8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU:8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU 28-01-2011 12:15 Pagina 12 Gian Carlo MENOTTI The Medium • The Telephone Also Available ARLO ME C NO N T IA T G I 1 s 947 Recording 8.111360-61 8.111364 Marie Powers • Evelyn Keller • Beverly Dame Marilyn Cotlow • Catherine Mastice • Frank Rogier Orchestra conducted by Emanuel Balaban 8.111370 12 8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU:8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU 28-01-2011 12:15 Pagina 2 MENOTTI CENTENARY EDITION Gian Carlo MENOTTI (1911-2007) Also Available The Medium Opera in Two Acts – Libretto by the Composer Monica . Evelyn Keller (soprano) Madame Flora (Baba) . Marie Powers (contralto) Mrs. Gobineau . Beverly Dame (soprano) Mr. Gobineau . Frank Rogier (baritone) Mrs. Nolan . Catherine Mastice (soprano) Toby, a mute . Orchestra conducted by Emanuel Balaban Recorded in New York City, October 1947 Matrix Nos.: XCO 39195 through 39208 First released on Columbia 72465-D through 72471-D in album M-726 8.111358 8.112023-24 Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn Producer’s Note The sources for the present transfer were American LP pressings. The original recording was made on wide frequency range lacquer discs, which were dubbed to 78 rpm matrices for the initial release and later transferred to tape directly from the lacquers for the early LP set (Columbia OSL-154). Except for a couple of sides where some noise from the original discs can be heard (e.g., the end of Act 1 and the beginning of Act 2 of The Medium), the sound could easily be mistaken for an early 1950s tape recording. Mark Obert-Thorn 8.111370 2 11 8.111370 8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU:8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU 28-01-2011 12:15 Pagina 10 Slowly a spot of blood appears on the white curtain £ Ben says to himself that all he can do is to try The Medium 26:47 Act 2 28:52 and spreads across it. Baba thinks that she has again and again. He compares the telephone to a killed a ghost. Toby’s hands are seen clutching the two-headed monster, which has hundreds of lives Act 1 ! Introduction 2:01 curtain; the curtain rod collapses under his weight. and miles of umbilical cord. Noticing a pair of (Orchestra) Wrapped in the curtain he falls into the room. scissors on a table he picks it up and approaches the 1 Introduction 1:52 @ Bravo! 2:13 Monica pounds on the door of the room demanding phone menacingly. Suddenly the phone rings; Lucy (Orchestra) (Monica) to be let in. Baba unlocks the door, and Monica rushes in, and takes the phone protectively in her 2 Where, oh, where 2:00 # Monica, Monica, can’t you see 2:54 rushes in. She calls for help and leaves swiftly. arms. She asks Ben what he was going to do to it. (Monica) (Monica) Baba kneels by Toby, asking hoarsely if it was She tells him to put the scissors down, while he 3 How many times I’ve told you $ Where is Monica? 5:51 him. says that he was only acting in self-defence. He not to touch my things! 2:32 (Baba) says they must have a quiet talk. Lucy replies that (Baba, Monica) % Good evening, Madame Flora 5:01 The Telephone she must call Pamela and tell her of her quarrel with 4 Good evening, Madame Flora 1:54 (Mrs. Gobineau, Mrs. Nolan, Mr. Gobineau, George. Ben pleads with her not to, but she says it (Mrs. Gobineau, Mr. Gobineau, Baba, Mrs. Nolan) Monica) Synopsis will be a very short call. 5 It happened long ago 2:20 ^ Don’t stand there like a fool! 1:47 ¢ Lucy dials the phone and tells Lucy that she has (Mrs. Gobineau, Mr. Gobineau, Baba) (Baba, A Voice) The setting is Lucy’s apartment. had a quarrel with George. She goes into 6 You must be very silent 1:40 & Afraid, am I afraid? 5:04 considerable detail about this. Ben says to himself (Mr. Gobineau, Baba, Monica, Mrs. Nolan, (Baba) ( Introduction (Orchestra) that he must tell her that he loves her, but the Mrs. Gobineau) * Who’s there? Who’s there? 4:01 ) As the curtain rises, Lucy is busy opening a gift telephone is constantly preventing him from doing 7 Mother, Mother, are you there? 5:42 (Baba, Monica) box which Ben has just handed to her. Saying it is so. Lucy continues with her phone call. Their (Monica, Mr. Gobineau, Mrs. Nolan, just what she wants, Lucy unwraps a piece of conversations become intertwined, and Ben Mrs. Gobineau) abstract sculpture, and thanks Ben for it. He tells eventually leaves. Lucy notices his departure and 8 What is it? Who is it? 1:51 her that he is going away shortly, and that before he wonders what it was that he wanted to tell her. At (Baba, Mr. Gobineau, Mrs. Gobineau, Mrs. Nolan) does he would like to ask her something. He cannot one side of the stage a curtain is drawn back to 9 Baba, what has happened? 2:29 come to the point, and the phone near her rings. reveal a public telephone booth somewhere in the (Monica, Baba) Lucy answers it and chatters away city. Ben is in it, dialing a number. The phone near 0 The sun has fallen and it lies in blood 4:28 inconsequentially, asking how various friends and Lucy rings: she says it must be Ben and quickly (Monica, Baba) family members are. Eventually she ends the call. powders her nose and fixes her hair. ¡ Lucy tells Ben that it was Margaret on the – Lucy answers the phone and asks Ben where he phone. She asks him if he would like to know what is. He replies that he is very near her. He asks her if Margaret told her. The phone rings once again and she will marry him. She replies that she will, and Lucy answers it: it is a wrong number. Ben asks her tells him that she loves him. She asks him why it to listen to him: time is getting short. She asks him took him so long to ask her, while Ben blesses the if he would like to know the exact time. invention of the telephone. She tells him that while ™ She tells him from the phone that it is four he is away he must not forget her phone number. fifteen. Ben tries once again to get to the point of Ben assures her that he will remember it and will what he has to say, but the phone rings. Lucy call her every day while he is away. She tells him to answers it: it is George. They have a heated write down her number, which she gives him, as he conversation. She hangs up and bursts into tears. struggles with a pencil and paper. The curtain falls. Ben asks her not to cry. She goes out to get a handkerchief. David Patmore 8.111370 10 3 8.111370 8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU:8.111370 bk Menotti4_EU 28-01-2011 12:16 Pagina 4 Gian Carlo heart is bleeding for her, Monica. He loves her and refuse to believe her: they are convinced that they she haunts him day and night. She then comes out had real contact with their loved ones. Baba goes MENOTTI of character and pretends to be the Queen of to the puppet theatre and pulls the cables which Arundel and to scold Toby for talking to her in levitate the table and control the lamp. In the face (1911-2007) such a way. She reverts to their previous positions, of Mrs Nolan’s protestations Baba gets Monica to and singing as Toby declares his love for her. As sing to her as though she were a spirit. Baba she reaches a climax Toby suddenly hides his face continues to ridicule them in the face of their The Telephone in her arms. She caresses his face, and looking into conviction, even when Mrs Nolan tells them that (L’amour à trois) his eyes, tells him tenderly that he has the most she has found the locket. The clients plead with Opera in One Act – Libretto by the Composer beautiful voice in the world. As the outer door Baba for a séance, but with fury she tells them to slams they hear Baba dragging herself up the go, and Toby to do the same. Monica pleads with Lucy . Marilyn Cotlow (soprano) stairs. Monica runs into her room, while Toby her not to send him away, but Baba will not agree. Ben . Frank Rogier (baritone) crouches in the corner. In the face of Baba’s intransigence, Monica says $ Baba appears, dishevelled and with a bottle in that she will go too. As Toby leaves, Monica holds her hand. She asks Toby where Monica is. He Orchestra conducted by his hand briefly before he goes down the stairs. points to the door at the right. Baba sits down and Seeing the puppets on the floor she starts to pick Emanuel Balaban calls Toby to her, taking his head in her lap. She them up. tells him that she loves him even though she is ^ Baba tells Monica to go into her room. Baba is Recorded in New York City, October 1947 often harsh to him. It was she who took him in, and left alone. A voice is heard calling for its mother. Matrix Nos.: XCO 39209 through 39214 who looked after him. Then she asks him if it was Baba locks the door of Monica’s room.