The Lexington Legends are proud to present our Season 54 production: "Rota Fortunae", translated roughly as "the wheel of fortune". The passage of time is never ending, and almost every great society in human history has followed a circular path. On an individual level this circle can be summer up in four phrases:

I reign
I have reigned
I am without a realm
I shall reign again

The Roman poet Pacuvius said this about fortune:

Philosophers say that Fortune is insane and blind and stupid,
and they teach that she stands on a rolling, spherical rock:
they affirm that, wherever chance pushes that rock, Fortuna falls in that direction.
They repeat that she is blind for this reason: that she does not see where she's heading;
they say she's insane, because she is cruel, flaky and unstable; stupid, because she can't distinguish between the worthy and the unworthy.

These two ideas will be the driving force behind our production. As for the music? We turn to Carl Orff and his triptych called "Trionfi". The three cantatas that make up "Trionfi" are, in reverse order:

Trionfo di Afrodite
Catulli Carmina
Carmina Burana

And now for the selections!

I reign
The beginning of the show begins with a familiar tune: O Fortuna, from Carmina Burana. The final chords of O Fortuna will lead directly into the Praelusio portion of Catulli Carmina. Following the intense, driving Praelusio will be a short fanfare, Were diu werlt alle min, movement 10 of Carmina Burana. This will follow immediately into the off kilter Tanz (Carmina Burana 6.), written in 4/4 with measures of 3/8 sprinkled in to symbolize the destabilization and fall of the realm.

I have reigned
A much shorter and more reflective movement, this section contains music from Trionfo di Afrodite. The ruler has been deposed.

I am without a realm
This section contains music from Carmina Burana's 12th movement, Olim lacus colueram or "once I swam in lakes". This haunting, bizarre music depicts a swan remembering when he used to be free to fly and swim in lakes. Unfortunately, he cannot fly or swim any longer. In the swan's words: "The cook turns me back and forth; I am roasted to a turn on my pyre; now the waiter serves me. Poor wretch! Now black and well roasted!"

I shall reign again
Wistful thoughts of better times dominate this movement. Unlike "I am without a realm", the music now becomes grand and optimistic. The grand, epic scale of Carmina Burana 24 (Ave formosissima) leads directly into the true finale of this show. The show ends with a rousing reprise of O Fortuna. Much like Carolina Crown in "E=mc2" and much like the wheel of time, our story comes full circle.

We hope to see you on tour in Season 54! Good luck to all groups!

And now for the music! All music written by Carl Orff

I reign
Carmina Burana (1. O Fortuna) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWiyKgeGWx0
Catulli Carmina (Praelusio) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWYLal2h7ls
Carmina Burana (10. Were diu werlt alle min) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rBaCp3t5v4
Carmina Burana (6. Tanz) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv4db5JRr9w

I have reigned
Trionfo di Afrodite (1. Antiphon of the virgins and young men) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWqT7eLwQFU

I am without a realm
Carmina Burana (12. Olim lacus colueram) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wJzp4QWDOQ

I will reign again
Carmina Burana (24. Ave formossissima) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfkPA7dvtfk
Carmina Burana (25. O Fortuna) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvzvUWZWpQc