Early Melodrama

The Voice of Nature, Music by Victor Pelisser, Script by William Dunlap, 1803

Karl Kroeger

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2020
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9781135552657
• Subtopic: American Drama
• Index: Literature

Part of a series of sixteen volumes that provides for the first time ever a comprehensive set of works from a full century of musical theater in the United States of America. Many of the volumes contain musical scores and librettos that have never before been published. The work that leads off this volume, The Voice of Nature, is generally considered the first melodrama to be performed in America, and the earliest surviving complete work composed for American professional theater. It is also the first to be written by a playwright boom in America.

THE AETHIOP; OR, THE CHILD OF THE DESERT

CAST OF CHARACTERS

The Acthiop (Haroun Al-Raschid, Caliph of Baghdad)	Speaker
Almanzor, an Arabian sage and chief conspirator	Speaker
Orasmyn, his nephew and pretender to the throne (Child of the Desert)	Speaker
Giafar, Al-Raschid’s vizier	Speaker
Nourreddin, Giafar’s lieutenant	Bass
Abdallah, an iman	Speaker
Aladin	Speaker
Sentinel	Speaker
Caled, Almanzor’s slave	Speaker
Cephania, Al-Raschid’s Queen and Orasmin’s sister	Speaker
Immyne, Cephania’s lady-in-waiting	Speaker
***
Alexis, young Greek Christian resident of Baghdad	Baritone
Benmoussaff, a cadi	Tenor
Mustapha, an emir	Speaker
Zoe, Alexis’s wife	Soprano
Constantine, Alexis’s cousin	Speaker
Grimnigra, Mustapha’s wife	Speaker
Grumnildra, Benmoussaff’s wife	Speaker
An Old Woman	Speaker
Citizens of Baghdad; conspirators	Chorus SATB
Turkish Guards
Corps de Ballet, Cephania’s attendants
***

Instruments of the Orchestra

2 Flutes (and Piccolo)

2 Oboes

2 Clarinets (in B-flat, C)

2 Bassoons

2 Horns (in C, D, E-flat, F, G, A)

2 Trumpets (in C, E-flat, F, A)

2 Timpani (in C, D, E, F, G, A)

Bass Drum

Snare Drum

Cymbals

Triangle (or Cow Bell)

Violins 1

Violins 2

Violas

Violoncellos

Contrabasses

The first performance of the Taylor-Yellin restoration of The Aethiop by The Federal Music Society took place at Town Hall, New York on May 18, 1978.

Orchestral parts are available from The Federal Music Society, Frederick K Selch, President, 132 East 71st Street, New York, NY 10021.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

THE ÆTHIOP

OR,

THE CHILD OF THE DESERT

ACT I.

SCENE I—a spacious terrace in front of the straglio, overlooking the river Tigris, the opposite; bank of which is seen at a distance, crowned with mosques and minarsts—the gate of the palace opens, and several guards rush forth confusedly dragging forward a sentinel—an officer follows, who in one hand holds a scroll, and with the other menaces the sentinel-citizens of Bagdat, male and female, enter from all sides and surround the tumult with expressions of curiosity.

CHORUS.

Nour.	Speak, caitiff, speak! what hand profane Yon walls with treason dared to stain — Who traced this scroll? who placed it there ? His name pronounce—his haunt declare!
Sent.	I’m innocentn—I know no more—
Off.	Die! traitor, die!
Sent.	I kneel—innplore!
Citizens.	Ah! whence this rage ? why shakes that slave ?
Nour.	And what portends yon scroll, we crave? A pint against the caliph’s throne— Speak, perjured slave! thy treasons own!
Sent,	I’m innocent, by heaven! I swear—
All.	To rack and fire the traitor bear!

GIAFAR descends the terrace.

Giaf. How now! Nourreddin—whence this tumult ? even at the palace gate.

Nour. Illustrious Giafar! behold this traitor and pronounce his doom. The western quadrangle of the pattee this hour was his allotted watch, and now within its sacred precinct is this scroll discovered.

Giaf. (unfolds it) Ha! what characters are these ? by hell! the well know cypher of the fallen Ali! (reads) “People of Bagdat! rejoice I the hour of your deliverance is nigh. Death to. Haroun Alraschid—victory to the race of Ali, the only true believers!” detested treason! wretch! if racks can rend—

Sent. Giafar! oar caliph’s chosen counsellor! less dreaded for thy power, than reverenced for thy virtues ; deign to regard and trust thy kneeling slave! by allah and the blessed tomb! I swear—my watch hath faithfully been kept. No stranger’s step hath crossed its limit—the caliph’s best loved confidants alone have, passed.

Nour. Yet to the centre pillar of the quadrangle, the scroll was fixed. Vizier! pronounce his sentence—the torture quickly shall extort the truth!

Giaf. Nourreddin! hold—let justice be severe, yet not precipitate—guard the suspected man, but forbear his life.

enter an IMAN through the crowd.

Iman. Where is the vizier? conduct me to his pretence.

Giaf. Abdallah! why hast thou left the mosque ? are the holy rites so soon concluded ?

Iman. A pious horror shakes my aged frame. Alas I the blasphemy of ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction to the Series
• About this Volume
• Introduction to The Voice of Nature
• Introduction to The Aethiop; or, The Child of the Desert
• The Voice of Nature
• The Aethiop; or, The Child of the Desert