9 9 0 , ▁and ▁was ▁broadcast ▁on ▁C BC ▁radio ' s ▁' S aturday ▁Af ternoon ▁at ▁the ▁Opera '. ▁The ▁production ▁was ▁conducted ▁by ▁Victor ▁Feld br ill , ▁directed ▁by ▁Keith ▁Turn b ull , ▁and ▁designed ▁by ▁Sue ▁Le Page . ▁Re an ey ' s ▁libre tto ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁an ▁historical ▁fe ud ▁between ▁the ▁R id out ▁and ▁Jar vis ▁families ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s , ▁and ▁the ▁att raction ▁of ▁the ▁fict it ious ▁central ▁figure , ▁Col in ▁Jar vis ▁(' you ng er ▁brother ' ▁of ▁the ▁historical ▁Samuel ▁Jar vis ) ▁to ▁the ▁u top ian ▁community ▁at ▁Sh aron . ▁A ▁central ▁symbol ▁is ▁the ▁" ser in ette ," ▁a ▁mechanical ▁singing ▁bird ▁imported ▁from ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Each ▁act ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁perform ers ▁and ▁audience ▁processing ▁into ▁the ▁building ; ▁the ▁finale ▁was ▁performed ▁inside ▁the ▁cand le - lit ▁Temple ▁with ▁the ▁spect ators ▁obser ving ▁from ▁outside , ▁in ▁im itation ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁annual ▁" ill um ination " ▁of ▁the ▁temple . ▁The ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁opera ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁reb irth ▁of ▁the ▁now ▁annual ▁tradition ▁of ▁a ▁fall ▁" ill um ination ." ▁The ▁work ▁calls ▁for ▁ 1 4 ▁singer - act ors , ▁and ▁a ▁ 1 2 - pie ce ▁chamber ▁or chestra . ▁ ▁The ▁Sh aron ▁Temple ▁Museum ▁Society ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁the ▁char itable , ▁not - for