When the Air Sings of Summer The Old Maid and the Thief

James Myers, baritone, sings the opera aria, "When the Air Sings of Summer" from the opera, "The Old Maid and the Thief" by composer Gian Carlo Menotti. English subtitles of the sung English text have been edited into the video. Joy Mentzel on Piano. Thanks for watching! www.jamesmyers.com
The Old Maid and the Thief is set in a small town somewhere in the United States during the late 1930s in the guest bedroom of Miss Todd's house. In the opera, an elderly old maid, desperate for male company, takes in a beggar and wanderer who turns out to be a thief. She won't let go of him, going so far as to steal liquor (to avoid the shame of being seen buying it) to keep him happy. The restless Bob is alone in the room he has been occupying, packing his bundle and preparing to leave. Eventually he elopes with Laetitia, Miss Todd's maid, and together they rob the old woman.