Foreword
Loon Returns is a location-specific operetta composed by Canadian composer Daniel Janke. The piece was first conceived in 1986 and performed on McLean Lake in
Whitehorse, Yukon. A complete version of the piece was composed in 2021 and performed that year, and again in 2023.
The ensemble from 2021 includes: soprano Lara Secord-Haid, flute- Toby Moisey, clarinet- Erinn Komschlies, bass clarinet- Jake Paleczny, bassoon- Marie Gallagher, trumpet- Adrian Burrill, percussion- Andrea McColeman, Kimberley Hart, and Brian Gaas, directed by Daniel Janke.
Guest artists were Sean Smith and Sarah Johnson-Smith, and the Kwanlin Dün drummers.
About the Piece
Loon Returns is a celebration of the loon as an iconic bird in Yukon, Canada. The most prehistoric bird on the planet, the loon is known to return to its natal lake every year after annual migration to southern and coastal winter grounds. This return holds meaning for many who live among the boreal lakes anywhere in Canada.
Loon is of the order Gaviiformes, the family Gaviidae, and the genus Gavia. The five species are: Common loon – Gavia immer; Pacific loon – Gavia pacifica; Arctic loon – Gavia arctica; Red-throated loon – Gavia stellata; Yellow-billed loon – Gavia adamsii
Loon Returns is built around this score of seven or eight pieces. It is designed to also incorporate guest story tellers and/or singers in the performance, bringing local knowledge about loon. In 2021 Sean Smith and Sarah Johnson-Smith shared stories and songs about loon in the Kwanlin Dün culture. In 2023 Linda Harvey and Nicole Harvey shared stories and songs about loon in the Ta’an Kwach’an culture. In both cases, arrangements for the ensemble were commissioned to include the story-telling and ‘found’ songs in the performance.
Staging
The score includes an annotated map and guide to the performance staging. A giant floating loon set piece holds the soprano soloist and a pilot. A platform or ‘stage’ for the ensemble is built just above lake level, jutting out into the water. This is designed to allow the loon set piece to come close to the musicians to facilitate their performance together. During the performance, a small number of floating paper craft are released and burst into flames on the surface of the lake. This is a representation of cleansing and renewal. The audience is situated on the point of land forming a small peninsula on the lake. Loon Returns utilizes the natural echo of the McLean Lake basin as part of the performance. This can be adapted for other natural locations / settings.
