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An original, one-woman show about the life
and beliefs of Galileo's eldest child, Maria Celeste. |
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| MOST AFFECTIONATE DAUGHTER is about Virginia, the elder, illegitimate daughter of the famed 17rh century scientist Galileo. At the age of 13, she and her 11 year old sister were placed in a convent by Galileo, to keep them safe. Two years later, Virginia took the vows of St. Clare and became Suor Maria Celeste. In the play, Maria Celeste talks about her position in the convent (she was highly accomplished and esteemed) and offers her perspective on Galileo’s struggle to remain a devout Catholic while stretching the frontiers of science. Since she was confidant, caretaker and intellectual equal to her father, her tale goes beyond a recounting of her father’s story and tries to put it into historical context. I was inspired to write Most Affectionate Daughter after reading Dava Sobel’s book, Galileo’s Daughter. The book prompted me to further research, including the reading of all the surviving letters sent by Maria Celeste to her father during a span of 10 years. The title is derived from Maria Celeste’s customary close to her letters to her father. With a studio audience watching and reacting, WGCU Public Broadcasting taped a performance of Most Affectionate Daughter. The performance was broadcast in March 2005, as a special expanded edition of the station's arts program, Expressions. You can watch the show by visiting WGCU's website, www.wgcu.org, and following the links to Expressions. |
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| The fully costumed Most Affectionate Daughter is a lesson in history and philosophy, wrapped in an entertaining package of humor, sorrow and filial devotion. The program runs about one hour and requires little space, allowing its performance most anywhere. Only a small table is needed; all other props are supplied. Post-performance question/answer sessions can also be arranged. |
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