“Longing – A Love Across The Ages (An Opera In One Act)” is Available Now

In the tradition of great “art song” composers, such as Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Gabriel Fauré, Johannes Brahms, and Gustav Mahler, comes Emmy-nominated composer, Craig Brandwein. With his latest classical work, an opera in one act, Brandwein again delivers an ambitious and stirring collection; another modern-day classic.

Brandwein was commissioned to compose the music, and David Sellers penned the libretto for “Longing – A Love Across The Ages (An Opera In One Act).”

Set in New York City in the late 192os, is the story of Dr. Curtis and his daughter, Elise, who are preparing a new Egyptian exhibit of their recent excavation. There, the Forgotten Prince, who was cursed in life, lies in his sarcophagus. The curse destroyed his entire family, ending a dynasty, but leaving the prince alive and trapped in his tomb for thousands of years. Since his discovery, he has watched in secret, learned the new language that he hears, and fallen in love with Elise. Guided by the ghost of his mother, he will reveal himself to Elise. So begins their love story, but the curse isn’t yet finished with the ancient prince.

Craig Brandwein has been professionally involved with music for over fifty years. He is an Emmy-nominated producer and songwriter and a voting member of the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), the organization that presents the Grammy awards. Brandwein has written and produced music for various artists, including the late Lynn Anderson. He has composed music for network television, corporate clients and musical theater. He has also composed music for more than a dozen independent films, where he also served as music supervisor and post-production supervisor.

Brandwein earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Music Theory and Composition from Long Island University (New York). As a public school music educator, he has held positions in the Levittown Public Schools (New York) and in the Roosevelt Union Free School District (New York). At the higher education level, he has been an Adjunct Professor (Music Appreciation and Music Theory) at Suffolk County Community College (New York), Professor (Songwriting, Guitar and Audio Engineering) at Five Towns College (New York), Professor (Music Technology) at St. Augustine’s College (North Carolina) and Full-Time Associate Professor (Fundamentals of Audio, Sound Design, Post-Production, Pro-Tools™, Game Audio, and various project classes for graduating students) at Living Arts College at the School of Communication Arts (North Carolina) where, in addition to his teaching, his voluntary involvement resulted in the institution successfully securing Bachelor of Arts degree accreditation. He is a certified instructor for AVID’s Pro-Tools® and Sibelius® software, and currently is an Assistant Professor of Music Technology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

David Alan Sellers is a writer, living in Springville, Alabama with his wife and son, and he is a graduate of Troy University and the University of Louisville. He teaches composition and literature, where he won the 2024 Mayfield Teaching Award, and advises English, Philosophy, and Music majors at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. David has recently completed a novel and a collection of poetry, is revising
another novel and a play, and has started research for a third novel.