Paul Salerni (B

SALERNI, P.: Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast 8.669031 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.669031

Paul Salerni (b. 1951) TONY CARUSO’S FINAL BROADCAST A One-Act Opera in Ten Short Scenes Music by Paul Salerni • Libretto by Dana Gioia

Setting: The opera takes place in the studio of a classical music radio station.

Tony Caruso - Eric Fennell, Tenor

The Station Crew Intern - Jacquelyn Familant, Soprano Engineer - Jan Opalach, Bass-baritone Announcer - Henry Fogel, Narrator

The Marketing Trio Marketer 1 - Vicki Doney, Soprano Marketer 2 - Val Hawk, Soprano Marketer 3 - Nancy Reed, Soprano

The Parochial School Nun - Dísella Làrusdóttir, Soprano Priest - Keith Phares, Baritone Young Tony - Rory Lipkis, Boy soprano

The Three Visions Tony’s Mother - Alison Tupay, Mezzo-soprano Maria Callas - Phoebe Fennell, Soprano The Dark Woman - Patricia Risley, Mezzo-soprano

[1] SCENE ONE [2] SCENE TWO Radio Studio: Half an hour before the show. The Station Intern The side of the stage is illuminated to reveal the Marketing Trio, and Broadcast Engineer enter. which is composed of three women dressed in male business suits—the Account Executive, Program Director, and Marketing INTERN Research Director. They sing into a large old-style radio I can’t believe they’re shutting down the station. microphone bearing the acronym W E Z Y and perform in the ENGINEER manner of a swing-era girls vocal trio. Believe it, kid. The station’s sold—lock, stock, and broadcast frequency. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE INTERN Easy! How did it happen? The station made money. PROGRAM DIRECTOR (harmonizing) ENGINEER Easy! Not enough to survive. Some animals are worth more dead. MARKETING RESEARCH DIRECTOR (harmonizing) INTERN Easy! This is my first job, and I’ve lost it after just two weeks! TRIO ENGINEER Easy listening! I’ve been here ten years. I get fired tonight and rehired on W - E - Z - Y ! Monday—with a pay cut. The bastards! ANNOUNCER (speaking) INTERN W - E - Z - Y is proud to announce that tonight at midnight, the What about Tony? station begins a new format—Soft Rock... ENGINEER ACCOUNT & RESEARCH He’s gone. He’s dead. The new management hates him. Ahh! INTERN ANNOUNCER (spoken) How long has he been here? . . . Easy Listening ENGINEER ACCOUNT & RESEARCH Since Adam and Eve. Maybe before. O h h! INTERN ANNOUNCER (spoken) Quit joking! Tony’s a nice guy. A sound so smooth, it soothes. ENGINEER ACCOUNT & RESEARCH I dunno. Tony has been here forever. He gave Mozart his first O o h! airplay. TRIO INTERN W - E - Z - Y ! How can they cancel his show? Opera Lover is a classic. The station that relaxes — So smooth it soothes. ENGINEER RESEARCH A classic is what they call a show the day before they cancel it. I’m the brains. Making a classic is long hard work. Killing one is easy. PROGRAM I’m the money. ACCOUNT I’m the suit.

SALERNI, P.: Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast 8.669031 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.669031

PROGRAM / ACCOUNT I sat in this studio (They point to the Marketing Research Director) Year after year. He’s so smart! Repeat the same mistake, kid. RESEARCH / ACCOUNT It’s called a career. (They point to the Program Director) Now I’m invisible, He’s so macho! A voice in the air. PROGRAM / RESEARCH Turn off the radio, (They point to the Account Executive) And nobody’s there. He’s so cute! (Tony settles in at the console. The Intern stands at a side TRIO microphone.) What a night! ENGINEER Everything’s working Thirty seconds . . . Without a hitch. ANNOUNCER (spoken) We can’t stop W - E - Z - Y is proud to present Antonio Caruso’s award-winning We can’t lose. Opera Lover. Now sit back until midnight and enjoy three hours of PROGRAM immortal music and great voices hosted by celebrated singer and I’ll get rich. commentator Antonio Caruso in what we regret to say will be his final broadcast. And now our star announcer, Antonio Caruso. MARKETING SONG TRIO [4] SCENE FOUR Fill your drive-time on the freeways Stage left: A Nun is presenting a Choirboy to a Priest. She beams With soothing tunes and world-class DJs, with pride in the child. Super oldies ten in a row. Win a coffee mug on the call-in show. NUN Our mega-wattage fills the air Here is our little star, Father—Tony Caruso. He is in fifth grade. To maximize our market share. PRIEST We’re bigger, stronger, leaner, taller. Caruso. That’s a lucky name for a singer. The best ad value for your dollar. YOUNG TONY ACCOUNT (aside) Yes, father. (And a free T-shirt for our next caller.) NUN TRIO He has the voice of an angel. So just stay tuned to 90.7 PRIEST And you’ll discover drive-time heaven. I have to agree, sister, The voice of an angel, [3] SCENE THREE Though he is a devil everywhere else. Center stage Radio Studio: Tony Caruso enters the studio. He NUN wears a dressy suit, but is disheveled. He seems slightly drunk. Sing something for us, Tony. Something you love. He staggers over to the Engineer and stands there silently. YOUNG TONY Tantum ergo Sacramentum. ENGINEER Veneremur cernui: You look like hell. Et antiquum documentum, CARUSO Novo cedat ritui: I feel like hell. Praestet fides suplementum INTERN Sensuum defectui. I’m so sorry, Tony. NUN ENGINEER He’ll be famous. A second Caruso. Rotten luck, Tony. But no time to talk now. We have a show to NUN & PRIEST do. We’re running late. It’s almost nine o’clock. Let’s get set up. A second Caruso. CARUSO (to the Intern) YOUNG TONY Welcome to the last act, kid. The grand finale. Twenty-seven (with nun & priest harmonizing) years doing this show. When I started, I was a singer. “The Genitori, Genitoque Second Caruso,” my friends called me. This show was just a Laus et jubilatio: sideline. But my opera career never took off. This show is my Salus, honor, virtus quoque, opera career—I mean was—and I love it. Being here with this Sit et benedictio: music was as wonderful as singing at the Met or La Scala. Procedenti ab utroque ENGINEER Compar sit laudatio. Two minutes! ALL THREE CARUSO Amen. . . . This music has meant more to me than anything else in my (Fade into next scene) life. When the show is on, I’m alive, utterly alive! [5] SCENE FIVE ARIA Studio: the room is now dark except for the light on Caruso alone I never chose this show. at the microphone. He sits there quietly while a selection plays for This show chose me. broadcast. The Engineer and Intern sit behind the dimly lighted I never chose this life. glass wall of the sound booth. It happened to me. I longed to be a star. WOMAN’S VOICE (offstage) I wanted fame. Tonio? I wanted one great love. CARUSO It never came. Who’s that? Quiet! We’re broadcasting.

SALERNI, P.: Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast 8.669031 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.669031

WOMAN’S VOICE (nearer) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Tonio? Dove sei? O momma! CARUSO Take a peak (slowly standing as he removes his microphone) At this antique. Mama? (She hands it to the Marketing Research Director who looks at it (A woman dressed in black emerges from the shadows) in disgust. During this next section, the Account Executive pulls What are you doing here? out one album at a time—pronouncing the name of the How can you be here? You’re dead. composer—and then hands it to the Marketing Research Director MOTHER who tosses it away into a huge plastic trash barrel. They enjoy the Tonio, perché si triste? game more with each exchange.) Why you so sad? ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE / MARKETING RESEARCH CARUSO Ravel? Won’t Sell. Bizet? No way. Sibelius? Get serious. Mama? Why are you here? Britten? You’re kiddin’. Franck? He stank! Liszt? Not missed! Perché sei tornata? Bach? A crock! Gluck? The snook! Mozart? An old fart! MOTHER Puccini? A weenie! Tchaikovsky? He’s out-skie! I came to help you remember. (They now begin joyously dumping LPs and CDs by the armful) Devi ricordare. TRIO CARUSO The past is over. Remember what? Let’s clean house. MOTHER Out with Verdi. Canta per me. Canta qualcosa bella per me. Goodbye Strauss. CARUSO Trade in Wagner Mom, I don’t sing anymore. For smooth soft rock. MOTHER The future starts Devi ricordare. Canta per me. At twelve o’clock. CARUSO Classical music’s Please, Mama. Gotta go. MOTHER All the surveys You had a gift from God. Tell us so. You had the power to sing. Brahms is boring. We had so little then, Bach is dreary. But I was never sad Morning drive-time Because you were blessed Should be cheery. Con un dono divino? Grieg is stale. Where did it go? Mozart mouldy. CARUSO Give us this day I never got my break Our golden oldie. I never had the chance. Tschaikovsky’s pathetic. MOTHER Schubert’s a nerd. Where did the song go? And once is too much Figlio mio, mi dici. For Beethoven’s third. Dov’è andato il canto? Curtains for opera. CARUSO Unstring that cello. Non dici così, Mama. Make the music I never lost the gift. Soft and mellow. MOTHER Whether you’re driving Perché non canti mai? Or trying to score, Dov’è andato il canto? Lean back, relax You had a gift from God. While our ratings soar. Where did it go? Mile after mile She hears a clock strike the hour. Commute with a smile. ANNOUNCER So bye-bye Beethoven, And that concludes the first hour of . . . And don’t touch that dial! (voice fades) MOTHER [7] SCENE SEVEN Tony, it’s late. I’ve got to go. Center stage: Tony is sitting at the microphone when the back CARUSO door opens flooding the room with a dramatic shaft of light Don’t leave. We need to talk. I’ve missed you. . . silhouetting a beautiful woman. She enters slowly to music that MOTHER announces her importance. She does not speak, but her No, Tony. Devo andare adesso. Devo andare via. demeanor reveals her command of the situation. She starts to leave. CARUSO CARUSO No, stay, stay. Rimani, Mama, rimani! Who are you? (She slowly disappears) (The woman does not respond) (softly) Mama! CARUSO Who are you? [6] SCENE SIX CALLAS The Marketing Trio stands before a tall radio studio cabinet full Oh, don’t be tiresome. You know who I am. of classical LPs and CDs. The Account Executive pulls out an You summoned me. LP with astonishment.

SALERNI, P.: Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast 8.669031 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.669031

CARUSO That burns so bright I didn’t summon anyone. It fills the sky. CALLAS To be divine Why bother to deny the obvious? A woman must die, You’ve wanted me. You’ve dreamed of me for years. Seeking the pain (He pauses for a moment—staring at her) To magnify CARUSO A sacrifice Maria Callas? But you’re dead. That makes her seem CALLAS Both fire and ice, And you are rude! I hoped I would receive A star to pierce A better welcome from my leading man. The darkest sky. CARUSO CALLAS Callas? How can it be? Callas? Your time has come. CALLAS Now sing with me. Hopeless! Is this the entrance I deserve? Burn me. Dazzle me. She slowly gestures to him in the grand style. CARUSO This stuttering, imbecilic . . . amateur! Give me a moment. CARUSO I’m not ready yet. I’m sorry. I am . . . I haven’t prepared. CALLAS CALLAS You’re always sorry. That is your greatest talent. You’ve had a lifetime to prepare. CARUSO What is our art but practice, I always tried to learn from you. An endless preparation, CALLAS The way a girl will spend long years You tried, perhaps, but you failed. Trying to grow more beautiful CARUSO For lovers she does not yet know? Why did I fail? I worked. I studied. CARUSO I loved my art. Give me a moment. CALLAS CALLAS You wanted love without its pain. I’ve given you too much already. CARUSO CARUSO Why have you come here? Just a moment . . . CALLAS CALLAS No, tell me first why you have dreamed of me. Too late. CARUSO CARUSO I always wished I could have sung with you. Let me try . . . CALLAS CALLAS A common wish. And do you think that I A singer who misses his entrance must be left behind. Have come tonight to grant it? CARUSO CARUSO Please let me try . . . I don’t know. CALLAS CALLAS Find someone else to sing with you. Listen! (She turns to go) CARUSO ARIA Wait. I’ll try. Let me try . . . I. Cavatina CALLAS I have not come for you. You try. Others give their lives. I come here to perform, Goodbye. To show you what you might have been. I’m nothing but the role I play— (She leaves. The stage darkens except for a narrow spotlight on Nothing and everything. Tony. Then spotlight fades to darkness.) They claim that my career was short. You know it was the longest ever. [8] SCENE EIGHT No other singer burned as hot, Radio station: stage center. The soundbooth lights up. As brightly, or as long as I— Nothing and everything. INTERN You understand what critics don’t. What a great show. People keep calling to say how much they’re They call us stars because we burn going to miss Tony. One woman was even crying. In darkness—cold, remote, and bright, ENGINEER Unreachable, unaging— We’re the ones who should be crying! Nothing and everything! Tony sounds great tonight, but he looks like hell. INTERN II. Cabaletta He does look bad, and he’s still got almost an hour to go. To be divine Maybe we should end early. A woman must die, ENGINEER Offer her flesh No way. Tony would rather die than end early. To satisfy A freezing fire, (Center stage darkens but not all the way to black. The Intern and Fed and sustained the Engineer freeze in silhouette.) By pure desire,

SALERNI, P.: Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast 8.669031 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.669031

[9] SCENE NINE [10] SCENE TEN Stage left: lights up to reveal the Priest and the Nun, both visibly Center stage Radio Studio: the studio is dark except for a aged. The Priest, who is now blind, sits in a wheelchair. spotlight on Tony who sits at the announcer’s console sorting through disks and records in a state of agitation. PRIEST How nice to talk about old times, sister. ANNOUNCER (Spoken offstage) Most of what I do now is remember. By the way, whatever As we near the end of our last broadcast day, W-E-Z-Y wishes to happened to little Tony Caruso? thank our listeners for their years of loyal support. The time is What a voice that boy had. 11:45 P.M. Now we rejoin Antonio Caruso for the final segment of NUN Opera Lover. He never did much with it. CARUSO He’s a radio announcer somewhere. There’s only time for one more number. PRIEST So many possibilities . . . What a shame to fail at something you love. Which one to choose? NUN A love scene? A mad scene? He never tried hard enough. He was a dreamer. A death scene? Which one? Which one? PRIEST (As he shuffles through his recordings, the door at the back of the Still, it must hurt to waste a gift like that. studio opens revealing a dark woman silhouetted against the NUN frame of the door. She slowly approaches Tony without him Getting through any life hurts. noticing. Silently she puts her hand on his shoulder. He looks up The only thing to do with pain is offer it up to God. startled.) PRIEST CARUSO Yes, offer it up. Who . . . ? (softly) He starts to hum a tune. The woman gently signals him to be silent. Do you remember that old hymn, sister? WOMAN He hums a little more. It’s time to end. NUN I’ve come to help you end. Is this the one? CARUSO But who are you? SPIRITUAL WOMAN NUN I am the one you’ve waited for. Help us bear this load of sorrow. CARUSO Help us through this night of fear. You remind me of someone. God, protect us till tomorrow, WOMAN As we walk this path of tears. Every woman that you’ve ever loved PRIEST In silence or despair, Help me bear this load of sickness Every song you’ve never sung. Where the darkness never clears. I am the one you’ve waited for, NUN & PRIEST And now it’s time to choose your ending. God, protect us till tomorrow, CARUSO As we walk this path of tears. What song should I choose? WOMAN (Center stage: lights up an Engineer) What do you want to find? ENGINEER CARUSO Help me bear this load of anger, Everything I’ve ever lost. Which grows heavier with the years. WOMAN ALL THREE Nothing ever lost returns. God, protect us till tomorrow, CARUSO As we walk this path of tears. Then what is left? (Spotlight on Intern) WOMAN INTERN Everything else. Help me bear this load of worry. Everything you lacked Help my loneliness and fears. The courage to possess. ALL FOUR CARUSO God, protect us till tomorrow, Who are you? As we walk this path of tears. WOMAN (Stage right: lights up on Marketing Trio. They sing as one.) Haven’t you guessed by now? MARKETING TRIO CARUSO Help us bear this load of envy. I am afraid to guess. Lead us when no guide appears. WOMAN ALL SEVEN You are afraid too much, God, protect us till tomorrow, But now it isn’t you As we walk this path of tears. Who makes the choices. ALL You only get to choose Jesus walked the road before us. How we should end. Jesus felt these trials and fears. I’ll ask again. Jesus, please be there to guide us, How do you wish to end? As we walk this path of tears. CARUSO (in a whisper) (Dark) With passion.

SALERNI, P.: Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast 8.669031 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.669031

WOMAN CARUSO What? Now leave my fears and my sorrows behind. CARUSO Midnight approaches, and you are here. Passion! What I desire I’ll have courage to find. The passion that I’ve always felt, The end of my pain is here. But never had the chance to live. Let my voice and yours combine. Ours is the song I ache to sing. DUET You are the song, and your song is mine— WOMAN The music I was made to sing. Now is the moment, As midnight arrives, WOMAN When time will unravel Do you take me as your lover? Our separate lives. CARUSO The music must stop. Yes. The lights must go black. WOMAN Where will you go Forever? When there’s no turning back? CARUSO CARUSO Yes, forever. Now is the moment, TOGETHER As midnight arrives, (As they sing the duet, the stage darkens except for a spotlight on When payment is due the lovers.) On the loan of our lives. Will I be heard DUET FINALE Or will I stand dumb? WOMAN & CARUSO After the music Only us and only now. Only silence will come. Beyond the dark, beyond desire— WOMAN The song we make together. Do you remember what you’ve lost? Love requires only one CARUSO Reciprocate its melody, Every moment of every night. Two dreamers locked in unison. WOMAN Only us and only now, Do you remember whom you’ve lost? Nothing else that we desire CARUSO Beyond the song we make together. Every detail etched by old desire. Love and darkness now are one. WOMAN Sleep in my arms and you will find Remember . . . Ecstasy in oblivion. Only us and only now ARIA Lost in the sleep we both desire CARUSO In the night we share together— Memories of love are midnight’s poison, This night we sing together. The slow venom that will not kill, (They exit together through a lighted door.) The drink that renders thirst unending, Drawn from the rivers of hell. Memories of loss are midnight’s passion, The cross it carries to the bone-covered hill, The pain that offers no redemption, But the slow descent to hell. Memories of love are midnight’s prison. The heart’s dark inescapable cell. Tear off the lock, pull down the walls, You still remain in hell. WOMAN If that is memory, Give up the past. If that is life, Leave it behind. And choose another way— With me.

DUET WOMAN Now leave your fears and your sorrows behind. Midnight approaches, and I am here. What you desire have the courage to find. The end of your pain is near. Now let your voice and mine combine. Ours is the song you ache to sing. You are the song, and the song is mine— The music you were made to sing.