MICHAEL HALL’S LIBRETTI (August 2006)

Boudicca                                           1 act, approx 60 mins.

 

A demanding piece for solo soprano set on the last day in the life of Boudicca ( Boadicea ), queen of Iceni in 61 A.D.  Recounts in flashback the events of the Boudicca uprising, the final battle, her defeat by the Romans, her escape and final hours.   (A 45 min version has been composed in New Zealand by Clive Cockburn under the title BOADICEA)  

 
Paradise valley                                 2 acts, approx 1 hour and 30 mins.

 

Characters : A man

                  Fox

                  Sheep

                  Snake

                  Owl

                  Dragon

 

A fable for four animals, one dragon (Great Desmond, the dictator of the valley) and one man, an accidental visitor. The opera starts in bright sunshine where all is friendship and light, but as dark approaches the shadow side of the valley and its inhabitants becomes markedly stronger. By sunrise the valley will be changed forever.  An allegorical look at man, his shadow side, and the very nature of paradise.   BEING COMPOSED IN ISRAEL BY ERNEST LEB. 

 

 

El Dorado                                           2 acts, approx 1 hour 30 mins.

 

 

Characters:   6 actors in soap opera   “ El Dorado ”

                   1 journalist , 4 singers, the locals              
                   who live in the Catalan village

                   where the filming takes place.

 

A fusion of soap opera and opera, the sublime and the vulgar.  The soap opera is based on the flop BBC soap of 1993. The work moves between the truly awful soap opera and the lives of the villagers, who are preparing their annual spring solstice ritual which involves a ritual symbolic human sacrifice to appease the gods of the earth. At the climactic moment of the sacrifice the two worlds collide.

              

Psyche and Aphrodite                         1 act, approx 1 hour.

 

Characters : The two in the title.

 

A light and witty telling of the Greek myth for one mezzo and one soprano.  They play not only the two title roles, but, using masks and props, 10 other roles including Amor, Pan, Persephone, Zeus etc.   Designed to tour small and medium sized venues and to be simple and economical to stage, though with some frantic moments.   Broad appeal for children as well as adults.  This one's designed to run and run.

 

The Nearly Naked show                       1 act, approx 30 mins.

 

A one woman piece written for the soprano Anne Aaen requiring only keyboard or piano/organ accompaniment.  The soprano uses five masks to express five of the faces or fronts we show the world; this leads into the telling of the Garden of Eden story from Genesis leading to the fall of man.

`And the voice of the Lord God said, “And who told thee thou wast naked?” ‘

A short coda ends the piece.   Suitable for church performance.

 Dyveke                                                  2 acts, full length, approx 2 hours.    

 

 

Characters : King Christian the second

                  Dyveke

                  Torben Oxe

                  Dyveke´s mother

                  Smaller roles which can be filled from chorus

                  Chorus in 2 parts

 

Tells of the hugely influential role played by the king´s mistress, Dyveke and her cunning mother in the affairs of Denmark in the early 16^th century.  Based on fact/legend.   BEING COMPOSED IN NORWAY BY SIGMUND LILLEBJERKA.  

 

 

Divine Entertainment                         2 acts, full length, approx 2 hours.

 

Characters : God

                  Mr. Lidev

                  Nun

                  “Naughty Don” Mackin, a car salesman

                  Archbishop

                  Hendryk, a pimp

                  Waitress

 

God and the Devil play poker; stakes are high – ultimate influence in the world.  Both cheat blatantly; satisfaction is reached only by each appointing two characters to play for them. This unleashes totally unforeseeable happenings.  A comedy huge in scope with some violent episodes.

 

Beyond Siva                                            Full length, 2 acts, approx 2 hours.

 

 

8 characters :  Narrator

                     King

                     Antheeram

                     Laisoma

                     Tailor

                     Actor

                     Blind juggler

                     Spirit of Tree

 

A shamanic / fairy tale set in south India 300 years ago tells of the King´s colourful and fantastic journey after his death, a journey designed to reveal to him the value of his life, culminating in a final reckoning scene unlike any other.

 

“It’s beautiful and witty and touching, and the poetry is gorgeous.”

                    ORLANDO GOUGH




  Madimi                                                   2 acts, 6 scenes, approx 1 hour 35 mins.

 

3 characters:  Dr John Dee, scholar and polymath. (baritone)
                    Queen Elizabeth 1st of England. (mezzo)
                    Madimi, a spirit. (soprano)

 

The roles are very evenly balanced. Based on fact, it tells, over the course of 6 months, of the interaction between Queen Elizabeth the first of England who is obsessed with money, power and control, Dr John Dee, whose life's purpose is to acquire all the world’s significant knowledge, and the Spirit conjured up by Dee in his black mirror in the hope of learning from her the secrets of the universe.   HAS BEEN COMPOSED IN NEW YORK BY BRUCE WOLOSOFF AND PUBLISHED BY SUBITO (NEW YORK) AUGUST 2005.

Golda                                                       1 act, approx 20 mins.

 

 

A one woman piece for mezzo depicting the 75 year old Golda Meir, Prime minister of Israel from 1969 – 74, as she addresses a gathering of friends and political colleagues (the audience) to make the first announcement of her intention to resign as P.M. following the 1973 war with the Arab states.   It reveals her vision of peace and what has to happen for it to be achieved.  Adapted from Golda Meir’s own  writings.    BEING COMPOSED IN THE U.S.A. BY MARIA KNOX.

 

 

Sadiqa                                                      1 act, approx 15 mins.

  

A one woman piece inspired by the 68 year old Iraqi maqam singer, Sadiqa Mulayya, in the last year of her life (moved from 1968 to 1978 to allow for a reference to Saddam Hussein) now reduced to selling cigarettes on the streets of Baghdad.   She tells a Western reporter who has tracked her down (the audience) her views on life, fate and death, and remembers the occasions when both Golda Meir and Saddam Hussein heard her sing.

 

Infidel                                                       1 act, 4 scenes, approx 1hour, 10 mins. 

 

 

A two hander for tenor and soprano or mezzo, extremely simple to stage with minimal set requirements, it deals with the aftermath of a serious terrorist attack in a city.   Although not specified by name, New York is implied though the location could be changed with minor alterations to the script.   The woman suspects her Middle Eastern lover of knowing about the attack before it happened when he warned her not to go downtown that day.   He claims he had a premonition so naturally told her.   The woman’s own recollection of exactly what he said to warn her has been blurred by confusion, doubt and prejudice, and her search for the truth of what her lover knew is anything but straightforward.   HAS BEEN COMPOSED BY WILLIAM MACSEMS IN CALIFORNIA.



The Suicide Bomber                                   1 scene, approx 7 mins.

 

A duet for two cockroaches with fridge motor obligato.

 

A humorous duet for two sopranos as the cockroaches find the disturbance of the on/off fridge motor unendurable, and so decide on a drastic solution.  

 

 

Meditation on St. Anselm’s prayer             1 scene, approx 12 mins.

 

 

A blending of St. Anselm’s Latin prayer to his guardian Angel with a very free English translation of the same prayer begin and end this short piece for two sopranos.   In between are three short verses relevant to the guardian angel theme of the prayer.   Suitable for church performance.   HAS BEEN COMPOSED IN COPENHAGEN BY HANNE ORVAD.   3 PERFORMANCES SO FAR.

 

 

 

An Angel Piece                                             1 scene, approx 10 mins.

 

 

Written for the soprano Anne Aaen.   The singer tells how a few hundred years ago, everyone believed in angels; their existence was an accepted truth, and invites the audience to see if, for just a moment, they can re-live the mindset of that time.   Suitable for church performance so needs only piano or organ accompaniment.   HAS BEEN COMPOSED IN AUSTRALIA BY JOHN SUMMERS.

 

 

 

My icon                                                         1 scene, 8 mins.

 

For soprano and string quartet or piano.   In four short verses the singer, a soprano, expresses the vital role her icon plays in supporting and guiding her life.   Suitable for church performance.  

Fausta                                                             1 act, approx 45 mins.

 

 

A very different look at the Faust theme using a female Faust  (treated as a kind of everywoman) and a Mephisto Lee who is very different from the traditional Mephistophele.   Lots of direct audience contact from the Fausta role.   Designed to be simple and economical to stage with a cast of only one soprano and one tenor.   Would suit a cabaret style approach.  Made for touring or as a "one off" entertainment.
BEING COMPOSED IN NEW YORK BY BRUCE WOLOSOFF. 

  
 

 

The light, the light                                          1 act, approx 25 mins.

 

 

A one woman piece for soprano or mezzo.   A 40 year old librarian tells of how her two contacts with aliens (and the light) have totally changed her vision of the world and humankind, a story she has withheld for too long from her mental health point of view.   With no set required would cost almost nothing to stage.   Suitable for small venues so would need only a single instrument accompaniment (possibly viola).

(HAS BEEN COMPOSED IN AUSTRALIA BY JOHN SUMMERS FOR MEZZO, OBOE AND CELLO) 

Cleopatra´s Scribe                                          1 act, approx 50 mins.


A two hander for mezzo and soprano.   March, 30 B.C. and the 39 year old Cleopatra, just months before her suicide, plans with her new scribe, a slave, how to deal with Octavian´s Roman army which has just landed in Egypt intent on conquest and taking Cleopatra back to Rome in chains.   An ever changing engagement between two strong female roles reveal a 2000 year old society on the verge of collapse. 



Casals                                                               1 act, approx 30 mins.


A solo piece for a cello playing tenor.   Late 1963 and the aged Pablo Casals prepares for a performance in Auckland, N.Z.   The action takes place backstage as Casals shares with some cello students and admirers (the audience) his views on Bach, fingering, performance and various composers from Popper to Brahms, interspersed with reminiscences of his life and musical thought, with many opportunities to demonstrate on the cello.
(Being composed by the Danish composer Kim Helveg )



"....and not a melody in sight"                           1 scene, approx 10 mins.


An "impossible" piece for solo percussionist in which he or she is invited to invoke "the wonders of the universe through beaten skin, cowbell and vibraphone, through pattern and motif....and not a melody in sight".



Death of Gesualdo                                              1 scene, approx 25 mins.


A huge dramatic scena along the lines of Berlioz "Death of Cleopatra" shows the last minutes in the life of the composer Carlo Gesualdo in Sept.1613 as, raddled with guilt over the murder of his first wife all those years ago, attempts to make sense of his life and peace with his God.   ACCEPTED FOR COMPOSITION BY BRUCE WOLOSOFF IN NEW YORK.   (PART OF A LARGER GESUALDO PROJECT)  



The Arcadia Seminar                                            1 act, approx 35 mins.


Requiring no set at all and only one prop, an A1 flip chart, the scene is that of the Planet Arcadia Personal Development Seminar and the audience are those who've signed up for the seminar.   In three distinct sections, the first part is the facilitator introducing the seminar and all aspects of the ARCADIA empire, the second part is the entertainment created by the seminar assistants which is in the the form of three animal fables, and the last part occurs in a coffee break in the seminar when Death enters.   For two soloists and a choir of about ten who play the seminar assistants, the 'team', and all the animals in the animal fables.   A piece designed to be great fun for performers and audiences alike.   BEING COMPOSED IN ITALY BY ALBERTO  SCHIAVO FOR THE ORPHEUS COMPOSITION PRIZE 2005 - 2006.


Ambrosia, nectar of the gods                              1 act, approx 25 mins.


A wry comedy set in a courtroom in modern rural Italy.   An elf is charged with drunkenness and for selling wine and strong liquor without a licence.   Part of his defence is that he sells Ambrosia because the gods wish mankind to taste this nectar which "opens doors that we, within our normal lives, keep closed".    He, Arturo Elf, is a bringer of ecstasy.    Requires two soloists: the elf is a tenor and the magistrate a mezzo.   Also needs a mixed chorus of 10 - 12 who play the other roles.   BEING COMPOSED BY LEONARDO SCHIAVO IN ITALY FOR THE ORPHEUS 2005 - 2006 COMPETITION.



Saturn Rings                                                         1act,approx 60 mins.


A two hander, one male, one female role, written from a starting point suggested by the composer.   A woman buys a moble phone from a salesman who offers a contract whereby the phone company pays her each time she makes a call.   Too good to be true ?   Sure is, especially when the mobile phone company is Satrurn Rings.   BEING COMPOSED BY SIGMUND LILLEBJERKA IN NORWAY.




 

 

Composers and performers, 

Do please contact me if you'd like a piece written for you; six of the above pieces were written in response to particular requests.   When writing for a composer or performer I require no payment until the piece gets performed when I ask for one third of royalties, the composer taking two thirds.   If, when completed, you find the libretto not to your liking it simply joins the list above with no liability to the requesting composer or performer.   My overriding goal as a librettist is to secure as many performances as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you. 

All good wishes.

                                                                                 Michael Hall.