Springtime for Haman
Our 2010 Production was
Generously sponsored by Cambridge Innovation Center,
Fairfield Properties, FilmNation Entertainment,
Merrill Lynch, and Morse ConstructionS
All performances at:
The Peabody School
70 Rindge Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
Saturdays, March 20 and 27, 2:30 and 7:00
Sundays, March 21 and 28, 1:30 and 6:00
Find when your family and friends performed!
In this sequel to Cambridge composer David Bass' romantic opera The Coronation of Esther, Queen Esther risks her life to save her cousin Mordechai and the Jewish people from Haman, the vengeful Grand Vizier of Persia.
Springtime for Haman is a sensitive and entertaining portrayal of the biblical story in two 50-minute acts and features lyrical music in a variety of popular and classical styles. Presented by an inter-generational cast in English with side titles.
Below, read the synopsis, see photos from our performances, and listen to each of the two casts singing (All photos copyright © 2010 by Jonathan Chomitz).
The beautiful Jewess Esther has been chosen to be Queen by the Persian King Ahashveros, but she has not revealed her Jewish heritage, on instruction from her ambitious cousin Mordechai.
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| Hear King’s Gate sung by Eli Saltzman |
Hear King's Gate sung by Casey McKinney |
The King has also named Haman, a wealthy Agagite, to be Grand Vizier, replacing the indecisive Memucan.
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| Hear The News sung by the Citizens of Shushan chorus, with solos by Kiraleah Page Fendell, Jeremy Klein and Heather Bildman |
Hear The News sung by the Citizens of Shushan chorus, with solos by Joshua Nolan and Sophia Gottlieb |
The chamberlain Bizzetha announces the arrival of the conceited Haman at the King's Gate.
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| Hear Heeere's Haman! sung by Masha Sten-Clanton |
Hear Heeere's Haman! sung by Phoebe Reuben |
Haman commands that all citizens bow down to him.
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| Hear You Must Bow sung by David Sandberg |
Hear You Must Bow sung by Tom Hamill |
All of the citizens acquiesce to Haman's demand.
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| Hear King's Gate Chorus sung by the Citizens with solos by Eli Saltzman, Sophie Cash and Robbie Kelley |
Hear King's Gate Chorus sung by the Citizens with solos by Casey McKinney, Caroline Coolidge and Aimee Ascano |
But Mordechai refuses citing Jewish law.
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| Hear Eyes of God sung by Eli Saltzman |
Hear Eyes of God sung by Casey McKinney |
Haman is enraged and vows the annihilation of all Jews, who are traditional enemies of the Agagites.
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| Hear Haman's Rage 1 sung by David Sandberg with Chloe Adler, Amy Rowe and the Citizens chorus |
Hear Haman's Rage 1 sung by Tom Hamill with Katie Massie, Isabella Gray and the Citizens chorus |
The edict commands that all Jews in the Persian Empire be killed on a specific date the following spring.
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| Hear The Edict sung by Tim Traversy, Sam Rowe, Alex McElhoe, Isabella Jaffe, Eliza Cash, Laura Gill and Nicole McElhoe |
Hear The Edict sung by Lisa Lovett, Emma Adler, Eloise Botka, Emily Gray, Cullen Fagan, Aviva Gould and Jen Graña |
Mordechai grieves publicly upon seeing Haman's order, and he is chastised for doing so by Hathach, one of Queen Esther's servants.
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Hear The End of the Jews
sung by Eli Saltzman and Nancy Chomitz |
Hear The End of the Jews
sung by Casey McKinney and Emilija Baksys |
When Esther hears of Mordechai's despair, she meets with him clandestinely. Mordechai convinces Esther to intercede on behalf of the Jews.
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| Hear Tryst and Time to be Heard sung by Eli Saltzman and Robyn Lindsay |
Hear Tryst and Time to be Heard sung by Casey McKinney and Reina Bass |
Three days later, the King’s chamber is full of guests, entertainment, and hired help.
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| Hear Like Iraq sung by Robert Rogers, Lonnie Bass and the Chorus of Courtiers |
Hear Like Iraq sung by Nate Burket, Sue Holcomb and the Chorus of Courtiers |
Despite the danger to herself, Esther enters the King's chambers uninvited, an act punishable by death.
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| Hear Look At Her sung by Robert Rogers with Steve LaMaster |
Hear Look At Her sung by Nate Burket with Rob Carney |
The King stays the automatic death sentence, and Esther invites the King and Haman to a banquet at her residence
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| Hear Half My Kingdom 1 sung by Robert Rogers and Robyn Lindsay |
Hear Half My Kingdom 1 sung by Nate Burket and Reina Bass |
Haman is particularly flattered to be invited to an exclusive feast with the King and Queen.
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| Hear Inside Lookin' Out 1 sung by David Sandberg with AJ Liuba, Chris Edel and Eli Saltzman, Jeff Bigler on fiddle |
Hear Inside Lookin' Out 1 sung by Tom Hamill with Julie Viens, Craig Burket and Casey McKinney, Jeff Bigler on fiddle |
But when Haman leaves the palace, his elation turns once more to rage when Mordechai again refuses to bow. Haman decides that he cannot wait until spring to be rid of Mordechai, and at the suggestion of his friends, he resolves to ask the King for permission to hang Mordechai from a 75 foot gallows immediately.
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| Hear Haman's Rage 2 sung by David Sandberg with Sophie Cash, Dina Gorelik, Shaina Boyd, Jeff Fried and the chorus of Citizens and Haman's Friends |
Hear Haman's Rage 2 sung by Tom Hamill with Eva Beram, Zoe Bourgoin-Stone, Emily Gray, Dave Haas and the chorus of Citzens and Haman's Friends |
Haman returns to the palace to wait for morning, when he can next see the King. Haman's Friends are tickled that Haman is acting their advice.
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| Hear Inside Lookin' Out 2 sung by Haman's Friends |
Hear Inside Lookin' Out 2 sung by Haman's Friends |
Meanwhile, the King cannot sleep and asks a servant to read to him from the chronicles of his own reign. The servant randomly selects a passage from many years back, which happens to describe an incident in which Mordechai saved the King's life by foiling an assassination attempt. When the King learns that Mordechai was never rewarded for his service, he calls Haman in to ask how best to honor a man whom the King favors.
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| Hear Sleepless in Shushan sung by Robert Rogers and Shoshi Stern-Robbins |
Hear Sleepless in Shushan sung by Nate Burket and Tess Carney |
Haman, thinking the King must be planning to honor him, advises the King to have the honoree be led through the capital city wearing the King's robes, riding the King's horse, led by the King's noblest prince. The King then orders Haman to lead Mordechai through the city exactly as he described.
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| Hear Haman's Wisdom and Brilliant! sung by Robert Rogers and David Sandberg |
Hear Haman's Wisdom and Brilliant! sung by Nate Burket and Tom Hamill |
Afterwards, Haman makes his way home through the city, feeling disgraced and beset by demons.
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| Hear Haman's Nightmare sung by the Citizens of Shushan |
Hear Haman's Nightmare sung by the Citizens of Shushan |
Once home, Haman seeks comfort from his wife Zeresh, with limited success.
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| Hear The Spat sung by David Sandberg and Erica Schultz |
Hear The Spat sung by Tom Hamill and Heidi Freimanis |
Zeresh tells Haman his pursuit of vengeance against Mordechai and the Jews will only lead to his downfall and begs him to stop.
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| Hear You Cannot Win sung by Erica Schultz |
Hear You Cannot Win sung by Heidi Freimanis |
Haman nevertheless chooses to go with the King's servants to Esther's feast.
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| Hear If I Perish 3 sung by David Sandberg and Erica Schultz |
Hear If I Perish 3 sung by Tom Hamill and Heidi Freimanis |
The Chamberlains scurry about preparing for Esther's feast.
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| Hear Esther's Party sung by the Chamberlains Chorus with solos by Jonathan Edel and Molly Day |
Hear Esther's Party sung by the Chamberlains Chorus with solos by Hannah Carney and Mattie Glenhaber |
The King and Haman arrive amidst fanfare.
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| Hear A Feast for Us 2 sung by Lisë Stern, Robert Rogers, David Sandberg and Jacob Klibaner, with the Chamberlains Chorus |
Hear A Feast for Us 2 sung by Don Picard, Nate Burket, Tom Hamill and James DeBenedictis, with the Chamberlains Chorus |
Esther reveals her Jewish heritage to the King for the first time and accuses Haman of plotting to kill her and her people.
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| Hear Half My Kingdom 2 sung by Robert Rogers and Robyn Lindsay |
Hear Half My Kingdom 2 sung by Nate Burket and Reina Bass |
The King is enraged and storms out of the room while Haman pleads with Esther for mercy. When he returns, the King misinterprets Haman's pleas as a physical assault on Esther.
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| Hear Confrontation sung by Robert Rogers, Robyn Lindsay and David Sandberg, with the Chamberlains Chorus |
Hear Confrontation sung by Nate Burket, Reina Bass and Tom Hamill, with the Chamberlains Chorus |
The King sentences Haman to death, gives all of Haman's property to Esther, and names Mordechai to replace Haman as Grand Vizier.
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| Hear The Sentence sung by Robert Rogers and Maggie LaMaster |
Hear The Sentence sung by Nate Burket and Erica Jaquith |
Mordechai issues an edict which counteracts Haman's order, and the Jews of Persia are saved.
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| Hear Aftermath sung by Robyn Lindsay, Robert Rogers and Eli Saltzman |
Hear Aftermath sung by Reina Bass, Nate Burket and Casey McKinney |
All the Citizens and Courtiers bow down to Mordechai out of admiration, but Mordechai insists that everyone rise, for he is no more a god than Haman was.
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| Hear Eyes of God 2 sung by Eli Saltzman and Robyn Lindsay, with the entire company |
Hear Eyes of God 2 sung by Casey McKinney and Reina Bass, with the entire company |
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