Nocturne (1982)

This elegiac work was written to pay homage to Lincoln Center benefactress Alice Tully. It premiered at the center on 24 October 1982. The text is Menotti's own, with thoughts of life, aging, possibly death, and rebirth covered in his short poem. Being a nocturne, the night is seen as the end of day — or life — and it is faced with a serene, childlike acceptance of the inevitable. This is reflected in smooth, tranquil music that never impedes the flowing pace of the work. The vocal line is a pure mixture of song and recitative, a lullaby for the present day.