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Melisa Tien
music
Lisa DeSpain
libretto
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Song of the Nightingale
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libretto Melisa Tien
music
Lisa DeSpain
Adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Nightingale
Commissioned by On Site Opera & Brookfield Arts and Culture
BACKGROUND
Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale, this modern-day fairy tale tells the story of a collector looking to gather up the world’s most beautiful objects and the power of music to heal our hearts.
CAST
NIGHTINGALE, Soprano
FROG/MECHANICAL NIGHTINGALE, Coloratura Soprano
THE COLLECTOR , Mezzo-Soprano
THE CURATOR , Tenor
COW, Baritone
INSTRUMENTATION
Flute
Clarinet
Violin
Violoncello
Piano
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DURATION: 50:00
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Lisa DeSpain
Melisa Tien
Flowing, in
Flowing, in
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Ev'rythingwantstobegatheredand
woulditberighttopreventacollectorfrom
spected,Acknowleged.
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5. Can you believe that forest air?
The COLLECTOR and CURATOR appear in the forest.
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6. Hello, Hello The Frog
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COLLECTOR
testy/challenging Lively,
heartheyeatfrogsinthe
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COW
7. How Now?
The COLLECTOR is startled.
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COW gracefully moves, taking center stage.
Waltz, in
COW
Conducted,
Waltz, in one
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Quasi-cadenza on cue
(cow performs a series of performance art moves)
Quasi-cadenza on cue
(cow performs a series of performance art moves)
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Allegro, Lively
Allegro, Lively
FROG indicates COW should take a bow.
COW takes a bow. FROG and COLLECTOR applaud.
Scene shifts to another part of the forest. The Curator has found The Nightingale. The Collector enters.
11. There’s a Story I
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Fiesty
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Allegro, driving
The CURATOR observes the NIGHTINGALE with concern.
Allegretto,
Allegretto,
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Meanwhile, back in the forest...
16. Do you think she forgot us?
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Iamjustafrog. You arejustacow.
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Allegro, anxious
Andante
Andante
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The package arrives.
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The COLLECTOR presses the button to hear again.
The COLLECTOR continues to push the button causing the Mechanical Nightingale to
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19. The Duet
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The COLLECTOR pushes the button, The MECHANICAL NIGHTINGALE sings.
The NIGHTINGALE hesitates, unsure of how to sing with the M. NIGHTINGALE The COLLECTOR impatiently gestures for her to sing.
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A Melodrama!
COW, horrified, dramatically leaps into the scene.
20. She was expensive to keep
The COLLECTOR pushes the MECHANICAL NIGHTINGALE's button.
The scene shifts to the Forest. The NIGHTINGALE, FROG, and COW enter.
Time passes. Scene shifts to the COLLECTOR's mansion. COLLECTOR is trying to stay enamoured with the Mechanical Nightingale.
The world of the city and the forest begin to merge.
DSlowly,
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22. The Collector, “Day
The COLLECTOR pushes the button.
The MECHANICAL NIGHTINGALE sings.
COLLECTOR abruptly stops the M. NIGHTINGALE who slowly powers down.
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23. Return to the Woods
Scene shifts back to the woods. NIGHTINGALE and CURATOR are enjoying COW's latest performance piece. COW takes a
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24. Was it this way?
FROG appears.
Andante,
Andante,
You
Largo, in
Largo, in
25. Dolls, Marbles, Figurines
bones,
bones, inyoursoul.
bones, inyoursoul.
bones,inyoursoul.