SCENE 1
In the rear of the stage will be a medium size window where everyone can see puppets and marionettes on three levels. The window evokes an old fashioned theater with curtains gathered at the sides. In September we'll have some photos and videos of rehearsals to add to this blog. The Fine Arts Academy of Florence is making the toys and costumes. The children won't need costumes, they will wear their own clothing. The animals will wear leotards and a head dress, our animal singers will learn how to make their own head dress over the summer with the students of the Fine Arts Academy in Florence. The Artisans too will probably wear leotards with a large apron full of hammers and screwdrivers in the pockets. We'll need a full costume for the two Wizards, Arthur and the Owl. Kaye and Uther will have some sort of a simple costume. Then there are sword dancers, fish dancers . . Maybe some of these will only be puppets managed on a stick from behind the rear window. Puppets and singers are dressed alike. The machinery of the Factory are attached to the Puppet of Mister Uther, and when he dies, the Factory mechanisms stop working. The Childrens chorus will wear their own clothing for scenes 1 and 5. As Farm Animals during the Farmer's phone calls, they will have masks as chickens, hens, pigs, cows etc. that will show in the little Theater window.
01. There will be three levels in the rear window on which to place puppets. A large Puppet of Mister Uther at the rear of the stage. During the Orchestral Prologue, the children (about 12 singers aged 9 - 12) enter the stage one at a time, and form a single file. They are in the Factory. Each child arrives and turns towards the others signaling to the next person to enter. They begin entering at bar 14 (clarinet entrance). The last child that enters bumps against the line of children already on stage, all lose their equilibrium briefly. Once they are on stage, they search for toys, first some go stage front left, then others go stage front right. The Artisans remain standing behind the curtains on either side of the stage; they have toys and puppets hanging from long sticks (like fishing poles) and/ in their hands as they extend their arms onto the stage. Other toys hang from over the stage. The children reach and grab for some and point to others. The children then walk in single file around the stage, every now and then the leader (the first child that entered) stops suddenly to look at a toy or look at the window in the stage rear, or looks at the public: all the children get blocked and stumble, gesticulating, then the walk continues. They end up sitting in a row stage front.
02. Seated stage front, facing the public, the children sing the chorus of N.2 "Look at all these wonderful new toys" as they pull out toys from boxes. At bar 29 the Artisans (8/10 University or older HS singers, SSA or SA chorus) enter the stage in two groups, half from either side, about halfway back on the stage, walking as if they were marionettes, very stiffly, heel-toe, straight knee, knee bends etc. They make so many puppets and marionettes that they even walk like them. The children are holding toys and turn around slightly to look at the Artisans. At ar 34 the Artisans advance towards the public and towards the children sitting at the front of the stage; all sing together "Squeeze the Teddy bears.." At the text "puzzles and skateboards" the Artisans are standing behind the children seated in the front, the children then turn towards the public during the final orchestral bars of N.2. In the rear window you can see the mecchanisms (the machinery) of the factory move.
03. The Song of the Artisans:
As the Artisans sing they activate imaginary marionette strings from their fingers. As they sing. they wiggled their fingers over the children until bar 24, they move left and right in a line behind the children with arms extended over them; the children roll on their backs bicycling with their legs in the air. At bar 14 the children suddenly sit up straight and sing towards the audience "Look how funny...". They continue singing together in this position to bar 21. At bar 23 the Artisans divide into two groups, half walk to stage left, half to stage right in a semi-circle and meet in the center of the stage again. The children sit in two groups near the Artisans, they watch them as they change their tone of voice in bar 23 "But now we're confronted with a serious problem". Everyone sings together at bar 35 "The man who inspires them" (the children point towards the puppet Mister Uther in the rear of the stage, the Artisans lean affectionately on the puppet, caressing it). §Version 1: The Artisans finish this section of the song, then recite the phrases at bar 46, one Artisan per line (4 artisans total) in Rap rhythm "We need to find his son . ." etc., taking a few steps forward in the space available towards the public between the 2 groups of children and then taking a few steps backwards into the group as he speaks. At bar 47 the children utter together a sound "mmm.." (thinking: this is a problem) and stand up, walking towards the public. They then sit in a line one next to each other at stage front. The Artisans finish the song from bar 49 "Help is what we're looking for" as they move to form a group on stage right; at the end of this verse (bar 58) the children stand up as they sing "Look who's coming, yes it's Merlin the Magician" and point towards the sky over the public. Merlin enters from rear stage left. Everyone turns towards him, they give the impression of being blown, bent over as he enters in a Gust of wind.
§Version 2: The Artisans finish this section of the song, then recite the phrases at bar 46 in unison. At bar they sing "Help is what we're looking for..." as they gather together towards right rear stage. At the end of the verse (bar 58) the children sing kneeling and pointing over the audience: "Look who's coming, yes it's Merlin the Magician". They point towards the sky over the public indicating the Deltaplane that brings Merlin to their village. They follow the plane that flies over their heads pointing to it, they fall backwards as it flies overhead. Merlin enters from rear stage left and passes near everyone waving his arms to say hello. As before, everyone bends as he passes by them as if the wind blows accompanies Merlin when he appears.
04. Each time Merlin enters a GUST of wind accompanies him, everyone bends backwards with arms lifted by the wind, you can hear a general "Ah - h " as they marvel at the magician's appearance. Merlin too is always amazed by his magic powers. Merlin speaks accompanied by the Harp. At the start the children offer a toy (raising an arm) to the puppet Mister Uther and at the words "Let's see with my magical powers.." everyone points towards him. At the words "This is my faithful invention.." Merlin demonstrates his enormous colorful Remote Control, the children take it and pass it around to look at it, then they give it back to Merlin. As Merlin sings "And this is how it casts a Magic Spell" the children make a large circle around him and sit to listen. The Bass, Mister Uther, sings from off-stage in the window, streching, waking up. He sings the phrases in a weak voice "What's that? Who's here?" and follows Merlin's Aria. By bar 12 the Artisans are divided into two groups on either side of the stage (right stage rear, left stage front) as Merlin sings the aria "My dearest companion..". The children brush their mouth with a hand each time they sing "Ah!". Mister Uther adds his phrases during Merlin's aria. At bar 12 the Artisans are in a long line at the rear of the stage while Merlin sings his aria "My dearest companion." The chorus sings it's phrases as Merlin paces the stage singing, gesticulating majestically. Towards the end of N.4, bar 42 "Gone already is the magic spell...", the Artisans go behind Merlin as he sings, and lean on the puppet Uther; the children are sitting looking at them and at Merlin. Mister Uther dies and the silhouette of the machinery in the little theater stops.
05 § Mister Uther's Funeral takes place. Uther's puppet slowly disappears. Merlin remains in the rear. The Artisans divide again in two groups toward the rear, half to the left, half to the right, as the music starts and the children sing the first few bars. At Bar 9 the Artisans sing but they begin walking forward towards the orchestra at bar 12; they walk as if in a funeral train in time with the music, taking a step (starting with the right foot) then closing together with the point of the other foot, then stepping with the left foot and closing with the point of right one etc. until they arrive at the edge of the stage front. The children remain seated towards center stage in a group, facing the public as they sing. During the final 10 bars of orchestral music, the Artisans form two short diagonal lines towards stage center from side fronts, and turn slightly towards the rear window (or towards the puppet in the rear). The children too turn around half-way and everyone raises an arm gently to say goodbye to Mister Uther who gradually disappears from sight. They don't wave, they just indicate the disappearance of the proprietor. On the last chord they lower their arms. (More details on this to follow once we see what happens in the window).
§Version 2: Mister Uther's Funeral. Uther's puppet slowly disappears. Also Merlin goes off stage. The artisans remain in a line near the puppet Uther, the children remain seated towards stage front as they sing the funeral music. They slowly rise during the orchestral final bars (from bar 21): the children slowly go off stage right and the Artisans slowly exit left. Half the Artisans quickly go around in the back, unseen, to stage right in order to enter in two groups, left and right, in N. 6.
o6. §The children lose patience with the toys that are half broken. At the start of N.6 the Artisans try to exit into the side curtains slowly, taking large silent steps, trying to elude the children who are venting their frustration about the broken toys that need repair. As the children speak their first phrase at bar 9, they stomp around in the center of the stage impatient, shouting. They then go to one group of Artisans to complain, blocking them from exiting (bar 18) and pronounce their second phrase; one group of Artisans deny their responsability and indicate the other group. The children then go to the others (about bar 31) who deny everything. Unconsoled, they sit down in the center (bar 37) as the Artisans continue singing "We need help now from Arthur" (standing in 2 groups on either side of the children). As they sing from bar 44 the Artisans gather in the center of the stage behind the children. During the orchestral conclusion (bar 62 to the end) the children remain seated, they rip off pages from a calendar with large dates to demonstrate the passing of time.
§Version 2: The Children enter running in a group from stage right, they have lost patience with the broken toys they need repair. The Artisans enter in two groups from either side of the stage. The children are agitated and yell their lines at bar 9. They first go towards one group of Artisans to complain, then towards the other group. The Craftsmen deny any responsability and point towards the other group (till bar 31). Unhappy, the children sit down (bar 37) as the Artisans sing "Ahi, Oh" and the song at bar 44 "We need help now from Arthur...". They gather together then at stage center. During the Orchestral conclusion (bar 62 till the end) the children remain seated pulling out pages from a large calendar to represent the passing of time.
06A. The children look at the ripped open boxes and broken dolls as they speak at bar 84. Artisans and children then sing together as Merlin comes forward.
07. Merlin sings pacing the stage, the others watch him and at the end of N.7 the children pull at his pants begging him to start his voyage and to help search for Arthur, the new proprietor.
08. Merlin casts a magic spell
WIZARDS' CELL PHONES WITH MAGIC POWERSand his magic traveling carpet appears (this can appear coming down on strings or as a puppet on sticks in the rear window).The Artisans nudge and motion to Merlin to leave. As the chorus sings "Have a good trip Wizard Merlin", he struts back and forth thinking and organizing his things to fly off. He finally leaves the stage on his Deltaplane (in the little theater) and everyone waves goodbye. From bar 24 everyone stays still as they wave to Merlin, then run behind the scene at the end of the number.
09. The lights dim, the curtain falls and everyone exits. At bar 22 the window lights up and Merlin appears (flying in the wind), birds pass by (constructed on long sticks), the ocean is beneath. As the percussion starts in bar 46, islands and large palm trees can be seen in the window. At the arpeggios from bar 59 the Animals (12/16 small and taller children ages 12-18) jump, stomp and run onto the scene as animals. They make noises and form two horizontal lines ready to dance at N.10.
PUPPETS: the Artisans disappear behind the scene and a few move the puppets for the Clouds and for Merlin. The Clouds move, following the rhythm of the music of N.09 (played with or without the repeats). The puppet Merlin enters at bar 22 (09A) and passes in front of the Cloud puppets. The audience sees only the puppets in the little theater (the Artisans moving the puppets are dressed in black and stand behind a black wall (cardboard or curtain) that hides them but allows the puppets to appear.
09A At bar 59 the backdrop of the new scene comes down, the Factory disappears and the Forest appears. The Animals enter the stage at this point from both sides, jumping and hopping, getting into position for the dance and song of N.10. Merlin's hut is in a corner on the scene (stage left), he controls his experiments.
SCENE 2 (The action of the marionettes and puppets is handled by the Artisans who do not sing in scenes 2,3 & 4.)
The Artisans move the various Animal Puppets to the rhythm of the music from the theater window.
10. At bar 02 the Animals begin their dance taking small steps and making small movements with their arms swaying low in "Hawaian style" first to the left, then to the right (step close step in dotted rhythm first left, then right, repeating this simple dance step). The Artisans make animal sounds at the start of N.10 till bar 12, when the animal chorus starts. The Animals begin singing at bar 13 and gradually come forward on stage as they sing. The Owl and the Squirrel are part of the group. Towards bar 21 "neither storms nor strangers" they separate into two groups still keeping time to the music with arms and feet, allowing space for Merlin to come forward and sing. At bar 29 they form a circle around Merlin and the "aboriginal style" dance begins (bars 33 -36 circle right, bars 37-40 circle left, bars 41-48 stand still, wave arms up and down four times,bar 49 twirl right with arms in the air, bar 53 twirl left with arms in the air, bars 57-58 two steps in a circle right in dotted rhythm, bars 59-60 two steps in a circle left in dotted rhythm). At the end of the chorus and the dance, the Owl comes forward and speaks towards the animals, facing the public "Friends, seeing as I know..."; the animals continue to keep time swaying to the rhythm.
11. The Owl's first Aria. The Animals stand behind the Owl and sway slowly to the rhythm of N.11 as the proud intelligent Owl sings its aria "Hi there, I'm Archimedes...". Merlin stays on stage left, listens and adds his own phrases ("A UFO" - "You'll see" - "I found a new friend.."). The Animals stop moving at the end, they put their hand on their ear as to listen better to Merlin who is about to speak.
12. Merlin introduces himself, first he speaks in a foreign language (this action has been added by Aldo, it must be funny) and after a few lines the Animals pronounce "eh"? (they don't understand the foreign language). Then he repeats the first few lines in English (i.e. in the language of the opera) and continues his presentation. After the word "fly" the Animals say "ah" (now they understand). As Merlin mentions his Remote Control, the Animals go near to see it better. Merlin sings his Magic Spell and pours his magic potion around (confetti). An uncouth Arthur appears staggering, and says his lines from "What an odor. . ". The Animals hold their noses closed with two fingers from the disgusting odor as they hiss and wave away the smell.
13. Arthur sings his aria with his hands on his hips, staggering like a country bumpkin. He takes 2 steps, 1 with each foot, in the pauses of his song (bars 9,12,14,16,19); behind Arthur the animals imitate the dance and step together at the same moment. The Owl sings his phrases standing tall, a learned and elegant intellectual. Arthur and Archimedes intereact as they sing and walk together diagonally from center stage to front right and then back again, always facing the public. Merlin looks on.
14. Merlin and Arthur stop in the center and say their dialogue as the animals stay in the background. Arthur speaks as an uneducated boy, adding "uh" often after his phrases. (Gradually throughout the opera Arthur develops his intellect with Merlin's lessons, and gradually speaks more elegantly.)
15. At stage center is Merlin with his giant cell phone, surrounded by the soloists who are curious to see it, they overlook Merlin as he punches in the Farmer's number. Merlin shouts "hello, hello", shakes the phone and bangs it on his knee to make it function better (he's actually a little deaf!) The animals in the rear make excited noises until bar 11. He turns towards the soloists to say "I don't want to tell him I'm a magician..." Then indicates with his hand to everyone to be quiet so he can hear the phone conversation. At bar 12 (the start of his Aria) the Factory Animals (children's chorus: chickens, rooster, cows, pigs) start to make noises from behind the window. At bar 20 Arthur takes the cell phone from Merlin to speak to Farmer Hector as the Owl comments "They're still talking blah, blah, blah".
16. Arthur sings, it's a conversation on the cell phone with Farmer Hector. The animals remain in a line behind Arthur and the Owl, swaying with the whole body from one foot to another, in two groups in opposite directions (internally - externally) as they sing: "so he'll be spending some days with his tutor...". They keep time in 3/4 and stop swaying at bar 41. Here Merlin takes back his phone. The animals gang up behind Merlin and go near the phone to hear better. The conversation continues between Merlin and Hector to bar 50; the line breaks up and Merlin sends a text message instead. Everyone laughs loudly after Merlin says "..Message from Merlin..". He then adds his final words from "O-K send . . ." talking to the public.
17. The animals sit in the rear, one on top of the other, in the form of their character and sleep. The Owl sings a Lullaby, finishes his dinner and throws the leftovers to the animals. The animals sing their chorus at bar 8 "Oh it's night time we're so tired...". Everyone sleeps except the Owl who keeps watch. Merlin goes to his hut by the bushes to sleep. The Owl exits the stage at the end of his song. The lights dim, the night passes.
SCENE 3
THE ANIMAL PUPPETS GET PUT AWAY. WE NOW USE THE FISH PUPPETS.
18. The animals gradually wake up squaking etc during the orchestral introduction. It's a very happy awakening. By bar 19 when the chorus starts, they are all standing up. They sing and dance together in single file, one behind the other, making a curved snake design dancing around and across the stage, hands with palms together pointing the way, waving their arms from side to side. Arthur and the Owl stay at stage front to sing their duet. (Version 1):The animals go off stage left at the end of their chorus ending the snake dance, and re-enter stage right. They then sit in a group on the side as spectators would at the movies (they'll be watching the rear window.) (Version 2): The animals finish their Snake dance behind Arthur and the Owl, ready to sit and watch the theater action that follows.
19. The first lesson. Most of the action happens in the window with puppets. Merlin sprinkles confetti over Arthur's head as he pronounces the magic spell and pushes him to go off stage. The animals are worried and amazed as they sing "Oh" as they watch the puppets' action in the window. When Arthur speaks or sings as a boy his voice is normal, when he speaks or sings as a fish, squirrel or sparrow he changes his voice, the puppet moves accordingly. Merlin says his lines "There it's done..." marvelling at his own powers (these are unexpected results). He throws Arthur off stage and uses his hands to create a magic effect.
Fish dancers appear (either real children ballerine on stage or in the window or puppets in the window). The animal chorus sings, commenting on the show they are watching. They are positioned laterally in two groups to watch the ballet, they balance on their toes behind the shoulders of the animals in front of them to see better. They point to Arthur the fish but when they sing ("It's Arthur" - "He's a fish now" - "He must be frightened...") they take a few steps backwards and open up the two groups, singing towards the audience. Arthur (below the Fish puppet in the theater window) yells: "Help me Merlin! A swordfish is chasing me" from behind the window.
PUPPETS: First the smaller fish appear, then the Sword fish enters from the opposite side to chase them. The fish circle as if in a pond to the rhythm of the music.
20. The anxious, worried Animal Chorus is still watching the fish show in two groups, leaning on each other to see better. Merlin talks near the fish puppets (fish dangling on a string attached to a long stick seen through the window). Waves can be seen bouncing in the window, Arthur the fish (puppet) tries to untangle himself from the other fish. At bar 13 Arthur the boy reappears on stage from behind and nears Merlin; all the animals run towards him rejoicing and making noises. At bar 17 Merlin is in center stage to speak "That's good Arthur. ."
THE SWORD FISH ARRIVES AND CHASES THE SMALLER FISH.
Merlin then pulls out his giant Remote Control and casts the next spell "Come back Arthur . .".
21. The animals make a lot of noises. They all dance together to the music's rhythm.
Dance: Arthur starts the dance skipping forward on stage for 3 bars. The animals enter in 2 lines from left and right, skipping behind Arthur from bar 4. They form a single line at front stage with Arthur in the center between the two groups of animals. As they arrive to form this line in front stage, they stop skipping. They pick up skipping together at bar 10 where the theme starts over.
Towards bar 12, Merlin enters and pulls out his cell phone and taps in the farmers number, the animals stay behind him. In bar 17 the cell phone rings. The Farm Animals also make noises about bar 20 as the Farmer picks up his phone. Merlin hushes the animals to be quiet (sssh) because he can't hear on the phone, he talks loudly into the phone. Hector answers howling from far away, trying to make himself heard better (Hector is off-stage).
22. Farmer Hector sings his brief aria from the Theater windo, yelling into cupped hands the final spoken words twice "Because here the place looks like hell!" The Farm Animals make noises.
23. Merlin paces the stage and pronounces the next Magic Spell "Are dogs, chickens . ." to clean the pig pen so Arthur can remain with him to study more. Farmer Hector (written E by mistake) answers from off stage in a high pitched voice, trying to make himself heard from far away.
24. The animals dance again, this time forming one animal like a caterpillar, hands on the shoulders of the person in front, gliding over the scene in small steps as the owl and Arthur stand in the middle. Arthur and the Owl could dance too, then stand and sing their duet from bar 20.
25. The second lesson. Arthur says his beginning lines, entering with hands on his hips. Merlin then sprinkles confetti over Arthur who runs off stage. The puppet squirrels appear on limbs in the window. The animals repeat the action of N. 19: The animals sing "Oh" as they watch the puppets' action in the window. Merlin says his lines "There it's done..." marvelling at his own powers. Squirrel puppet and live Squirrel appear (or the singer Squirrel and a small dancer Squirrel). The animal chorus sings, commenting on the show they are watching. They are positioned laterally in two groups to watch the squirrel ballet, they balance on their toes behind the shoulders of the animals in front of them to see better. They point to Arthur the squirrel but when they sing ("It's Arthur" - "He's become a squirrel" - "on a tree branch" - "It must be truly frightful...") they take a few steps backwards and open up the two groups, singing towards the audience. Arthur says his lines "Help me Merlin! I'm falling" from behind the window.
26. The Squirrel girl goes near Arthur the squirrel (puppet) and approaches him in contemporary mode, as if meeting in a discoteque. She is flirting with him. The dialogue goes on as the Animals look on and screech.
27. The Squirrel girl shuffles then as if she were a wound-up toy to center stage and sings her solo. The animals sing their comments from their positions in two side groups "Suddenly she hears music . ." In the moments when the Squirrel doesn't sing, she turns around moving like a wound-up toy. At the end of the aria the Squirrel turns around as a wound-up toy again as the group of animals make their noises. The two squirrels chatter between themselves.
28. The two squirrels sing together as the two puppets dance in the window. The animals split in two groups on either side; they take little dance steps as they listen to the squirrels.
29. At the end of the short duet, the squirrels dance the Mambo together with the animals on either side. Refer to video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5890000389/in/set-72157625904755437
30. Merlino casts a new Magic Spell and Arthur returns a boy. He sings his solo as the Little Squirrel and the animals watch nearby in two groups (maybe following the puppets in the theater.) They turn towards the audience when they sing their short phrases (bars 9, 13, 17, 19).
31. The animals sing their vocalize as . . .
31A. The Owl sings his Lullaby again, the animals get into position on the floor, one over the other, they sing their chorus at bar 23 and fall asleep. The Owl adjusts himself on his limb, says his lines and keeps watch. The lights dim.
SCENE 4
36. Recitativo and Aria of Witch Mim. The Sorceress enters on the scene and sings while Arthur the Sparrow and the Owl remain frozen in fear at stage front right. During her Waltz at bar 25, the two birds take a few steps towards Mim (the Owl behind the Sparrow) as they sing their phrases (bar 36) behind the Sorceress (Arthur shakes his hand as if to give life to the Sparrow puppet). At the same time, the puppets reflect the same action in the Theater window at the rear of the stage. Puppets and singers are dressed alike.
N. 37. Recitativo and Tango of Witch Mim. Arthur and the Owl remain to stage right. During the Recitativo the Sorceress stealthily walks around, smelling and searching for something strange in her house. At bar 8, Tempo di Tango, she dances with the birds, first with Arthur the Sparrow then at bar 15 ca. with the Owl. The birds show their fright making scary faces and try to pull away and flee. The witch tries to catch Arthur who bends down and escapes, then she grabs hold of him again and together they do about 8 Tango steps (first left, then right). She searches for her knife. She then goes to the Owl, she grabs his arm and turns him around as a dancing partner in the Tango. From center rear stage the Witch places herself in the middle of the two birds, arm in arm, and together they take about 10 steps in rhythm forward towards stage front, ending together with one leg bent in Tango position for the Finale of the number. Following the final applause the birds separate from Mim, and she recites her final phrase "Come here you two.." Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5887126837/in/set-72157625904755437/
N. 38 - 39. Witch Mim transforms objects that appear as puppets in the rear theater window. The animals sit on stage in front of the Theater window forming a "V" open towards the public. They watch the show in the theater as the transformations take place but turn their heads towards the public when they sing.
42. Mim sings from the theater window as the marionettes and puppets fly around. The animals are seated looking at the scene.
43. The Wizards sing from the theater window.
44. The Wizards take turns singing and making magic spells. When they sing you can see their faces in the window of the theater, then they lower themselves and only the transformed objects and animals can be seen, flying around the window. The wizards and the animals sing with the voices of the animals being mentioned (elephant, mouse, cat, dog,lLady who dances, virus, Mim bitten and ill who faints.)
45. The animals do the Caterpillar dance again as they sing. Merlin does a Magic Spell from the back window as his puppet Virus flies above his head. The Owl sings on stage while the animals dance around.
46. Merlin casts his Magic Spell from the theater window, then enters on stage together with Arthur and Archimedes. The three come to fronts stage as the scene goes dark and the animals exit.
47. Arthur phones Hector who answers from the theater window.
48. During the Orchestral Interlude that evokes various countries, everyone can see the voyage with the marionettes in the window.
SCENE 5
49. The scene opens as the Artisans are standing spread out on the scene: they move like marionettes making jerky movements, bending arms, legs and body. Each one does his own interpretation. From bar 5 they sing. The children are sitting in a line with legs open, each one behind the other at stage front. Each one wedged into the child in front towards stage right. They are tired and for bars 1 and 2 they are leaning their head on their left arm. At bar 3 they stretch their arms and sit up straight. The sing facing the public at bar 5 "Here we are among the toys . . .". As they sing from bar 5 the children bend left and right from their waist with arms raised, bent from the elbow, in quarter note time in this scheme:
right-left-right-left/right-right-left-left [repeat all]: bars 5-8
right-left-right (long)/ left-right-left (long) [repeat all]: bars 10-13
They repeat the movements from bars 16-24 then they lie down tired, head in the stomach of the child behind. At bar 23 the artisans stand together in the center to form a tree trunk, back to back, hand in hand, and slowly turn in a circle making jerky movements like a marionette.
(Frankly speaking, even if the children improvise these dance movements, the effect is fine even if they are not strictly coordinated.)
49A. (Maestoso - più lento) Merlin enters and wakes up the children with magic powder (confetti). They react and sit up straight, then stand and go near the Artisans to sing towards the public. The animals enter with Merlin, the soloists enter for first (Owl, Squirrel, Arthur) and remain in the center of the scene. Merlin presents Archimedes and Arthur. As Merlin enters with the animals, the artisans gradually wake up with jerky movements. At bar 35 the chorus sings "Ah! Ah!", very surprised with a hand near their mouths.
50. The animals stand stage left. Kaye enters from stage right, near the artisans and the children to converse with Arthur. Kaye and Arthur inact a scene between two clowns. Kaye is superb and unpleasant, an artisan sticks out a foot making Kaye trip and fall. Everyone laughs. He speaks with a powerful voce, looking around for Arthur because he doesn't recognize him immediately. Kaye looks at Arthur who has changed from being an ignorant farm boy to a young educated and important man. Arthur answers "I was living without enriching my mind..." as Archimedes suggests what to say. Kaye smacks Arthur on a shoulder, making him fall. He feels again that he is in control. He then puts his foot on Arthurs hand while he is kneeling on the ground. Arthur makes a face that shows he is in pain and that he is tired of this treatment as he says "Certainly." During the final phrase "Practice is necessary." he bows like the start of a Fencing Tournament.
49B The Children sit again in a row at stage front, one behind the other with legs opened. The wave their arms in the air from left to right as before, as they sing. The artisans come to center stage to sing with the children then go to stage right towards the end of the number. The children stand up at the end of the number and go to stage right and stay near the artisans.
51. Kaye is still standing to the right in the midst of the artisans and the children. The artisans sing as they dance in single file as if horses, from stage right to stage left, circling like a carousel, ending up back where they started, stage right. In front of them, in single or in double line, the children do the same "horse" dance holding figures of colorful horses similar to those on a Carousel, one for each artisan.
Videos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5890009599/in/set-72157625904755437 http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5890029973/in/set-72157625904755437/
They stop at bar 16, they turn around and with the same "horse" galopping step cross the stage back to where they were during the orchestral music (bars 18-35). Arthur is in front of them now. He is searching for a sword, the animals too are looking around for a sword.
52. Dialogue between Arthur, the Owl, Kaye and Hector. The other add their comments. Arthur is looking for a sword of Kaye, the animals too are looking around for a sword (from bar 4). Arthur easily pulls the sword out of the stone at Dialogue n.3 and at the words "I'll bring Kaye this one", he raises the sword slowly from the stone and lowers it on to the ground. He gives it to Kaye. Kaye and Hector doubt Arthur's special powers, they cannot believe a farm boy could manage a magic sword and want to prove that they too can pull the same sword out of the stone.
53. As the vocalise is sung, everyone climbs slowly towards the stone. Hector tells Kaye to put the sword back in the stone and try to pull it out himself. As he does so, the animals and the children pull him in a "tug-a-war" to help, but he doesn't succeed (chorus "Ahi"). In the same fashion, Hector too tries to pull out the sword and doesn't succede. The animals and the children fall to the ground from the tug-a-war.
Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5891519747/in/set-72157625904755437
54. The Owl then accompanies Arthur to the stone as he sings the first 4 bars. During the following vocalize, Arthur pulls out the sword (for the second time). As the orchestral music concludes at bar 11, Merlin takes the sword from Arthur to read the inscription, then he gives it back to Arthur who keeps it during the Allegretto. The animals yell "Hurrah" at the end of the reading of the Inscription.
NOTA: We are repeating the Vocalize music 4 times (bars 6-9): the first two times, chorus and soloists sing as written, afterwhich the orchestra repeats the music twice more as Merlin reads the Inscription on the sword.
Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5891373771/in/set-72157625904755437/
54-55. The animals create confusion and try to take the sword from Arthur during the final Allegretto. They gather in a "flower" formation with Little Squirrel in the middle who changes into a dress and then appears as a young lady after Merlin's magic spell.
Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5891856054/in/set-72157625904755437
55 - 55A Arthur, his fiancée, the animals, the artisans and children sing to celebrate the Tournament and the Party begins with dances.
Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5891310685/in/set-72157625904755437/
56-57. Everyone stays in step as they sing the Festive Chorus. The Mambo Dance starts again with the animals, the artisans and children behind the soloists, in a few lines. Arthur and his fiancée sing a duet as the others continue to keep time with a "soft step". At the end of the duet, the two fiancées exit quickly.
Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5891332719/in/set-72157625904755437/
58. Merlin and the Owl come stage front to phone Witch Mim who answers from the window off stage. Everyone else continues to party and dance and sing.
Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5891915482/in/set-72157625904755437
The scene changes to a party room with little tables.
59A. (Terzetto) Mim sings from the window, Merlin and Archimedes are front stage. The party continues, groups talk together and drink and eat.
Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maestrojoan/5891915482/in/set-72157625904755437
60. Witch Mim travels to the party. The back window becomes a bar, the animals serve drinks to everyone. Everyone sings "A special guest will soon arrive.." as Mim enters and throws kisses around to everyone. As the Waltz begins at bar 23, everyone dances with a partner.
61. The dialogue ensues as the party continues in silence. The guests comment on Mim's Mimpod.
62. The two Witches sing their duet as the party continues quietly behind them.
63. Everyone stands to sing the opening of the final Chorus, a Chorale, making a toast with champagne glasses. Arthur and his Fiancée stay together. At bar 19 the music goes into a fast tempo in 4/4 and everyone moves around naturally, partying, as they sing.
64. Everyone gathers together to sing the final number, soloists in front.
