Synopsis of Bernhard Heiden's Opera,<br> <I>The Darkened City</i>

Synopsis of Bernhard Heiden's Opera,
The Darkened City
Date found in conductor's, Tibor Kozma's, score is 2/23/63

Libretto by Robert Glynn Kelly
From Piano Vocal Score by Rick Fanning

(Including notes in score)

Characters in order of appearance
(starting entry was pencil, remainder was typed
which implies the person taking role is pencil):


A voice from the cloisters baritone page 1 of p/v score
Herbert, First mourner, alto 2
___, Second mourner alto 2
Vrenios, Third mourner tenor, later 2nd citizen 2
Gallagher, Priest baritone 3
Havranek, Mayor bass 4
Samuelson, Lazarus, a councillor baritone 9
Shealy, Wife of Lazarus soprano 20 (hold back to save for act 3)
Naldi, Minstrel tenor 32 (passing through)
Wicker, First citizen, later leader of the penitents baritone 47
Yenne, First bearer tenor 77
Hartwell, Second bearer bass 68
-----------------------------
a guard bar 79
a juggler bar 90
a drunkard bass 91
an old man ten 92
a servant bar 92
-first suitor, tenor (seeking Lazarus' widow) 94
-2nd suitor, tenor (seeking Lazarus' widow) 94
-3rd suitor, tenor (seeking Lazarus' widow) 94 -a sweet seller, mezzo-soprano 102
a roisterer baritone 111
a woman's voice 204
the children of Lazarus
mixed chorus of townspeople 14
male chorus of penitents,
coucillors, guards 108

Synopsis
by Julian Livingston

Act 1, Scene 1: Substantial citizen, Lazarus and wife, of a city in east Anglia in summer of 1348 are introduced. It is the summer of the great pestilence, later known as the "black death." A scene of a mayor fixated on safety of the city limits pilgrims to only visit the shrine of the local Saint; their gifts of gold are readily accepted but they are excluded from the city. It appears that God is giving no relief from the disease. Another move of the mayor is to close up any house that shows signs of the disease, leaving the living inhabitants inside with the dying. When the dying is completed inside a house, then the guards bear the bodies to an open grave, a pit outside the city. The living are allowed abroad for as long as they show no signs of the disease. A minstrel comments cynically on the repressive new regulations; the priests leave the shrine open for the pilgrims and their donations, but they only bless them from a distance. The pilgrims cannot go in the abbey where the priests are living. Lazarus suddenly sickens at the end of the scene and is taken into his house. The doors are closed and guarded until morning. The minstrel comments on the guards and the mayor as guarding against death, sin, and God entering.

Act 1, Scene 2: Lazarus body is ordered to the pit outside the gates. Lazarus' wife is overwhelmed as a new widow. She sings against God in her bitterness. Lazarus is borne away without the priests' blessings. Guard gives into wife's plea and against mayor's orders, and allows her to enter and pray at the saint's shrine.

Act 2, Scene 1: Five weeks later and the city is showing large scale signs of decay and dissolution. Depravity exists on every side. Widowed wives are marrying men as rapidly as possible, then collecting their wealth as they die, then marrying another, etc. Suitors are congregating outside of Lazarus' widow's house. Penitents parade showing their humility and self punishment. The death lists are decreasing causing the penitents and mayor to believe their efforts are helping. Suitors are still pursuing the widows, especially the well-to-do Lazarus widow. One of the mourners reports to Widow Lazarus that someone looking like her husband, Lazarus, has been seen on the road near the pit. The widow is suddenly hopeful that her prayers have been answered and the mourners are increasingly excited at the prospect of a miracle, that it may actually be Lazarus returned from the dead.

Act 2, Scene 2: Wife spots husband Lazarus sitting cross legged near the entrance to the city. Wife is very hopeful. Lazarus slowly acknowledges it is himself. Tells of his resurection and disgusting recovery in the pit of putrefying bodies. Wife is afraid to take him home. Lazarus is ready to return regardless of the council and the mayor.

Act 3: Chorus is very excited, bringing the risen Lazarus back. Lazarus has been "dead" five weeks. They want the gates of the city to open, but the mayor is in doubt. Priest agree they should open the gates but the mayor remains doubtful. The priest are full of questions about his survival. Minstrel speaks of washing him, washing their saint. Chorus is insistent. Lazarus sings, "Open the gates!" Lazarus finds fault with the people - a deadly sickness is still in their throats. They deny God when there is danger, but affirm him when they are safe. Throw open your hearts he urges; let love into the city. The mayor warns the people, but Lazarus insists, throw open the gates! The mayor wants Lazarus to wait outside until he is sure he is recovered. The mayor refuses to open the gates. Lazarus says hear God's thunder - open the gates! He steps forward, but the mayor orders the guards to strike him down, and they do! All of the degenerate things going on at the begining of the second act start up again, pick-pockets, sweet-sellers, couples openly making love, etc. The city darkens and the lights go out. Wife sings that the night has come. The minstrel sings of locking the city against God but asserts God gets in somehow.

Posted Sep 08, 2007 11:07 AM by Julian Livingston>