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Magdalena

Music & Orchestrations by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Lyrics & Adaptation by Robert Wright & George Forrest
Book by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan & Homer Curran
Opened September 20, 1948 at the Ziegfeld Theatre, (New York) and ran for 88 performances.

Synopsis

Act I

Although the librettists indicate "about 1912" as the time of the action, the story seems to have a timeless quality, legend-like, a "long ago and far away" aura. However, the actual action of the piece covers only a short span of less than a month, and the opening sequence is set in a South American jungle clearing in the late afternoon in Puerto Hondo in Colombia.

"The Jungle Chapel" is composed of three brief separate numbers. Men grind grain, women weave at a loom, children braid chains of flowers, and young boys and girls flirt with one another as they pursue their chores. Nearby is the chapel.

Conflict erupts over a carving of the Teru bird representing the pagan aspect of the natives' lives, but Padre Jose welcomes the carving as a good omen. The young and beautiful "jefa" Maria (we might think of her as the jungle princess of the tale) is the leader of the primitive people but a faithful follower of Padre Jose's Christian religion. She bridges the two cultures and sings of the good fortune of a bright future the Teru brings: "The Omen Bird."

Padre Jose is about to leave on a journey to the missions down river and instructs Maria to protect the shrine of the Madonna.

A brash and handsome young man (perhaps a bit too arrogant to fit the role of Prince Charming) arrives on his charger: a dilapidated jalopy of a bus. The bus sputters and wheezes to a halt and a half-dozen passengers (rum bottles in hand, no doubt) exit in panic. Having survived a difficult trip made hazardous by the driver Pedro’s reckless driving, the passengers pay homage to the statue for saving their lives, as Pedro sings "My Bus and I." The passengers level their complaints about the ride, the driver, and the vehicle--"That prehistoric monster!" "That junk-heap with an engine"--as Pedro blithely defends his bus as though it were a favorite pet.

Maria does not take kindly to the braggart and they argue about some of the drunken passengers he's brought on this run. He teases and flirts and kisses her, and she is angry enough to resort to her native instincts and threatens him and his bus with an ax in hand.

The principal industry of the village is the emerald mine; however, the native workers are on strike because of troublesome working conditions. Major Blanco and his sidekick Dr. Lopez come to investigate the problem. Maria, speaking as the village "jefa" (literally "chief" or "female boss") and for the workers, complains about the working conditions in the mine. Although his opinion was never solicited, Pedro chimes in supporting the workers and an argument follows. Maria resents the young bus driver's interference. Major Blanco, fearing the displeasure of the owner of the emerald mine, says he must leave immediately for Paris to consult with General Carabana regarding the strike. Maria is convinced of the goodness of the General; Pedro sees him as something "hatched from a buzzard egg." Their argument unravels into a more gentle recollection of their childhood together, and from his pocket he unwraps a large emerald from a piece of cloth as they sing "The Emerald," pledging their love to one another.

Scene 2: Two weeks later in Paris at the Little Black Mouse Cafe, we meet the fat and happy bon vivant, General Carabana, singing with the crowd "The Civilized People." The number concludes with a wine-tasting session in which he approves or rejects the vintage of each glass. Finally, Madame Teresa, the chef at the Little Black Mouse is welcomed at the tables and sings "Food For Thought" while preparing crepes suzettes, ending the song with "Voila!" and a flaming sauce, which she presents to Carabana. He, in turn, presents her with an emerald ring.

Blanco, arriving from Colombia, reports to the General about the ungrateful strikers in Puerto Hondo and fears an insurrection is brewing. Carabana must leave for the New World pronto; his belly tells him he must bring Teresa with him to prepare his meals in that primitive land. She's reluctant to leave her beloved Paris, but the guests at the Little Black Mouse urge her to travel and they sing "Colombia Calls." The astrologer Zoggie is especially persuasive in the song, foreseeing the jewels she'll acquire there at the emerald mine. He joins the others in "Plan it by the Planets." She bids farewell to her friends in the Paris cafe.

Scene 3: Ten days later at the boat landing the Old One strumming his guitar sings of the river "Magdalena." Pedro on the verandah of the crumbling hotel drops a coin in the Pianola for more lively music, playing against the song of the Old One. Peasants dance to the Pianola music until the machine collapses like an old automobile.

Boat whistles announce the arrival of General Carabana with Teresa in tow. There is no formal reception. Carabana is furious. Teresa is disgusted with the place, still longing for Paris, but she spots Pedro and flirts. Pedro brazenly hurls insults at the General when they are introduced. Maria greets the guest from Paris with a formal kiss of welcome and invites him to visit the shrine. Pedro is furious. The two young lovers argue; he resents the fact that Maria plans a fiesta to welcome the General and runs off in anger. "The Festival" begins with children singing and a procession with a statue of the Madonna. As they are singing of the Magdalena River nourishing the land, Pedro drives his dilapidated bus into the procession and disrupts it. Maria, furious, takes a whip to him and the renegade dancers who have joined him. Playfully urging her to continue the whipping, he teases and encourages her to resort to her true pagan character and forces kisses on her.

Pedro commands the peasants to get off their knees, and secretly he instructs the natives to steal the Madonna to "break the bad magic." His bus is the only means of transportation for the General to get to the hacienda. All join in to sing "The Bus Departs" and the children reprise "My Bus And I" as the vehicle, bumping and backfiring, makes its noisy exit.

That evening at the Shrine of the Madonna Pedro is contrite and with Maria sings "The Forbidden Orchid" about the love for each other they have shared since childhood. But he sings of love between and man and woman, not memories of their youth, as she resists his advances ("Not before our Lady" she whispers) but he persists and finally carries her off.

The native group Pedro had organized enters the shrine and steals the statue as the peasants dance violently expressing the conflicting emotions of their fear of the Madonna and their primitive instincts. They run off with the statue. The shrine stands empty in an eerie light as the curtain falls on Act I.

Act II

Ceremonial dances in a clearing in the jungle under bright moonlight open the act as the natives perform "The Singing Tree." Pedro rushes in with Maria announcing they will be married as soon as Padre Jose returns from his missionary work down river. To the male group he confides that they must confront Carabana and take over the emerald mines. Word comes that the Madonna is missing; the shrine is empty. Maria is shocked. All fear Padre Jose's anger when he returns to the village. Maria weeps feeling responsible for the missing statue. The two young lovers argue, and she realizes he is the one responsible for the theft. She sings a prayer to the Madonna, "Lost," while Pedro interjects with a soliloquy pledging to keep the statue until a settlement with Carabana can be reached about the workers and the mines. The wedding is called off. She goes off to negotiate with the General about the mines. Major Blanco and his troops announce a new order from the General that natives are forbidden to assemble in groups. After they present the order and march off, Pedro organizes the natives to rebel against General Carabana and they sing "Freedom," a defiant song calling for a strike against the oppressor.

Scene 2: Teresa has found her way to the kitchen in Carabana's hacienda. She is at a huge stove preparing a banquet. As she plucks a chicken, she sings a reprise, "Teresa Cooks." When she leaves the kitchen for a few moments, the servants assemble with Pedro to be sure all is prepared for the insurrection. Are the servants armed? Yes, with clubs and machetes.

Moments later the General steals into the kitchen to savor the delights being prepared (ah! turtle soup; oh! a rack of baby lamb; yummy! quail). Teresa angrily confronts the snoop. Not so much about the tasty preview, but has he been flirting with Maria behind her back? His defense: he's just being diplomatic, patriotic; it's his duty to save the emerald mines from being overtaken by Pedro's renegades. Teresa challenges him with an ultimatum of her own: she'll cook for him no longer, even for tonight's banquet, unless he sends Maria on her way. Guided, not by his heart, but by his belly, he agrees. And one more demand! The emerald necklace. It will be around Teresa's neck tonight. They seal the agreement with a kiss.

Scene 3: A dance is in progress, "A Spanish Waltz" (an orchestral piece), on the terrace of the hacienda. On hand is the General's personal physician who warns him not to indulge in the sumptuous meal Teresa has prepared. His blood pressure is dangerously high, and the excitement, the festivities, the dancing plus the rich menu could kill him. The doctor prescribes milk toast. The general denounces the doctor as a quack and orders him out.

Major Blanco reports on the danger of an uprising and urges General Carabana to take control by marrying Maria. They would own the mine jointly. He has prepared a formal pre-nuptial agreement. The alternative could be revolution and poison arrows! He signs on the dotted line. He shows Maria the contract; his fortune is hers. Suddenly the Insurrectos enter and Pedro stands with the revolutionaries. To defy him, Maria announces she will marry General Carabana. Pedro storms out but not before taking from his pocket the large emerald wrapped in a piece of cloth and tossing to the floor: his wedding gift! The insurrectionists follow him out as Maria signs the agreement.

Teresa hears the General announce the wedding and sees him present the emerald necklace (promised to her) to his bride-to-be. But Maria brushes the gift aside and says she must join her people.

Major Blanco tells the General a time bomb has been placed is Pedro's bus. The General is delighted. Teresa promises a sumptuous feast and sings with devilish glee "Piece De Resistance." The General is feasting on the array of foods while she sings, encouraging his gluttony. He begs for more. And more. He collapses. He revives. More. Another spoonful. Another forkful. Teresa orders more culinary delights be brought in from the kitchen. Then they waltz furiously. And another attack. Finally, sprawled across the table, he dies. Teresa reaches politely into his coat pocket and takes the emerald necklace and holds it high. "Voila!" she cries out at last and concludes the number in triumph with hysterical laughter. Suddenly an explosion. The bomb in Pedro's old bus.

Scene 4: Padre Jose has returned. He is with Maria at "The Empty Shrine." Maria is penitent, feeling guilty for the disappearance of the statue of the Madonna. The priest has returned to find the happy people he left are now angry and bitter--as though the tribe has been cursed. But he assures his flock that the Madonna, though missing, is still watching over them and will give them back their emerald mines and the happiness they enjoyed before. He says he has prayed for a miracle. What could it be? Maria, with tears in her eyes, knows it is to bring back Pedro from the bombed out bus. The peasants enter the empty chapel. She sings "The Emerald Again" holding the stone Pedro had thrown at her feet in his anger and jealousy. Gazing at the stone, Maria suddenly looks up and Pedro is there, bruised and battered. "I am a durable man" he assures her. She sees it as a miracle and asks him to thank the Madonna. He's too realistic, too practical to submit to this. She reaches out in tears to him and he finally succumbs. He faces the shrine and bows.

The peasants at the empty shrine sing with Padre Jose "The Seed of God." The golden light of dawn fills the scene as Pedro appears carrying the statue. Maria stands watching as he places the Madonna in her shrine and then moves quietly next to Pedro as the song continues by the ensemble. Bells ring out as the voices lift and Maria is wrapped in Pedro's arms as the curtain falls.

Song List

The Jungle Chapel
My Omen Bird
My Bus and I
The Emerald
The Civilized People
Food For Thought
Colombia Calls
The River Port
Festival of the River
Guarding the Shrine of Madonna
The Singing Tree
Lost
Freedom!
In The Kitchen
A Spanish Waltz
Piece De Resistance
The Madonna's Return

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