WILLIAM A. SHINE - GREAT NECK SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Presents
2011 Opera production
The Tales of Hoffmann
Music by Jacques Offenbach

Friday, March 25th 8:00PM
Saturday, March 26th 8:00PM

Great Neck South High School
Ruel E. Tucker Auditorium
341 Lakeville Road
Great Neck, New York 11020

For ticket reservations call
(516) 441-4851
or
E-mail: MSchwartz@greatneck.k12.ny.us

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William A. Shine - Great Neck South High School
MUSIC DEPARTMENT

2010 GRAMMY Signature School Finalist
2009 Lincoln Center Chamber Winner
2007, 2005, 2003 GRAMMY Signature School

Presents

2010 Opera Production

Suor Angelica * Gianni Schicchi

Composed by
G I A C O M O   P U C C I N I

Pamela Levy, Musical Director
Fran Harman, Artistic Director
Michael Schwartz, Conductor/Producer

Friday, April 16, 8:00PM
Saturday, April 17, 8:00PM

See the tradition of opera at Great Neck South High.
Now in its 41st Season!

Tickets: $12 Adults
$10 Students & Senior Citizens

Great Neck South High Performing Arts Department
341 Lakeville Road
Great Neck, New York 11020

For information and ticket reservations
call (516) 441-4851

Suor Angelica Synopsis

Place: A convent near Siena.
Time: The latter part of the 17th century.

The opera opens with scenes showing typical aspects of life in the convent — all the sisters sing hymns, the Monitor scolds two lay-sisters, everyone gathers for recreation in the courtyard. The sisters rejoice because, as the Mistress of Novices explains, this is the first of three evenings that occur each year when the setting sun strikes the fountain to turn its water golden. This event causes the sisters to remember a sister who has died, Bianca Rosa. Sister Genevieve suggests they pour some of the golden water onto her tomb.

The nuns then discuss their desires — while the Monitor believes that any desire at all is wrong, Sister Genevieve confesses that she wishes to see lambs again because she used to be a shepherdess when she was a girl, and Sister Dolcina wishes for something good to eat. Sister Angelica claims to have no desires, but as soon as she says so, the nuns begin gossiping — Sister Angelica has lied, because her true desire is to hear from her wealthy, noble family, whom she has not heard from in seven years. The rumors have it that she was sent to the convent in punishment.

The conversation is interrupted by the Infirmary Sister, who begs Sister Angelica to make an herbal remedy — Sister Angelica's specialty. Two touriers then arrive, bringing supplies to the convent, as well as news that a grand coach is waiting outside the convent. Sister Angelica immediately becomes nervous and upset, thinking rightly that someone in her family has come to visit her. The Abbess chastises Sister Angelica for her inappropriate excitement and then goes on to announce the visitor, the Princess, Sister Angelica's aunt.

The Princess explains that Angelica's sister is to be married and that Angelica must sign a document renouncing her claim to her inheritance. Angelica replies that she has repented for her sin, but there is one thing she cannot offer in sacrifice to the Virgin — she cannot forget the memory of her illegitimate son who was taken from her seven years ago. The Princess refuses to speak, but finally informs Sister Angelica that her son died of fever two years ago. Sister Angelica, devastated, signs the document and collapses in tears. The Princess leaves.

Sister Angelica is seized by a heavenly vision — she believes she hears her son calling for her to meet him in paradise. She makes herself a poison and drinks it, but realizes that in committing suicide, she has committed a mortal sin and has damned herself to eternal separation from her son. She begs the Virgin Mary for mercy and, as she dies, she sees a miracle: the Virgin Mary appears, along with Sister Angelica's son, who runs to embrace her.

Synopsis for Gianni Schicchi

Place: Florence.
Time: 1299.

Buoso Donati has died in bed. His relatives mourn melodramatically, until they hear the rumor that he has left all his money to the local monastery. They frantically search for the will. Rinuccio finds it, but refuses to release it to his aunt Zita until she agrees to his terms. If the will is favorable to them, she must allow him to marry Schicchi's daughter, Lauretta. Schicchi is looked down on by the Donati family since he is a relatively new arrival in Florence. Zita consents (she does not care whom Rinuccio marries so long as the will leaves them rich), and reads the will, as Rinuccio quietly sends for Schicchi. When the will confirms the rumor, everyone is furious. They refuse to allow Rinuccio to marry, and angrily turn down his suggestion that Schicchi, who is known for his clever schemes, can aid them.

"O mio babbino caro"
Play sound
"O mio babbino caro" sung by Frances Alda in 1919
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Schicchi and Lauretta arrive to a cold reception. Schicchi, seeing how downcast the relatives are, uncharitably assumes that Donati must be better. He is informed otherwise, and attempts to console the relatives by mentioning their inheritances. Zita, touched to the quick by Schicchi's condolences, angrily explains the situation, and refuses to hear of a marriage. Rinuccio begs Schicchi to help. However, Schicchi, angered by his reception, refuses to help such people. He is persuaded to try by his daughter (O mio babbino caro), who is madly in love with the handsome Rinuccio. Schicchi reads the will, and proclaims that nothing can be done. But then, he has a thought, and Schicchi sends his daughter away so that she may be innocent of the knowledge of what he will suggest. Schicchi first orders the body to be moved to another room, and tells the women to make up the bed. He ensures that no one else knows of the death--but before he can explain, Donati's doctor arrives. The doctor is prevented from entering by the relatives, while Schicchi imitates Donati's voice, telling the doctor that Donati is feeling better. The doctor departs, praising his own skill. Schicchi explains, taking advantage of the darkened room and disguised as Buoso, he will impersonate Donati and dictate a new will.

Rinuccio goes to get the notary. The relatives mostly agree on the division of the property, except for Donati's mule (the best in Tuscany), some mills in Signa and the house they are in, the best assets. After a big fight they agree to let Schicchi decide who will inherit those items, but, one by one, they return to promise him a reward if he selects that person. Schicchi agrees to each bribe. Before the notary arrives Schicchi reminds all of the penalty for impersonation and forgery of a will: loss of a hand and permanent exile from Florence.

The notary arrives with the witnesses. Schicchi dictates a will that provides for a very modest funeral, a minuscule sum to the monastery and the agreed-upon division, as the relatives speak approvingly. But one by one, Schicchi grants the mule, mills, and house to himself, to the relatives' outrage. After the notary leaves, he throws everyone out and they are helpless to do anything except grab what they can on the way out the door. Now that Schicchi can give Lauretta a dowry, there is no obstacle to her marriage to Rinuccio. The lovers embrace, as Schicchi watches, moved. Schicchi turns to the audience and asks if this was not a fine use of Donati's money. He then requests the audience's indulgence, even if he did not receive Dante's, pleading extenuating circumstances.

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William A. Shine - Great Neck South High School
Performing Arts Department
MUSIC PROGRAM

2008 GRAMMY Signature School Finalist & Enterprise Finalist
2008 Lincoln Center Chamber Winner
2007, 2005, 2003 GRAMMY Signature School

Presents

2009 Opera Production

The Merry Widow
Music by Franz Lehar

Pamela Levy, Musical Director
Fran Harman, Artistic Director
Michael Schwartz, Conductor/Producer
John Motchkavitz, Stage Crew

Friday, April 3rd, 8:00PM
Saturday, April 4th, 8:00PM

See the tradition of opera at Great Neck South High.
Now in its 40th Season!

Tickets: $12 Adults
$10 Students & Senior Citizens

Great Neck South High Performing Arts Department
341 Lakeville Road
Great Neck, New York 11020

For information and ticket reservations
call (516) 773-1631

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Scenes and Musical Numbers

    ACT I - A Salon in the Pontivedrian Embassy in Paris
    ACT II - The Garden of Madame Glavari's Residence - early the following evening.
    ACT III -The same as Act two - à la Maxim's later that night.

Musical Numbers

Act I

   1. Opening "Pontivedro in Paree" - Cascada, Zeta and Chorus
   2. Ballroom Music - Orchestra
   3. A Highly Respectable Wife - Valencienne and Camille
   4. So Many Men Admire Me - Ann and Men's Chorus
   5. You'll Find Me at Maxim's - Danilo and Ladies
   6. It Goes To Show - Anna and Danilo

Act II

   7. Vilia - Anna and Chorus
   8. Driving in the Park with You - Anna and Danilo
   9. Women! Women! Women! - Danilo, Cascada, Zeta, St. Brioche, Kromov, Bogdanovitsch & Pritschitsch
  10. The Waltz Scene - Anna, Danilo, Chorus and Dancers
  11. Flowers are Awakened in Maytime - Valencienne and Camille

Act III

  12. Opening Dance
  13. The Grisettes Song - Valencienne, Grisettes and Chorus
  14. Reprise: You'll Find me at Maxim's - Grisettes & Danilo
  15. The Merry Widow Waltz - Anna and Danilo
  16. Finale Act 3 - Full Company

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The Merry Widow Synopsis

Act I

The Embassy in Paris of the poverty-stricken Grand Duchy of Pontevedro is holding a ball to celebrate the birthday of the sovereign, the Grand Duke. Hanna Glawari, who has inherited twenty million francs from her late husband, is to be a guest at the ball and the ambassador, Baron Zeta, wants to ensure that she will marry another Pontevedrian and keep her fortune in the country, so that Pontevedro would be saved from bankruptcy. Baron Zeta has in mind Count Danilo Danilovitsch, the First Secretary of the embassy, but his plans are not going well. Danilo is not at the party, so Zeta sends Njegus, the embassy secretary, to fetch him from Maxim's.

Danilo finally arrives and meets Hanna. It emerges that they were in love before her marriage, but his uncle interrupted their romance because Hanna had absolutely nothing to her name. Although they still love each other, Danilo refuses to court Hanna because of her fortune and Hanna vows she will not marry him until he says "I love you".

Meanwhile, Baron Zeta's wife Valencienne has been flirting with the French attaché to the embassy, Count Camille de Rosillon, who writes "I love you" on her fan. Valencienne puts off Camille's advances, saying that she is a respectable wife. However, they lose the incriminating fan, which is found by Kromow (who jealously fears that the fan belongs to his wife, Olga), who then gives the fan to Baron Zeta. Not recognising Valencienne's fan, Baron Zeta decides to return the fan to Olga, in spite of Valencienne's desperate offers to take the fan and return it, herself.

On his way to see Olga, the Baron meets Danilo, and his diplomatic mission takes precedence over the fan. The Baron orders Danilo to marry Hanna. Refusing to concede to the Baron's demands, Danilo offers to eliminate any non-Pontevedrian suitors as a compromise.

The "Ladies' Choice" dance is about to start, and all the men are hovering around Hanna, hoping to be her choice of partner for the dance. Valencienne has decided to get Camille to marry Hanna so that he will no be a temptation, and therefore volunteers Camille as a partner to Hanna for her "Ladies' Choice" dance. Danilo goes to the ballroom to round up some of the other ladies to claim dances with the hopeful suitors of Hanna. Even after the ladies have made their choices, there are still some suitors left behind. Hanna chooses the one man who is apparently not interested in dancing with her — Danilo. Danilo refuses to dance, but claims the dance anyway. He puts the dance up for sale for ten thousand francs, with the proceeds of the sale to go to charity. This eliminates the interest of the would-be suitors in the dance. After the suitors have left, Danilo attempts to dance with Hanna. Hanna, annoyed at his response to her choosing him for the "Ladies' Choice", refuses to dance with him. Nonchalantly, Danilo begins to waltz by himself, eventually wearing down Hanna's resistance, and she falls into his arms.

Act II

Act II is set at a party in the garden at Hanna's house, to celebrate the birthday of the Grand Duke in Pontevedrian fashion, and everybody is dressed in Pontevedrian clothing. Hanna entertains by singing an old Ponteverdian song, the famous "Vilja Song". Meanwhile, Baron Zeta fears that Camille is a threat to his plan for Hanna to marry a Pontevedrian. Still not recognising the fan as Valencienne's, the Baron orders Danilo to find out the identity of its owner, whom he assumes to be Camille's married lover. A meeting is arranged between Zeta, Danilo and Njegus, to discuss the identity of the owner of the fan and also the problem with regard to the widow, with the meeting to be held that evening in Hanna's garden pavilion. Hanna sees the fan, and thinks the message on it is Danilo's declaration of love for her, which he denies. Danilo's inquiries about the identity of the owner of the fan result in revelations of the details of the infidelities of some of the wives of Embassy personnel, but do not reveal the identity of the owner of the fan.

That evening, Camille and Valencienne meet in the garden. Valencienne continues to resist Camille's advances, declaring that they must part. Camille begs for a keepsake, and discovers the fan, which Danilo had accidentally left behind, after his inquiries. Camille begs Valencienne to let him keep the fan as the keepsake, and Valencienne agrees, after writing "I'm a highly respectable wife" on the fan in response to Camille's earlier written declaration of "I love you". Camille persuades Valencienne to enter the same pavilion in which Danilo, the Baron and Njegus had arranged to meet with him, so that they can say their goodbyes in private. Njegus, who arrives first for the meeting, discovers that Camille is in the pavilion with Valencienne. Njegus locks the door to the pavilion when Danilo and Baron Zeta arrive, and delays their entry to the pavilion. The Baron peeps through the keyhole, and is upset when he recognises his own wife. Njegus arranges with Hanna to change places with Valencienne. Camille leaves the pavilion followed by Hanna, confounding the Baron when they appear. Hanna announces that she is to marry Camille, leaving the Baron distraught at the thought of losing the Pontevedrian millions and Valencienne distraught at losing Camille. Danilo is furious and tells the story of a Princess who cheated on her Prince and then storms off to seek the distractions at Maxim's. Hanna realises that his anger at the announcement of her engagement shows that Danilo loves her and rejoices among the general despair.

Act III

Act III is set at a theme party in Hanna's ballroom, which she has decorated as Maxim's, complete with Maxim's grisettes (can-can dancers). Valencienne, who has dressed herself as a grisette, entertains the guests. When Danilo arrives, having found the real Maxim's empty, he tells Hanna to give up Camille for the sake of the country. Much to Danilo's delight, Hanna tells him that she was never engaged to Camiille, but that she was protecting the reputation of a married woman. Danilo is ready to declare his love for Hanna, and is on the point of doing so when he remembers her money, and stops himself. When Njegus produces the fan, which he had picked up earlier, Baron Zeta suddenly remembers that the fan belongs to Valencienne. Baron Zeta swears to divorce his wife and marry the widow himself, but Hanna tells him that she loses her fortune if she remarries. Hearing this, Danilo confesses his love for her and asks Hanna to marry him, and Hanna triumphantly points out that she will lose her fortune only because it will become the property of her husband. Valencienne produces the fan and assures Baron Zeta of her fidelity by reading out what she had replied to Camille's declaration: "I'm a highly respectable wife"; and all ends happily.