John 4:The Woman at the Well
Premiered June 6, 1999, by the UC Irvine Women's Choir, Nina
Gilbert, director, Kurt Robbins, tambourine, Sean Livingston,
finger cymbals and chimes, Rebekah Griffin Greene, bass
John 4:4-26, paraphrased by Rebekah Griffin Greene
Hot, scorching sun; sands hurt my feet,
They hate me; my whole village hates me.
...Almost to the well now.
--Who is this man?
Go away! Don't look at me!
Give me a drink.
How can you, a Jew, ask of me a drink?
Don't you know who I am?...Samaritan woman, eternally outcast...
I can give you--
What? Heartache? Just as other men.
I can give you--
What? Can't you see I'm not interested?
I can give you--
What? Water? What?
Living water.
Ha ha ha ha! Insanity! Nonsense!
Where do you get this living water? Who do you think you are?
Are you greater than Jacob, who gave us this well?
He drank from it himself, as did his flocks and herds.
All who drink from this well
will be thirsty again, but who
drinks of the water that I give
her will not thirst; my living
water shall become a spring
welling up to eternal life.
Who is this man? What is he saying? I'm not a fool! I don't believe
him!
Disbelief--doubt--show me--
Prove yourself!
My heart is so heavy, free me from this burden.
Call your husband, then come
back.
Shame, shame--
If he knew the truth, he would despise me:
I have no husband.
Yes, you're right when you say
you have no husband. The fact
is, you have had five husbands,
and the man you now have is not
your husband. What you have
just said is quite true.
Who is this man? How does he know this!?
Sir, you're a prophet.
I'm confused about many things, but when Messiah comes, He
will explain everything.
I who speak to you am He.
LIVING WATER...The Messiah: Are my ears filled with dust?
LIVING WATER...Did he just say that he is the Messiah?
The promised one?
LIVING WATER...Messiah: Anointed one? I can't believe it!
No! No!...
Yes; all I've ever wanted, all I've ever needed...
You know what I have done. You see me in my brokenness.
Why are you here in Samaria? The Messiah belongs in Jerusalem!
You look at me as no one else, so tenderly: could it be true?
The Messiah?
LIVING WATER: The Messiah has come at last, to me!
Messiah: I am whole! I am free!
Messiah!
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