)THE GIFT - a new operetta/musical
based on the Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
lyrics and music by Paul HermanCast (in order of appearance
Mayor……..bass
Girl………soprano
Boy………..tenor
Father…….baritone
Mother……mezzo-soprano
Female Dancer/townsperson
chamber quartet (Act 2): flute, viola, guitar, piano(harpsichord/harp/celeste)
chamber quintet (Act 1): plus percussion
About the recording
A grand version of the Gift would include an orchestra, chorus, children's chorus and dancer.
A chamber version includes 5 singers, a small chorus with or without children's chorus
and a small orchestra such as is in this recording
For this recording, For this recording there is no chorus.
There for the chorus songs are not included.
Two choruses were re-written as solos for the girl and boy .
Wintertime (thoughts of love) is originally for girl and female chorus,
Hey girl for boy and men's quartet.
Performers in this recording
girl…………Helen Knudsen mother……Rachel Olson
boy………..Marshall Rollings father..……Reuben Lillie
mayor………Vince Wallace
keyboards…Codrut Birsan viola..……Alison Zabelin
flute……….Steve Yepez guitar……Matt Gold
music direction…Codrut Birsan
Act 1
1. Overture (“full” orchestra, Sibelius computerized version)
2. Mayor’s welcome, lighting of Christmas tree
3. Girl’s intro/solo, Wintertime,
4. Boy’s intro/solo, Hey Girl
5. Boy/girl duet - have you been thinking about……..forever
6. Father’s Soliloquy (father's jig, rebuke & lament
7. mother/daughter duet, love won’t fade
8. the escape (instrumental)
Act 2
9. Prelude - instrumental
10. Boy aria - Manifesto & Boy/girl recit/duet - good morning
11. Boy/girl duet - Morningtime
12. Boy/girl duet - in your arms
13. Boy/girl recitative/duet- stay and brush
14. Mother’s song /hair brushing scene- daughter dear
15. Boy/Girl recitative/duet-my beautiful watch
16. Boy’s aria-Pocket watch song
17. Father-daughter scene (what has happened & remember when)
18. Interlude - remember that girl (instrumental)
19. Waltz for an empty room - instrumental (piano solo Sibelius version)
20. intermezzo-boy’s manifesto- instrumental
21. Finale, Boy/Girl - gift scene, lover's jig, in your arms (reprise)
Plot Synopsis
The Gift (a new musical based on O.Henry’s The Gift of the Magi) - in 2 acts
ACT 1 - a village square, to one side the porch of a Victorian home!On a snowy, somewhat blustery day, the townspeople are scurrying about preparing for Christmas. The major characters are introduced: the girl and her friends, the mayor who welcomes the townspeople and the audience, and the boy and his friends who are flirting with the girl. The boy and girl are planning to run away. The father arrives singing a jig with the townspeople, but he sees the boy and girl together and confronts them angrily. He send the boy away, bringing his daughter to tears. Left alone he ponders his feelings and wonders if his children still love him. He tears up and cannot finish his song, leaving the stage. The daughter and mother come out of the house, singing of their love for the boy and father respectively, though the mother wonders whether her husband still loves her. The townspeople gather and resume their activities and celebration. The boy returns, meets the girl and they start to run away. They are chased by the father, but friends of the boy and girl impede the father, leaving him thwarted and defeated.
ACT 2 - a bedroom
It is dawn. The boy and girl are asleep together in bed. The boy awakens and sings of his love for the girl, now his wife. The girl awakens and they sing love duets. The boys states he wants to go shopping for a Christmas present for his wife, but the girl insists he stay and brush her hair as they are visited by the spirit of the mother. The girl asks the boy for the time then leaves the room to dress. The boy, left alone, sings a farewell to his pocket watch. He exits the room. The girl re-enters singing that she is now a woman, but is interrupted by a knock on the door. Her father has arrived to take her home. She reminds her father of their closeness when she was younger. Despite concerns, he relents to her marriage. The father exits. The girl looks in the mirror once last time before putting her scarf over her head as she exits the room. The room is empty for a few minutes, accompanied by a waltz. The boy returns and prepares for the return of the girl. The girl returns and they exchange gifts. The girl gives the boy a chain for his pocket watch, but the boy has to admit he sold (pawned) his watch. The boy gives the girl combs for her hair, but she removes her scarf revealing that she has cut and sold her hair. They recognize each other's sacrifice, declare their love, sing a lively ditty, and sing a reprise of their love duet as they exit the stage.
based on the Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
lyrics and music by Paul HermanCast (in order of appearance
Mayor……..bass
Girl………soprano
Boy………..tenor
Father…….baritone
Mother……mezzo-soprano
Female Dancer/townsperson
chamber quartet (Act 2): flute, viola, guitar, piano(harpsichord/harp/celeste)
chamber quintet (Act 1): plus percussion
About the recording
A grand version of the Gift would include an orchestra, chorus, children's chorus and dancer.
A chamber version includes 5 singers, a small chorus with or without children's chorus
and a small orchestra such as is in this recording
For this recording, For this recording there is no chorus.
There for the chorus songs are not included.
Two choruses were re-written as solos for the girl and boy .
Wintertime (thoughts of love) is originally for girl and female chorus,
Hey girl for boy and men's quartet.
Performers in this recording
girl…………Helen Knudsen mother……Rachel Olson
boy………..Marshall Rollings father..……Reuben Lillie
mayor………Vince Wallace
keyboards…Codrut Birsan viola..……Alison Zabelin
flute……….Steve Yepez guitar……Matt Gold
music direction…Codrut Birsan
Act 1
1. Overture (“full” orchestra, Sibelius computerized version)
2. Mayor’s welcome, lighting of Christmas tree
3. Girl’s intro/solo, Wintertime,
4. Boy’s intro/solo, Hey Girl
5. Boy/girl duet - have you been thinking about……..forever
6. Father’s Soliloquy (father's jig, rebuke & lament
7. mother/daughter duet, love won’t fade
8. the escape (instrumental)
Act 2
9. Prelude - instrumental
10. Boy aria - Manifesto & Boy/girl recit/duet - good morning
11. Boy/girl duet - Morningtime
12. Boy/girl duet - in your arms
13. Boy/girl recitative/duet- stay and brush
14. Mother’s song /hair brushing scene- daughter dear
15. Boy/Girl recitative/duet-my beautiful watch
16. Boy’s aria-Pocket watch song
17. Father-daughter scene (what has happened & remember when)
18. Interlude - remember that girl (instrumental)
19. Waltz for an empty room - instrumental (piano solo Sibelius version)
20. intermezzo-boy’s manifesto- instrumental
21. Finale, Boy/Girl - gift scene, lover's jig, in your arms (reprise)
Plot Synopsis
The Gift (a new musical based on O.Henry’s The Gift of the Magi) - in 2 acts
ACT 1 - a village square, to one side the porch of a Victorian home!On a snowy, somewhat blustery day, the townspeople are scurrying about preparing for Christmas. The major characters are introduced: the girl and her friends, the mayor who welcomes the townspeople and the audience, and the boy and his friends who are flirting with the girl. The boy and girl are planning to run away. The father arrives singing a jig with the townspeople, but he sees the boy and girl together and confronts them angrily. He send the boy away, bringing his daughter to tears. Left alone he ponders his feelings and wonders if his children still love him. He tears up and cannot finish his song, leaving the stage. The daughter and mother come out of the house, singing of their love for the boy and father respectively, though the mother wonders whether her husband still loves her. The townspeople gather and resume their activities and celebration. The boy returns, meets the girl and they start to run away. They are chased by the father, but friends of the boy and girl impede the father, leaving him thwarted and defeated.
ACT 2 - a bedroom
It is dawn. The boy and girl are asleep together in bed. The boy awakens and sings of his love for the girl, now his wife. The girl awakens and they sing love duets. The boys states he wants to go shopping for a Christmas present for his wife, but the girl insists he stay and brush her hair as they are visited by the spirit of the mother. The girl asks the boy for the time then leaves the room to dress. The boy, left alone, sings a farewell to his pocket watch. He exits the room. The girl re-enters singing that she is now a woman, but is interrupted by a knock on the door. Her father has arrived to take her home. She reminds her father of their closeness when she was younger. Despite concerns, he relents to her marriage. The father exits. The girl looks in the mirror once last time before putting her scarf over her head as she exits the room. The room is empty for a few minutes, accompanied by a waltz. The boy returns and prepares for the return of the girl. The girl returns and they exchange gifts. The girl gives the boy a chain for his pocket watch, but the boy has to admit he sold (pawned) his watch. The boy gives the girl combs for her hair, but she removes her scarf revealing that she has cut and sold her hair. They recognize each other's sacrifice, declare their love, sing a lively ditty, and sing a reprise of their love duet as they exit the stage.