M. explores fragments of the life of Mary Magdalene. Not as an historical figure -- scholars now believe she was not a prostitute but a woman of some power and an apostle in her own right -- but as a narrative creation, a composite character whose existence has impacted the inner lives of women around the world. I wondered, too, why she couldn't be a prostitute and an apostle; why her sexuality and her spirituality were thought to be polar opposites.

From the outset, I was interested in the idea of shadow as metaphor. The summer before the production I spent several weeks in Bali studying gamelan, experiencing shadow puppet theater, and writing the libretto and music for M. Much of the footage for the show was shot there.

I drew from many sources for this piece, but I would especially like to thank Susan Haskins and Michele Roberts for their thought-provoking books, as well as D.W. Griffith for the splendidly camp biblical scenes in 'Intolerance'. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make these 'not operas' come to life - especially my collaborator, Melissa Madden Gray.