This document begins with an Introduction detailing the reception history of Jake Heggie\u27s 2002 song cycle The Starry Night. Chapter one offers biographical information on the composer, chapter two details thematic connections between La Peinture Consolante (the painting of consolation) and Heggie\u27s conception of narrative journey. Chapters three through nine offer detailed musical analysis for each of the seven songs, and the conclusion discusses the contemporary American art song recital, with specific reference to Ned Rorem\u27s 1996 Opera News article: The American Art Song: Dead or Alive
