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Overview

Synopsis

Set during the Gold Rush, the ‘Polka’ Saloon, which is near California’s Cloudy Mountain, hosts the local community of gold miners. Like every good Western, this saloon is a place for drinking, gambling, fighting, dancing, and watching women, but in this lonely place the only woman worth watching is Minnie, the owner.. The men constantly argue over which among them Minnie will choose, and the bartender, Nick, knows the value of her presence as the men spend their winnings and wages trying to impress her. The local Sheriff, Jack Rance, is obsessed with her. A brooding and violent man, he cannot appeal to Minnie’s love for life, her love of God, and of the beauty of the world.

When the stranger Dick Johnson arrives at the saloon with news that he is chasing a well-known local bandit, all of the miners seek the opportunity to impress Minnie with their gallantry and heroism, and go in pursuit of this man who they believe is guilty of many murders and other crimes. Johnson and Minnie are left alone, and she finds herself drawn to him, feeling the first intoxicating effects of attraction. She invites him to visit her at home later that evening, an offer he cannot resist. A surprise visit from the Sheriff interrupts their intimate evening; he has come looking for Johnson, whom he believes is the bandit Ramerrez that they have been looking for. It is up to Minnie to find out the truth, and save Johnson from execution.

Despite its problematic portrayals of Native Americans and frequent racism, which are products of the setting and context of it’s creation, La fanciulla del West is at its heart a love-story. Minnie and Johnson’s destiny is completely changed from the moment they meet, and she risks everything to save his life.

Show Information

Category
Opera
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1910
Genres
Drama, Romance
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
1849, 1850, California, Cloudy Mountain, Gold Rush, Western
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
Some Dance
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
Mostly Male Cast, Professional Opera, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Minnie

Lead

Female

Soprano

Jack Rance

Lead

Male

Baritone

Dick Johnson (Ramerrez)

Lead

Male

Tenor

Nick

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Sonora

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Trin

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Sid

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Bello

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Harry

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Joe

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Happy

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Ashby

Featured

Male

Bass

Jim Larkens

Featured

Male

Bass

Billy Jackrabbit

Featured

Male

Bass

Jake Wallace

Featured

Male

Baritone

José Castro

Featured

Male

Bass

Postiglione

Featured

Male

Tenor

Wowkle

Featured

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto

Male Chorus

Ensemble

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Songs

_As this opera is through-composed without strict scene delineations, the following is given as guidelines to when the action or the music changes. _

Act One - Inside the ‘Polka’ Saloon

Introduction

‘Hello! Alla “Polka”! Alle “Palme”!’ - Jack Rance, Larkens, Harry, Joe, Bello, Nick, Sid, Happy, Sonora, Trin, Miners

‘Che faranno i vecchi miei la lontano’ - Jake Wallace, Nick, Trin, Harry, Joe, Sonora, Bello, Happy, Chorus

‘Jim, perchѐ piangi?’ - Trin, Harry, Joe, Sonora, Bello, Happy, Miners, Larkens

‘Va tutto!’ - Sid, Bello, Sonora, Harry, Rance, Miners, Ashby, Trin, Nick

‘Hello, Minnie!’ - Minnie, Trin, Sonora, Rance, Bello, Joe, Miners, Harry, Ashby, Nick

‘Dove eravamo?’ and ‘Lavami e sarò bianco come neve’ - Minnie, Harry, Trin, Joe

‘La posta!’ - Nick, Trin, Joe, Harry, Bello, Postiglione, Ashby, Minnie, Rance, Happy, Miners

Duet: ‘Ti voglio bene, Minnie!’ - Rance, Minnie

Aria: ‘Minnie, dalla mia casa son partito’ - Rance, Minnie

Aria: ‘Laggiù nel Soledad’ - Minnie, Rance

‘Chi c’ѐ, per farmi i ricci?’ - Johnson, Nick, Minnie, Rance

‘Mister Johnson, voi m’avete seccato!’ - Rance, Johnson, Minnie, Miners, Sonora, Johnson, Trin, Harry, Bello, Happy

‘La, la, la, la, la’ - Minnie, Johnson, Nick, Rance, Chorus (outside), Ashby, Castro, Sonora, Trin

Duet: ‘Mister Johnson, siete rimasto indietro’ - Minnie, Nick, Johnson

‘Che cosa’ c’ѐ ?’ - Minnie, Nick, Johnson

‘In quel barile, Johnson’ - Minnie, Johnson

Act Two - Minnie’s Cabin

‘Il mio bimbo ѐ grande e piccino’ - Wowkle, Billy, (Baby)

‘Billy, ѐ fissato?’ - Minnie, Billy, Wowkle

‘Hello! Hello!’ - Johnson, Minnie, Wowkle

‘Oh, se sapeste come il vivere ѐ allegro!’ - Minnie

‘E quando infurian le tormente?’ - Johnson, Minnie

‘Ugh! Neve!’ - Wowkle, Minnie, Johnson

‘Sognavo… si stava tanto bene!’ - Minnie, Johnson

‘Hello!’ ‘Chiamano!’ - Nick, Johnson, Minnie, Sonora, Rance, Ashby

‘Vieni fuori! Sei venuto a rubare!’ - Minnie, Johnson

Aria: ‘Una parola sola!’ - Johnson, Minnie

‘L’han ferito…che importa’ - Minnie, Johnson

‘Che c’ѐ di nuovo, Jack?’ - Minnie, Rance

‘Ѐ là! Ѐ là!’ - Rance, Minnie, Johnson

‘Siete pronto?’ - Rance, Minnie

**Act Three - The great California forest **

‘Ve lo giuro, sceriffo’ - Nick, Ashby, Rance, Miners

‘Hurrah! Ragazzi Sceriffo, avere udito?’ - Ashby, Rance, Chorus, Nick, Joe, Harry, Bello, Sonora, Trin, Happy, Billy

‘Sceriffo Rance, consegno a voi quest’uomo’ - Ashby, Johnson, Rance, Trin, Harry, Joe, Bello, Happy, Sonora, Chorus

‘Ѐ Minnie!’ - Rance, Sonora, Johnson, Miners, Minnie, Trin, Harry, Joe, Happy, Chorus

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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Guide Written By:

Wendy Silvester

Wendy Silvester

Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.