Springtime for Haman
Our 2010 Production is
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
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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 and listen to the music.
SYNOPSIS
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 [King’s Gate]. The King has also named Haman, a wealthy Agagite, to be Grand Vizier, replacing the indecisive Memucan [The News]. The conceited Haman arrives at the King's Gate [Heeeere's Haman!] and commands that all citizens bow down to him [You Must Bow]. All of the citizens acquiesce [King's Gate Chorus], except for Mordechai, who refuses, citing Jewish law [Eyes of God]. Haman is enraged by this insult and vows the annihilation of all Jews, who are traditional enemies of the Agagites [Haman’s Rage].
Haman dupes the King into approving an order [The Strangest Night] that all Jews in the Persian empire be killed on a specific date the following spring [The Edict]. Mordechai grieves publicly upon seeing Haman's order, and he is chastised for doing so by Hathach, one of Queen Esther's servants [The End of the Jews]. When Esther hears of Mordechai's despair, she meets with him clandestinely [Tryst]. Mordechai convinces Esther to intercede on behalf of the Jews [Time to be Heard].
The King’s chamber is full of guests, entertainment, and hired help [Like Iraq]. Despite the danger to herself, Esther enters the King's chambers uninvited, an act punishable by death [Look at Her]. The King stays the automatic death sentence, and Esther invites the King and Haman to a banquet at her residence [Half My Kingdom]; the King gleefully accepts [A Feast for Us], and Haman is flattered to be invited to an exclusive feast with the King and Queen, but when he leaves the palace, his elation turns once more to rage when Mordechai again refuses to bow [Inside Lookin’ Out]. 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 [Haman’s Rage reprise]. Haman returns to the palace to wait for morning, when he can next see the King [Inside Lookin’ Out reprise].
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 [Sleepless in Shushan]. 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 [Haman’s Wisdom]. The King then orders Haman to lead Mordechai through the city exactly as he described [Brilliant!].
After honoring Mordechai [Procession], Haman makes his way home through the city, feeling disgraced and beset by demons [Haman’s Nightmare]. Once home, Haman seeks comfort from his wife Zeresh [The Spat]. Zeresh tells Haman his pursuit of vengeance against Mordechai and the Jews will only lead to his downfall and begs him to stop [You Cannot Win], but Haman instead chooses to go with the King's servants to Esther's feast [If I Perish].
At the banquet [Esther’s Party], Esther is apprehensive [How Can I Tell Him?]. The King and Haman arrive [A Feast for Us reprise], and Esther reveals her Jewish heritage to the King for the first time and accuses Haman of plotting to kill her and her people [Half My Kingdom reprise]. 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 [The Confrontation] and sentences Haman to death. The King gives Haman's property to Esther and names Mordechai to replace Haman as Grand Vizier [The Sentence]. Mordechai issues an edict which counteracts Haman's order [Aftermath], and the Jews of Persia are saved [Eyes of God reprise].
