Flappers and Philosophers

In this sparkling opening, a sun‑drenched sea becomes a stage for a clash of wit and will. A young woman named Ardita reclines on a yacht, half‑eating a lemon and half‑absorbed in Anatole France, when an elderly, pompous gentleman barges aboard with a telegram and a slew of social obligations. Their banter crackles, mixing sharp sarcasm with the carefree lilt of the Jazz Age, while the water below glitters like a strip of gold.

As the yacht drifts between Florida and a distant horizon, Ardita refuses the arranged dinner with a colonel’s son, demanding instead a reckless ride to Palm Beach. The scene sets up a playful yet tense contest of freedom versus convention, hinting at the colorful parties and daring adventures that await. Listeners will be drawn into the rhythm of early twentieth‑century excess, feeling both the heat of the sun and the sting of a lemon tossed in defiance.