GSMD SUMMER SCENES

PROGRAMME NOTE AND SYNOPSES

Director's Note
This performance encompasses one of the first public showings of scenes from a new opera by
Stephen McNeff, Pedro Pàramo, adapted from the Mexican novel of the same name by Juan
Rulfo. Much translated and a school syllabus staple in Mexico, Rulfo's 1955 novel is a multi-
layered, atmospheric and oftentimes bewildering ghost story detailing the life, death and loves of
the eponymous Pedro as well as the other inhabitants of his lands. Set against a backdrop of
Mexican social history from the late 19th-century to 1955 and from many first person points-of-
view, the story is told in flashback, sometimes simultaneously then and now. Characters die and
become ghosts but can take a while to realise that this has happened. I have taken the rich world
of Pedro Pàramo as the jumping-off point for today's performance, letting the very particular spirit
of the novel and new opera permeate the other scenes to greater and lesser extents, while never
allowing the basic stories of those more familiar extracts to be fundamentally altered. I hope you
enjoy the scenes.
John Ramster

Pedro Pàramo by Stephen McNeff

Scene 1

Mexico, 1955: Juan Preciado is travelling to the distant village of Comaro to find his long-lost
father, one Pedro Pàramo, fulfilling a deathbed promise to his mother, Dolores. He is accompanied
by a Comaro man, Abundio, who may or may not be dead, not that Juan knows that. Abundio tells
Juan that he is also Pedro's son; he describes their father, a powerful landowner, as "pure hate".
He also says Pedro is long dead. Juan is welcomed to the desolated village by Eduviges, a friend
of his dead mother, who may or may not be dead herself. (Sung in English)

Bartered Bride by Bedřich Smetana

Act 2 Scene 1
A young man and a cynical man argue the relative merits of love and money. Kecal, the older man,
is a marriage-broker, trying to persuade young Jenik, that he should no longer love Majenka, a
young woman for whom Kecal is arranging a lucrative marriage, as requested by Majenka's
parents. Majenka is resisting the match, saying she loves Jenik. Jenik is similarly enamoured of
Majenka, to Kecal's despair. Kecal believes that love never works in marriage, that the men always
end up cuckolded and complaining. He recommends another young lady with much property to be
Jenik's wife - she has cows, poultry, a cottage, a pig, even a new wardrobe! (Sung in Czech)

I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini

Act 1 Scene 2
Verona: Romeo and Giulietta, scions of two rival factions of the Veronese aristocracy, are in love
but their love has been forbidden by Giulietta's father. Giulietta is being forced by her father to
marry one of his allies, Tebaldo. Her benevolent doctor, Lorenzo manages to calm her down: he
tells her that Romeo has managed to enter the city without being recognised and wants to meet
her. Romeo sees only one way out of their situation, namely that they should flee together and
start a new life somewhere else where the quarrel between their families will no longer play a role.
Giulietta cannot agree to this plan, however: she still feels a debt of honour and duty to her father.
Despite all his pleadings, she sends Romeo away. (Sung in Italian)

Pedro Pàramo by Stephen McNeff

Scene 3
Mexico, c.1900: observed by his future son Juan, the young Pedro has just inherited his lands and
is told by his estate manager Fulgor Sedano that money is scarce - Pedro's father has borrowed
much and spent it all. The arrogant young landowner hatches a plan. To defray the debts, Pedro
resolves to marry his biggest creditor Dolores Preciado as soon as possible - Dolores is Juan's
future mother. Pedro orders Fulgor to propose to Dolores on his behalf the very next day.
However, Pedro remains hopelessly in love with Susanna, someone he has known since
childhood. (Sung in English)

The Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin Britten

Act 2 Scene 1 (extract)

Rome, 510 BC: the events which lead to the fall of the Etruscan kings of Rome and the
establishment of the Roman Republic. Prince Tarquinius has accepted a challenge to try the
famous chastity of the Roman matron, Lucretia, the wife of one of his generals. Observed by two
choric figures from a more modern age who attempt to interpret the scene from a Christian
viewpoint, Tarquinius steals into Lucretia's bedroom, watches her sleep, then wakes her with a
kiss. She resists his assault. (Sung in English)

INTERVAL

The Cunning Little Vixen by Leoš Janáček

Act 2 Duet
In the forest: the Vixen meets a Fox. They court each other, quarrel and make-up, and fall in love.
(Sung in Czech)

L'incoronazione di Poppea by Claudio Monteverdi

The Death of Seneca
The philosopher and teacher Seneca has been sent into internal exile by the Emperor Nero,
Seneca's erstwhile pupil, for opposing the marriage of Nero to Poppea. Passing his days at his
country estate, Seneca enjoys the solitude, far from the decadent imperial court. He is visited by
Mercury, messenger of the gods, who tells him that this is to be his last day on earth and that he
will spend eternity in heaven. Seneca is overjoyed. Liberto, the head of Nero's personal guard,
arrives, in great distress, delivering a message that Seneca anticipates - that Seneca must commit
suicide by order of the Emperor. Liberto is conscience-stricken, anxious not to be implicated in the
order that he must deliver. Seneca is happy to die, though cautions that the psychotic emperor will
not be satisfied with only one death. Liberto says Seneca's writings will always be remembered.
Seneca's servants plead with him not to die, saying that they value life and do not want to die
themselves. Seneca orders a hot bath to be prepared in which he will kill himself.

Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti

Act 2 Duet

Scotland: Enrico, a Scottish landowner, is forcing his sister Lucia to marry one of his political allies.
She loves Edgardo, the son of a hated rival clan and is refusing to marry against her will. Enrico
shows her a forged letter which convinces Lucia that Edgardo loves another. She despairs.
Commotion from outside heralds the arrival of her future husband. Enrico reveals that he has
backed the wrong political horse - if Lucia does not marry as Enrico wishes then Enrico will be
executed. If he is executed then he will haunt her, he vows. Lucia longs for death.

Pedro Pàramo by Stephen McNeff

Scenes 4 and 5
Mexico, c1900: observed by her future son Juan and the wraith of her friend Eduviges, Dolores
Preciado is thrilled to accept Pedro's wedding proposal, delivered to her by Pedro's estate
manager, Fulgor. However, Dolores is dismayed to be told that the wedding must take place so
soon since, as she delicately puts it, "the moon is wrong". She persuades her friend Eduviges to
take her place on the wedding night. Eduviges reluctantly agrees; she is subsequently unsure
what exactly occurred in the darkness of Pedro's bedroom.

La Cenerentola by Gioachino Rossini

Act 2 Sextet

Following a storm, Dandini and his master Prince Ramiro miraculously seek shelter in just the right
house for the story to find its happy ending: the house of Don Magnifico, his two horrendous
daughters and his maltreated step-daughter Angelina, known as Cenerentola, or Cinderella. The
Prince is searching for the beautiful girl he met at a ball while disguised as his valet, Dandini.
Cenerentola realises Ramiro's real identity. At the ball she gave Ramiro one of a matching pair of
bracelets and told him to find her, if he truly loves her. Ramiro recognises her bracelet and the
couple are reunited. All are stunned. Don Magnifico, Clorinda and Tisbe are furious. Angered by
their cruelty to Cenerentola, Ramiro threatens to punish them, but Cenerentola asks him to be
merciful. Emotions run high.

Pedro Pàramo by Stephen McNeff

Scene 8
Mexico, at some point in this life or the next: it is raining in Comala. Susana's nurse, Justina, has
gone out to buy rosemary from local Indians. The dying Susana is raving. Justina can give her no
comfort. The ever-loving Pedro watches on helplessly, ever-rejected by Susana. They vividly
describe what it is to be dead and yet dying.