Nightingale (musical)
Encyclopedia
Nightingale: A New Musical is a musical
(described by the composer as a children's opera
) in one act, with book, music and lyrics by Charles Strouse
. It is based on Hans Christian Andersen
's fairy tale
, The Nightingale, and tells the story of a Chinese emperor who learns, nearly too late, that wealth cannot buy happiness.
The work premiered at the Buxton Festival
and then in London at the Lyric Hammersmith
beginning on December 18, 1982 with a cast including Sarah Brightman
as the title character, Nightingale. In the U.S. a staged reading of the show was given by the First All Children's Theatre in New York in May 1982. The group then gave a preview of the work in New York in March 1983 before the North American premiere at "The Barns" at Wolf Trap
, Wolf Trap, Virginia
, in April 1983. Since then, the show has been performed numerous times throughout the world.
A cast album was released in 1985 with the London cast.
Finally, when the mechanical bird breaks down, the Emperor notices that the nightingale has flown away. He realizes that he made a mistake: you cannot possess what you love. Burying himself in work, the lonely Emperor grows ill. Meanwhile the beautiful palace maid has fallen in love with the Emperor. The Emperor nearly dies again, but the nightingale returns, and her song is again victorious over Death. The Emperor asks the nightingale to teach him the song of life, the greatest gift in the world. The bird replies that the palace maid has already given him the greatest gift: her innocent love. The nightingale then teaches them the song, and the Emperor, the maid and the nightingale all live happily ever after.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
(described by the composer as a children's opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
) in one act, with book, music and lyrics by Charles Strouse
Charles Strouse
Charles Strouse is an American composer and lyricist.-Life and career:Strouse was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ira and Ethel Strouse...
. It is based on Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
's fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
, The Nightingale, and tells the story of a Chinese emperor who learns, nearly too late, that wealth cannot buy happiness.
The work premiered at the Buxton Festival
Buxton Festival
The Buxton Festival is an annual summer festival of opera, music, and a literary series, held in Buxton, Derbyshire in England since it began in July 1979.-History:...
and then in London at the Lyric Hammersmith
Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which takes pride in its original, "groundbreaking" productions....
beginning on December 18, 1982 with a cast including Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
as the title character, Nightingale. In the U.S. a staged reading of the show was given by the First All Children's Theatre in New York in May 1982. The group then gave a preview of the work in New York in March 1983 before the North American premiere at "The Barns" at Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, known locally in the Washington, D.C. area as simply Wolf Trap, is a performing arts center located on 130 acres of national park land in Wolf Trap, Virginia...
, Wolf Trap, Virginia
Wolf Trap, Virginia
Wolf Trap is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 14,001 at the 2000 census. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is located in the CDP.-Geography:...
, in April 1983. Since then, the show has been performed numerous times throughout the world.
A cast album was released in 1985 with the London cast.
Musical numbers
- Prologue - Orchestra
- Perfect Harmony - Company
- Why Am I So Happy? - The Maid
- Take Us To the Forest - Company
- Who Are These People - Nightingale
- Never Speak Directly to an Emperor - Palace Guards
- Nightingale - Company
- The Emperor is a Man - The Maid
- I Was Lost - Emperor / Nightingale
- Charming - Two Peacocks
- A Singer Must Be Free - Nightingale
- The Mechanical Bird - The Company / Mechanical Bird
- Please Don't Make Me Hear That Song Again - Company / Mechanical Bird
- Rivers Cannot Flow Upwards - The Maid, Nightingale
- Death Duet - Death, Emperor, Maid and Nightingale
- We Are China - Company
Synopsis
The Emperor of China is powerful and wealthy, but isolated from the world around him. He hears that the most beautiful thing in his country is the song of the nightingale (though a dull-looking bird), and he has a beautiful maid bring the bird to him. The nightingale becomes popular, and when the Emperor almost dies, the nightingale's song brings him back to life. Soon, the nightingale and the Emperor become good friends, but the nightingale is unhappy at her captivity. Meanwhile the Emperor is sent a gift of a mechanical bird that can sing and is covered in beautiful jewels. The new toy becomes the star at the palace, and everyone forgets about the nightingale. The neglected nightingale flies away, and no one notices.Finally, when the mechanical bird breaks down, the Emperor notices that the nightingale has flown away. He realizes that he made a mistake: you cannot possess what you love. Burying himself in work, the lonely Emperor grows ill. Meanwhile the beautiful palace maid has fallen in love with the Emperor. The Emperor nearly dies again, but the nightingale returns, and her song is again victorious over Death. The Emperor asks the nightingale to teach him the song of life, the greatest gift in the world. The bird replies that the palace maid has already given him the greatest gift: her innocent love. The nightingale then teaches them the song, and the Emperor, the maid and the nightingale all live happily ever after.
Roles and London cast
- Narrator (baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
) - Andrew Shore - Emperor (bass-baritoneBass-baritoneA bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
) - Gordon Sandison - Nightingale (sopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
) - Sarah Brightman - Maid (soprano or mezzo-sopranoMezzo-sopranoA mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
) - Susannah Fellows - Peacock #1 - Dinah Harris
- Peacock #2 (mezzo-soprano) - Jill Pert
- Death - Michael Heath
- Mechanical Bird - Carole Brooke
- Minister, Sculptor, Banker, animals, etc.