Jeanine Tesori’s Musical World

Grounded composer Jeanine Tesori is a two-time Tony Award winner whose compositional catalog includes works for both operatic and Broadway stages, as well as film scores, incidental music, and more. Blurring the lines between musical theater and opera, Tesori’s works in both forms celebrate the inseparable relationship between a show’s music and its text.

In this activity, students will explore Tesori’s varied musical output spanning jazz, folk, blues, classical, musical theater, and church music. After examining selections from the composer’s musical theater corpus through an “I am / I want” listening exercise, they will create a playlist of their own reflecting the depth and diversity of Tesori’s musical stylings.

STEP 1. WARM UP

Begin the activity with a three-minute stretching session while listening to the first aria, “The Blue,” from Grounded. You can watch a performance of the aria by mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, accompanied by Tesori on piano, on YouTube (youtu.be/WVFbk4z4nBI). (Note that in the previous version of the work, premiered at Washington National Opera in 2023, this aria was titled “All for the Blue.”) This video will give students an idea of the musical language they will encounter in Grounded and introduce them to Tesori’s compositional style. Follow the steps below to warm up. As you listen to “The Blue,” do the following:

• Gather in a circle.
• Select one person to start with a stretch of their own choosing. They will silently demonstrate their stretch for the circle. Then, all members of the circle will join, holding the stretch for approximately 20 seconds. Allow a change in the music (textual or instrumental) to dictate when it is time to change to a new stretch.
• Move to the next person in the circle and repeat the process, continuing until the aria concludes.

As students return to their seats, ask them to consider:

• What do you think this piece is about?
• What do you learn about the character who is singing it?
• Does this song easily lend itself to movement? Why or why not?
• What do you like or dislike about the piece?

STEP 2. LISTEN

Tesori has cited Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, her Italian heritage, and television commercial jingles, as well as a wide array of popular songwriters and performers, among her compositional inspirations. To become more familiar with Tesori’s musical style, students will listen to some of these influences before examining some of the composer’s own words about the creative process. 

First, divide the class into pairs or groups of three. Assign each group one song from “Tesori’s Playlist” below. (If you have a smaller class, you can assign more than one song for each group.)

Bob Dylan, “Positively 4th Street”
Billy Preston, “I Wrote a Simple Song”
Michael Friedman, “Gone Missing”
Samuel Barber, Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Carole King, “You’ve Got a Friend”
Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, “What I Am”
Kurt Weill, “Lonely House” from Street Scene
Chrissie Hynde, “Don’t Get Me Wrong”
Indigo Girls, “Closer to Fine”

Groups will have 15–20 minutes to complete the following:

• Listen to their assigned piece on a computer, tablet, or phone
• Read each of the quotations excerpted on the “Tesori’s Words” handout included with this guide
• Select one or two quotes that complement or reflect their assigned piece
• Select one 30-second clip of the piece to share with the class

As they listen and read, groups should discuss the following prompts:

• What is the genre/style of this piece?
• What is the voicing and/or instrumentation for the piece?
• What specific aspects of the quotation(s) you chose connect to the song?
• What do you think Tesori liked about this song?

Once the 15–20 minutes have passed, each group should play their chosen 30-second clip for the class and share their answers to the above prompts.

STEP 3. REFLECT

Once every group has shared, play “The Blue” from Grounded once again. Ask students to reexamine the “Tesori’s Words” handout as they listen. Discuss as a class:

• What is the genre/style of this piece?
• What is the voicing and/or instrumentation for the piece?
• What specific aspects of the quotation(s) you chose connect to the song?
• Are there any songs from “Tesori’s Playlist” that sound like this one? If so, which song(s)? How are they alike?

STEP 4. EXPLORE

The song “The Blue” uses a specific kind of theatrical device. Sometimes called an “I am / I want” song, it introduces us to our main character, the fighter pilot Jess. As with many such songs, this aria is sung by a character who uses it to share her motivations, hopes, and desires with the audience. These songs are often used to flesh out characters before the audience has had much time to interact with them.

Here are some important qualities of an “I am / I want” song:

• Reveals the basic identity of the protagonist
• Establishes the protagonist’s main motivation (or objective) for the show
• Usually takes place in the first 30 minutes of the show
• Often returns later in the work as a reprise
• Sometimes uses the lyrics “I want,” “I wish,” or “I am”

Once you have reviewed these aspects of the form, ask students to consider how many of them apply to “The Blue.” Ask them to be specific.

Next, have students listen to several “I am / I want” songs written by Tesori:

• “Gimme, Gimme” from Thoroughly Modern Millie
• “Make a Wish” from Kimberly Akimbo
• “This Is What I Have of You …” from Fun Home
• “I Know It’s Today” from Shrek the Musical
• “I Hate the Bus” from Caroline, or Change
• “The Blue” from Grounded

Students should return to their groups, each of which will be assigned one of the above “I am / I want” songs. Set a timer for ten minutes. During this time, each group must do the following:

• Listen to their assigned “I am / I want” song
• Select a 30-second clip to share with the class
• Prepare to share what the main character “wants” with the class, along with the selected clip

Once each group has presented, discuss:

• What are the most important components of the “I am / I want” song?
• How are these songs similar? How do they differ?
• Can you think of any examples of “I am / I want” songs from Broadway, opera, TV, or film?

As an additional activity or homework assignment, ask students to compile their own “I am / I want” playlist from musical theater, opera, or popular music. They can write a short paragraph about each selection, analyzing the music and lyrics as they did with their groups in class. If you have time, you can give students the opportunity to share their playlists with each other or compile a class-wide playlist of “I am / I want” songs across genres.