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Co-commissioned by English National Opera and Opera North.
First performance 30 March 2019 at the London Coliseum by English National Opera, conducted by Martyn Brabbins.
Total duration: c. 2’15
Cast of Characters
Mary Kelly
Maud
Dramatic coloratura soprano
Dramatic soprano
Polly Nichols Soprano
Annie Chapman Mezzo-soprano
Liz Stride Soprano
Catherine Eddowes Soprano
The Writer Tenor
Squibby Baritone
The Pathologist Baritone
The Commissioner of Police Bass-baritone
Sergeant Johnny Strong Tenor
The Photographer Baritone
The Coroner Baritone
Man in Crowd Baritone
Magpie (non-singing) a girl, 10-12 years old
Ladies’ Chorus: Prostitutes who form the community of women at the Doss House / Women of the East End of London / Funeral Mutes
Gentlemen’s Chorus: Men in Top Hats (‘MiTHs’) / Labourers / Policemen / Funeral Mutes
The Darkness: An entity, embodying the essence of the Ripper. Represented musically as an intensifying wall of sound, visually as a fog/shadow, vocally through the Chorus and physically as a male presence on stage.
Instrumentation
Piccolo
2 Flutes
2 Oboes (II dbl. C.A.)
2 Clarinets in Bb (II dbl. B.Cl. in Bb)
2 Bassoons
Contrabassoon
2 Horns in F
2 Trumpets in Bb
2 Tenor Trombones
Tuba
Cimbalom
Harp
Timpani
Percussion (2 players): Xylophone, Crotales, Tubular Bells, Triangle, Wind Chimes (metal), Tambourine, Woodblocks (high/low), Tamtam, Suspended Cymbal, Side Drum with snare, Tenor Drum, Bass Drum
Police Whistle c. 1880-90, used on-stage by Liz Stride
Strings (12.10.8.6.4 players)
Performance Notes:
All metronome markings are advisory; tempi may be changed at the discretion of singers and conductor to suit the performance space. All trills are semitonal to the note above unless stated otherwise.
Through hairpins, dynamics should rise or fall to the one immediately above or below unless stated otherwise. Trumpets require straight and Harmon mutes. Trombones require straight mutes. Cimbalom notes should be rolled where indicated by tremolando beams. A variety of beaters may be used to reflect the character of the music. Sustain pedal may be used ad lib
MARY KELLY
Mary is the heroine and moral compass of the piece. She is the mother of Magpie and granddaughter of Maud, with whom she runs a Whitechapel Doss House.
We witness her downward spiral as she watches the women in her life disappear. She is young, intelligent, compassionate, and still attractive despite the harshness of her existence. However, she is also given to violent outbursts and has a reputation as a fighter, earning her the nickname ‘Black Mary’. She has the potential to be so much more than her circumstances allow, but this is quickly eroded by her descent. Mary has taught herself to read and write and is teaching Magpie to do so, treasuring a book of ‘Theseus and the Minotaur’ from which she reads frequently.
MAUD
Maud is an elderly woman who runs the Doss House with her granddaughter, Mary. She is hard, bitter, and shaped both by the savage environment and her upbringing as a child prostitute. She also runs an abortion service from a makeshift clinic in the Doss House, using a mixture of herbal medicine and primitive surgery to perform the task.
MAGPIE
Magpie is Mary’s daughter of 10-12 years of age. She cannot speak and uses a form of sign language, movement and gesture to communicate. As the action unfolds, her mastery at ‘navigating the Labyrinth’ is manifest. Knowing every nook and cranny, she has a hideout from which she witnesses the murders. She is a proto-Melisande creature whose nature is mysterious. Like Melisande, it is not clear if she is innocent or knowing. She is the pivotal figure of the sub-plot running throughout, in which Mary is trying to protect her from being sold as a ‘maiden tribute’/child prostitute, and to empower her through education. Mary is attempting to give her a chance to escape the Labyrinth.
POLLY NICHOLS
Polly is the Ripper’s first victim. She has recently fallen on hard times, having lost her job in domestic service. She tries to sneak into the Doss House without paying and attempts to steal soap and other items from the sleeping women, resulting in a fight with Mary. After drinking with Annie at the Britannia Pub, she goes out onto the Street in search of trade, to earn enough to sleep at the Doss House. Polly is full of hope that night, feeling particularly lucky because she has a new “jolly bonnet” which makes her feel beautiful. She is consumed by the Darkness as she disappears into the night.
ANNIE CHAPMAN
Annie is the Ripper’s second victim, a kind-hearted and sweet-natured woman. As well as prostitution, she grafts at other trades; needlework, oakum picking, etc. She is an established denizen of the Doss House and a binding force amongst the women. She encourages unity, solidarity and the protection of one another. Annie takes Polly under her wing when she turns up at the Doss House. She finds herself out on the Street during the early hours of the morning and is taken by the Darkness.
LIZ STRIDE
Liz is the Ripper’s third victim and best friend of Catherine Eddowes. Together, she and Catherine are the life and soul of the community of women. She is a vulgar woman; an alcoholic taken to frequent drunken outbursts. She cannot believe her luck when she and Catherine chance upon a Photographer who offers to pay them handsomely if they agree to pose for him. He is a voyeur who never asks them for sex. Neither she nor Catherine has a problem with this as the remuneration is comparatively generous. She is taken by the Darkness whilst lying in a drunken stupor on the Street, on her way to the Photographer’s Studio.
CATHERINE EDDOWES
Catherine is the Ripper’s fourth victim and best friend of Liz Stride. Together, she and Liz are the life and soul of the community of women. She is a saucy, frivolous and provocative woman who likes to flirt. She cannot believe her luck when she and Liz chance upon a Photographer who offers to pay them handsomely if they agree to pose for him. He is a voyeur who never asks them for sex. Neither she nor Liz has a problem with this as the remuneration is comparatively generous. She is torn apart by the Darkness shortly after leaving the Photographer’s Studio and only moments after Liz is killed, as part of the ‘double event’.
THE WRITER
The Writer is a social reformer, based on the journalist W.T. Stead (1849-1912). Stead embedded himself in the East End slums with the purpose of exposing the corruption and hypocrisy of the Police force, which was turning a blind-eye to such iniquities as child prostitution and baby-farming.
The Writer rents a nook in a quadrant of the Doss House and is writing articles and polemics. Ostensibly desperate to expose the degradation to which the women are subjected, his enigmatic nature means one never knows whether to trust or suspect him.
This is the entity embodying the essence of the Ripper - a faceless, disembodied energy represented musically as an intensifying wall of sound, visually as a fog or shadow, vocally through the presence of the Chorus, physically through the presence of men. The Darkness is a product of London during the Victorian period. It is a plague; an infection that can consume a person/people or an area. The Darkness grows in strength with each murder, culminating in the final and most horrific murder of Mary Kelly.
SQUIBBY
Squibby is a young knackers-man and slum-dweller. Not much more than a boy, he is a pure innocent who loves Mary and wishes he could take care of her and her daughter, Magpie. In Act One he is seen bringing a sack of meat scraps for the women in the Doss House to eat. In Act Two he becomes the unfortunate victim of a witch-hunt, resulting in his death at the hands of an angry mob. It is the only death seen in the opera.
THE PATHOLOGIST
Secondary Characters, continued
A dignified and respectful man, who has the unfortunate job of examining the murdered women. Horrified by the murders, he attempts to bring dignity to the women in death.
THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
An odious hypocrite who attempts to purchase Magpie as a ‘fresh parcel’ on behalf of himself and illustrious colleagues. He later manages the inquest into the ‘double event’ alongside the Coroner. His disdain for the victims and reluctance to take serious action instigates a riot.
SERGEANT STRONG
Johnny Strong is a young policeman who appears sporadically throughout and is well-known to the women. A decent chap whose powerlessness becomes apparent as the murders multiply.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER
A photographer who offers Catherine and Liz a substantial amount of money to pose for him. He has a penchant for Memento Mori and pornography. He also works as photographer to the Pathologist/Police, with access to the Ripper victims. As such, he can sell pictures to special clients who get sexual gratification from those images. He is a ubiquitous presence. Even when not singing/participating directly in action, he is seen with his camera at notable events, such as the killing of Squibby.
Minor Characters
THE CORONER presiding over the inquest.
MAN IN CROWD shouting murderous accusations at Squibby.
LADIES’ CHORUS (Sopranos, Altos)
Prostitutes who form the community of women at the Doss House / Women of the East End / Funeral Mutes
GENTLEMEN’S CHORUS (Tenors, Basses)
Men in Top Hats (MiTHs) / Labourers / Policemen / Funeral Mutes
The MiTHs are a physical manifestation of the Darkness and appear throughout the opera, either as individuals or as a group of identically-dressed men. They are the ‘Minotaurs’ - mythical predators who have been translated, in the context of the Labyrinth of London, to well-dressed, kid-gloved, silk-scarfed gentlemen. They sit atop of the food chain in the megalopolis of London, preying upon the poor and vulnerable.
Locations:
The action takes place in a labyrinthine layout with separate quadrants:
The Doss House, comprising four areas:
- The Coffined Area: The main section, containing coffin beds and ropes across which the Women sleep.
- The Clinic: The makeshift area in which Maud performs abortions. This can be very small.
- The Nook: A squalid curtained area rented by the Writer, containing a bed and a desk. This can be very small.
- The Curtained-off Area: Where the Women take men for sex. We need not actually see a room here, only a curtain behind which they slip.
The Autopsy Room
The Photographer’s Studio
The Britannia Pub
The Coroner’s Court
Magpie’s Hideout: A tiny space within the Labyrinth which overlooks The Street, from which Magpie witnesses the murders.
Larger spaces, such as the Britannia Pub and the Coroner’s Court, can be created fluidly by Chorus members/supers moving the necessary furniture/props into The Street.
Prologue – The Doss House (all areas) / The Street 1
Scene One – The Doss House 14
Scene Two – The Street / The Autopsy Room 61
Scene Three – The Britannia Pub 102
Scene Four – The Street / The Autopsy Room 133
Scene Five – The Doss House (all areas) / The Street 147
Prologue–SPLITSCENE:TheDossHouse(allareas)/TheStreet
TheDoss:MARY,inacornerofthecoffinedareaofTheDossHouse,beginsreadingalargebook‘TheseusandtheMinotaur’. MAGPIE,herdaughteraged10-12,iscurled-up,sleepingatherfeet.ThecoffinsareoccupiedbytheLADIES’CHORUS andANNIECHAPMAN,allinafitfulstate;half-awake,half-asleep.MAUDisinherclinicpreparingabortiondecoctions. TheStreet:POLLYrunsontoTheStreetinfearfulpanic,asiffleeingsomethinghorrific;asolitaryfigure,unsteadyonherfeet.
œ r ≈‰Œ
(onTheStreetalone,nowcalmer,plaintivelysoliciting,repeatedlyinvain,hopingforacustomer)
OFF-STAGEGENTS’CHORUS(T./B.)
Singing‘ah’vowelwithanear-closedmouth,eachsingerslowly,independentlywidensmouthtofullscreamwidth, thenreturnstonear-closed,therebymodifyingtonequalitytoreplicateswirlingfog.
4soliconsord. senzavib. fasterandfasterbowchanges bowingord.
4soliconsord senzavib.
4soliconsord. senzavib.
pocoapocopiùvib.
senzavib.,collegnotratto
Singing‘ah’vowelwithanear-closedmouth,eachsingerslowly,independentlywidensmouthtofullscreamwidth, thenreturnstonear-closed,therebymodifyingtonequalitytoreplicateswirlingfog.
(4soli) moltovib.
trillstartingslowly, moltoaccel.
enteringandcreepingintothecoffinedarea.NotnoticingthatMARY isawake,shethinkssheisnotbeingwatched.
MAUDremainsintheclinicpreparingherdecoctionsandinstruments. POLLYbeginstomovearoundthesleepingwomen,stealingitems.MARYwatchesherdiscreetly. MAGPIEwakesandMARYsilentlyindicatestohertohidebehindherchair. 77
(MAUDseparatesMARYandPOLLY)
POLLY,MAGPIEandallexcepttwoorthreeoftheLADIES’CHORUSexittheDoss. Eachwomenpartners-offwithaGENTLEMANandexitsthroughtthelabyrinth, ostensiblyforsexalthoughnothingisseen.InsidetheDoss,MAUDpreparesherclinic.
AloneGENTLEMANentersTheStreet.MAGPIEindicatestohimthathemayentertheDoss.Sheushershimin,wherehemeets MARYforanassignation.MAGPIEthentakestheremainingWOMENfromthechoruswhoarewaitingtobe‘seen-to’into Maud’sclinic.SheassistsMAUDwhileMARYleadstheGENTLEMANintothecurtained-offareaofTheDossHouseforsex.
WearingafilthyleatherapronMAUDgivesdecoctions tothewomenandpreparesherinstruments. Nothingisseen,allproceduresareconcealed.
Sungtogether,butdramaticallyseparateintheirrespectiveworlds.
EntertheCOMMISSIONEROFPOLICE.MAUDhearshimarriveandgreetshiminthecoffinedareawheretheysharea clandestinemoment.MARYisstillwiththeGENTLEMAN.MAGPIEcreepsintosecretlyobservesomeoftheexchangebetweenMAUDandthe COMMISSIONEROFPOLICE,althoughshedoesnotfullyunderstandwhattheyarediscussing.
maintainingassmoothtoneaspossible,dynamics gentlyrisingandfallingwithpitch,serpantine.
maintainingassmoothtoneaspossible,dynamics gentlyrisingandfallingwithpitch,serpantine.
D.B.playersindependentlymoveslowlybetweensultastoandsulpont,withaslghtincreaseindynamicswhenapproachings.p.,conveyinganebulousfog.
TheCOMMISSIONERturnstoexitjustasSQUIBBYenters TheDossHouseinahurry.Thetwocollidewithoneanother.
TheCOMMISSIONERregardsSQUIBBYwithdisdain.MARYandtheGENTLEMANemergefromthe curtained-offareajustastheCOMMISSIONERexits.MARYonlyglimpsesthebackofhimashedeparts. MAUDandSQUIBBYareyettonoticeMARYandtheGENTLEMAN.
Afterthisshockingstatement,MAUDturnsherbackonMARYandANNIEandreturnsto cleanuptheclinic.Sheushersoutthewomenwhohavehadabortions. MARYandANNIEremainforamoment–shockedandstunned.
TheLADIES’CHORUSandPOLLYreturnhavingfinishedtheirassignationswiththeGENTLEMEN.TheyfillTheStreetandstarttosew,washclothing,pickoakum,makeflowerbundlesetc.
uphisequipmentandtakingphotos.
Itwasme. Itwasme.Itwasme. Itwasme.Itwasme.Itwasme!
MARY,POLLY,ANNIEandMAGPIEweavethroughtheLabyrinth,journeyingtotheAutopsyRoom.Assoonastheystart,the focusshiftstotheAutopsyRoomalthoughtheSERGEANTcanstillbeseentakingnotesfromtheWOMENinTheStreet.
œœœœ#œ#œœœ œœ#œœ#œœœœœ#œœœ#œœœœ # œœ#œœ#œ#œœœ#œœœœœœœœ œœ#œœ#œ#œœœ # #œœ#œœ#œœœœœ#œœœ#œ#œœœ
#œœ#œœœœœ#œœœ#œœœœ #œœ#œœ#œœœœ
#œœ#œœ#œ#œœœ#œœœœœœœœ #œœ#œœ#œ#œœœ # nœœ#œœnœœœœœnœœœ#œnœœœœœœœ#œœœœœœœœœœœœ
#œœ#œœ#œœœœœ#œœœ#œœœœ #œœ#œœ#œœœœ œœ#œœœœœœŒ nœœœœ # œœ#œœœœœœœœœœœœœœ
#œœ#œœ#œ#œœœ#œœœœœœœœ #œœ#œœ#œ#œœœ nœœnœœ#œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ#œœœœœœœœœœœœ
#œœ#œœ#œœœœœ#œœœ#œœœœ #œœ#œœ#œœœœ
#œœ#œ#œœœ#œœœœœœœœ
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HeshowsMARY,POLLYandANNIEtothedoor.TogetherwithMAGPIE,theyweavetheirwaybackthroughtheLabyrinthto TheStreet.ThePATHOLOGISTrespectfullycoversMartha’sfacewithasheetandleavesthePHOTOGRAPHERalonewiththebody. TheSERGEANTalsoexitsfromTheStreet.Checkingheisalone,thePHOTOGRAPHERfullyuncoversMartha’sbody andbeginstotakephotographs.Weseenothinggraphic,butnoticethatheisputtingthebodyintovariouspositionsandtaking pictures,clearlynotforpolicebusiness.
Oblivioustothenews,LIZandCATHERINEmakeagrandentrance,thecrudenessofwhichjarswiththesolemnityof whathasjustoccurred.Whilethisishappening,thePHOTOGRAPHERmakesmonosyllabiccommentsasheistaking hispictures,crossingoverwitheventsonTheStreet.HispresenceisadiscomfitingcounterpointtothetwinnedsobrietyandfrivolityofTheStreet.
(raisingthebottlealoftandpassingitaroundtheothers.)
TothePho to- -grapher! -
longtoliedown.
MARYenters.LIZandCATHERINE,thrilledtoseeher,throwtheirarmsaroundherandpullher tothetablewherePOLLYandANNIEaresitting.The‘Canonical’fivearenowtogether.
tuttiarco,consord.
tutte,consord.
POLLYisconsumedbytheDARKNESSandMAGPIEhas witnesseditall.SNAPBLACKOUTonallquadrants.
LIGHTSUPgraduallyonTheStreet.Itisdeserted. EntertheWRITER.HecarriesaGladstonebagandstandsoutsideTheDossHouseasifpreparingtoenter.
MARYopensthedoorstotheLADIES’CHORUS.Theyfloodin,payingtheirmoneyandtakinguptheirpositions,eitherata coffinorarope.MAGPIEleadstheWRITERtoTheNookandthenrejoinsMARY. pocorall.
EnterSQUIBBYbearingamassive,stinkingsackfilledwithoffalandscraps. ThereisanexcitedbuzzamongsttheWOMENashearrives.MAUDmeetshimandtogethertheydragitintothecoffinedarea.
TwoWOMENfromthechorusfetchafilthyplank,setitacrossacoupleofcoffinstomake atableandproceedtopoursaltacrossit.MAUDtipsthecontentsontothetableforallto eat.SQUIBBTtakesMARYasideforaprivateconversation.TheWRITERsitsatadeskin TheNookandbeginstonotewhatheiswitnessing.
SQUIBBYapproachesMARYandMAGPIE.MAGPIErunsupandflingsherarmsaroundhim.Thereisclearlygreataffectionbetweenthethree. SQUIBBYgivesMAGPIEalittletoy.Itisathaumatropedepictingalittlebirdflyingfromacage.
dynamicsriseandfallwithpitch,sempresottovoce
ANNIEentersTheStreetalone.MAGPIEiswatchingfromherhide-outintheLabyrinth. Simultaneously,eitherfromoff-stageorasaphysicalpresence,theGENTS’CHORUS joinstheDarkness.TheWRITERcontinuestoobservethescenebelow.
fN.B.playasloudasnecessarytocutthrough everthickeningorchestraltexturetillend.
fN.B.playasloudasnecessarytocutthrough everthickeningorchestraltexturetillend.