Philip Glass, Robert Moran - The Juniper Tree
текст песни

Music by
Robert Moran and Philip Glass
Libretto by
Arthur Yorinks

THE WIFE: Jayne West, soprano
THE HUSBAND: Sanford Sylvan, baritone
THE SON/JUNIPER BIRD: Lynn Torgove, soprano
THE STEPMOTHER: Valerie Walters, mezzo-soprano
HER DAUGHTER: Janet Brown, soprano
THE GOLDSMTIH: David Stoneman, baritone
THE COBBLER: Thomas Derrah, tenor
THE MILLER: William Cotten, tenor
VILLAGE FOLK: Chorus
The Juniper Tree Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Richard Pittmann

Orchestra:
flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, bassoon
horn, trumpet, trombone
2 violins, viola, cello, string bass
harp, percussion
2 keyboard synthesizers, celeste

Сontents:
Act I
01. Glass - Prologue (00:00)
02. Moran - Scene 1 (17:01)
03. Moran - Scene 2 (29:40)
04. Glass - Scene 3 (42:44)
05. Glass - Bird Song (46:18)
06. Moran - Epilogue (48:27)
Act II
07. Glass - Scene 1 (51:45)
08. Moran - Interlude (59:32)
09. Moran - Scene 2 (61:52)
10. Moran - Final Scene-Trio (69:04)
___________________________________________

Libretto:

Prologue

In the darkness there is the sound of a bird. It is faint; but it grows
louder as the stage gets brighter to reveal a country house, which is
occupied by a wealthy landowner and his wife. They have no children.
It is autumn and the landscape is rich and rolling.. In the foreground
there is a juniper tree.
Morning arrives. The bird, singing, is now joined by the higher-pitched
sound of baby birds. They are in the juniper tree. At the window of the
house the landowner’s wife appears. The birds are singing:

Mama Bird: pa pa pa pa….etc.
Baby Birds: pa pa pa pa ……etc.
Wife (from the window) Come here to me my hungry ones…
Baby Birds: ma ma ma ma….can we eat, Mama? We are hungry. Where is
food, Mama? Where is Papa?
Can we eat, we’re starving-
Wife: My darlings, I’ll get you some food….
Mama Bird: Don’t listen to her-she thinks you’re her babies. She’s crazy!
Baby Birds: But she always gives us apples, Mama-
Wife: Where are you, my babies? you’ll be late-
Baby Birds: Come find us. We’re hiding!
Wife: you’ll be late for school. Come now, kiss mama, give her a hug…
Baby Birds: Kiss, Mama, kiss and hug her….
Wife: You are my pride and joy, each of you. daughter, how big you are.
And your brother, what a rascal. And my baby son, so quiet; I know
your heart is full..and some day, you’ll remember, me and how much
I love you….
(The husband appears in the doorway of the house. He is carrying a gun,
ready to go hunting)
Wife: Now come quick, you’ll be late-
Husband: Ah my wife, what are you saying?
Wife: The children, they’ll be late for school-
(The husband goes to her)
Birds: pa-pa-pa-, etc.
Husband: There are no children here…
Wife: But…..NO!
Husband: (gently) They are only birds…Why don’t yo come inside, it’s
getting cold. A fire will warm you.
Wife: I will soon.
Wife (as duet with Husband): I can’t stop from thinking. Each day passes
and hope dwindles. Yet, we
have each other. And all we share must come to fruit. What spring
arises where no winter breathes-
what food will grow if now hunger seethes….
Husband: I know what you’re thinking. We must have faith. We have so
much and each other; still, I
feel it too. The emptiness lingers; how cold the barren limbs-all
twisted and knotted and stiff- but here,
an evergreen stands; and a forest calls to me-
Husband: I’ll bring you back the largest rabbit in the forest. We’ll have
a feast.
Wife: Broiled beast!
Husband: I’ll be back. Be well my treasure- (he departs; the wife goes
over to the juniper tree and sits beneath it. She stares at an apple)
Wife: What riches we have, and no mouths to feed… (a gunshot is heard.
Startled, she accidentally cuts her finger with the knife she was holding)
Why can’t there be a child as red as this blood and white as this snow? I
feel better now-how life churns! (She goes into the house)
****
The seasons pass. The wife is pregnant, in her eighth month.
Wife: Oh dear husband, when I die you will bury me beneath the juniper.
Husband: You will outlive me and this old tree, you’ll see.
****
The Wife dies at child-birth, leaving her husband with a new baby boy.
Husband: No, no….it can’t be now-you can’t leave me…not now, not now,
it cannot be….

End of Prologue
Musical Interlude (connoting the years passing and the turn of events)

Act One, Scene l
It is some years later and time has soothed the landowner’s grief. He has
taken another wife and has had a daughter by her. Together with his son
they all live in the house by the juniper tree. Everything is as it was
except for the placement of a small headstone that tilts to one side
underneath the juniper tree. On it simply reads : “Beloved Ida”
A summer breeze blows. The son is under the tree reading a book. Father
is coming home from a trip. As the step-mother and daughter approach from
the house to greet him the son notices his father and runs to him.
Son: Papa, Papa!
Husband: My boy, I swear you’ve grown. I can barely lift you. I hope the
horse I bought for you can hold
you.
Son: A horse? Where is he, Papa? Can I ride him now? Is he fast? Can I
see him?
Husband; You should ask you mother. (to his wife) Hello my dear, how’s
our daughter?
Son: Mother, can I-
Mother:…(to the boy) Look at you, how filthy. I told you to stay away
from that tree. If you want to read,
stay in your room.
Son: but….
Mother: Anne, come take father inside, he must be tired and thirsty from
his long trip (the daughter takes her father by the hand and they go into
the house; the Son accidentally bumps into the Step-mother) Out
of my way! You are always where I am. Now fetch me some water. The
garden must be as hot as I am-
Now go! (The Son runs into the house) He is just a boy. He is not so
bad. But ….but…he must look like
her. He must remind him of her. She has risen and taken his form. He
must still love her, not me or my
daughter. My girl should have his fortune, not him. He’s dead…No!
What am I saying? She’s dead,
he’s just a little boy, a little boy. But ….but…..it’s her! It
must be so! Her eyes! Her hair! I’m sure of
it!…but she’s not here, he is. He is always here and there, always
here and there (the boy runs in with
water. He spills it on her. ) Aaaachhhhhh! (she screams, a steam
rises from her. The child is
terrified). Lights…..and end of the scene.

Scene Two
It is another day. Autumn. The son is at school while the step-mother and
daughter are upstairs in the house. The step-mother is brushing her
daughter’s hair . )

Mother: You are so lovely. Perhaps you are the most beautiful child in
the world…
Daughter: Can we eat, Mama? I’m hungry. Where is Papa? Can I have an apple?
Mother: Your father will be home soon. Come let’s get a delicious apple-
(they go to a large chest, filled with apples. Opening it, the Mother
gives her daughter an apple)
Daughter: What a red one! Can brother have one, too-I’ll pick one out…
Mother : (upset) when he comes home from school I’ll give him one. A red
one just like..(she hears the Boy approaching)…a red one just like-just
like…(she grabs her daughter’s apple)…just like this red one. Now
you can wait until your brother is home! (The frightened daughter
leaves the room…as her step brother enter the house)
(Sung simultaneously)
Mother: How was school today? You look like, I mean, would you like an
apple? You must be hungry.
There are ripe ones here for you.They are all for you. She will have
one later. She will have all she
wants later. Now pick your red apple. You must be hungry. Well, pick
out the best…pick out the one
you’d like….
Son (frightened): What is the matter? You look so strange. Is something
wrong? Yes, I’d like one, I’m
hungry…Is sister home? Where is she? She should have one, too.
She can have one, too. What is
the matter? You look so strange. Is something wrong? Yes, I’d like
one. I’m hungry…

(The son leans in to find an apple. The step-mother, staring at the boy,
seized by jealousy and rage, slams the lid down hard on him which chops his
head right off into the chest. His body falls limp to the ground. The
step-mother, at once enraged and ecstatic, now as if released from a heavy
burden, sees the limp, headless boy and is filled with remorse)

Mother: What, what, can I do? (she quickly places the corpse minus head
upon a chair, then re-attaches his head, covering the neck with a scarf.
She places an apple in his hand. She then goes into the kitchen and
begins to prepare dinner. The daughter, having passed the boy, enters the
kitchen.

Daughter: Mama, brother is sitting with an apple and he looks so pale. I
asked him for an apple and he
wouldn’t answer. He’s so scary and white-maybe he’s ill. Maybe he’s
got a fever. Should I feel his
head?
Mother: NO! H