<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">I understand there have been some
questions about the title of and artwork for my opera, The Sparks Fly Upward.
Here is some information about the opera. </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">The title comes from the Book of Job,
from which the families in the opera read while they are in hiding. The artwork
combines photos from the Neue Synagogue in Berlin, and Auschwitz, where scenes
in the opera take place</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">Here is more information about the
piece:</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"><u>The Sparks Fly Upward Story</u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">The Sparks Fly Upward begins on
October 28, 1938 with the deportation of Polish Jews residing in Germany to
Poland, and concludes with the liberation of Berlin in May 1945 and the </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">re-dedication of the Neue Synagogue
in Berlin in 1995. At times </span>the<span style="color:rgb(5,5,5);font-family:"inherit",serif;font-size:11.5pt"> families turn to the Book of Job
for diversion, reassurance and enlightenment. Job’s suffering, and the contest
between good and evil represented in his story, are reflected in the lives of
the characters, who boldly face the question of man’s obligation</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">to man in times of moral and
political crisis. The Sparks Fly Upward is told completely through music and
lyrics. </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">Sparks is a story of courage,
friendship, love, faith, hope and the power of one person to alter the course
of another’s life.<br>
<br>
</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"><u>The Sparks Music and Production</u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">The Sparks Fly Upward premiered on
November 8, 2008 (photos included here) in Des Moines, Iowa before a sold out
audience of approximately 1100 people that gave the production a long and
enthusiastic standing ovation. Sparks and its music have been described as
“beautiful,” “compelling,” “inspiring,” “unforgettable,” ”powerful,” “moving,”
and “profound.” </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"><u>Here are some comments about Sparks:</u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">“I have lived a very privileged life
as an artist, and as part of that process, have been involved in more than my
share of moving, deep and touching performances, both as an observer and
participant. The performance last night goes right on that list of important
events that I will never forget. Maybe the most touching moment came after the
performance when several older people that lived through this horrible series
of events came up and expressed through their tears how much they appreciated
your work.”</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">~Maestro Joseph Giunta, Conductor of
the Des Moines Symphony and The Sparks Fly Upward~</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">“It is hard to put into words all the
gratitude we have for you and for what you have given to the community through
the production of The Sparks Fly Upward. To the community you have given a
sense of hope amidst the evils in our world. To tie together the horrors of the
Holocaust with the beauty of what people of conscience have done and continue
to do is a true gift. May we all take your sense of hope and call to action
into our world today and make a difference whenever we can. “ </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">~Gabrielle Callistein~</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">The historical accuracy of the story,
music, lyrics and photos taken together teach history, pay tribute to the
victims and heroes of the Holocaust, and provide audiences with a deep and
moving theatrical experience. Sparks has a transformative message and the power
to inspire audiences to awareness and action about the Holocaust, genocide,
intolerance and hatred.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"><br>
</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)">I hope this answers your questions.
Please feel free to message me if you have further questions. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"><br>Cathy Lesser Mansfield</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"inherit",serif;color:rgb(5,5,5)"><a href="mailto:clessermansfield@gmail.com">clessermansfield@gmail.com</a></span></p></div>