatest athletes of all time, Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias excelled at every sport she tried. She won two gold medals in track and field at the 1932 summer Olympics and later turned to golf, winning 10 Ladies Professional Golf major championships. She often faced sexism in her work and from reporters who criticized her involvement in athletics and her unladylike personality. Known for her brash confidence, she would often say at competitions, “Okay, Babe’s here! Now who’s gonna finish second?”
Sport has played an important role in both of our lives and we are passionate about representing women in sport on the opera stage. We were drawn to Babe by her confidence, her passion for sport, and her example of excellence in spite of a society that was often against her. This micro-opera envisions the moment in which Babe learns that her attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open has been rejected. Par for the Course was written for soprano Elisabeth Halliday-Quan for Rhymes With Opera’s 2020 Pocket Opera Workshop. It was premiered by soprano Audrey Yoder as part of the One Voice Project Micro Opera Festival in 2021. |