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INTRODUCTION

The Beauty Stone was deliberately conceived as a musical drama different from every other production that had preceded it at the Savoy Theatre. It is an intelligent, well-crafted play with complex characters developed through compelling situations and where the internal conflicts of the characters are as important as the external plot. However, the Savoy audience wanted humour. This, and competition from the new theatrical art form of musical comedy produced at other London theatres, sealed the opera's doom.

Dramatis Personæ

Philip, Lord of Mirlemont
Guntran of Beaugrant
Simon Limal (a Weaver)
Nicholas Dircks (Burgomaster of Mirlemont)
Peppin (a dwarf)
A Seneschal
A Lad of the Town
Baldwyn of Ath
The Lords of Sirault, Velaines, and St. Sauveur
The Devil
Laine (the Weaver's daughter)
Joan (the Weaver's wife)
Jacqueline
Loyse, from St. Denis
Isabeau, from Florennes
Barbe, from Bovigny
A Shrewish Girl
A Matron
Saida

Knights, Dames, Pages, Aldermen, Soldiers, Townsfolk, Country-folk, Dancers, Lute-players, Serving-men, and the rest.

The story is laid in the Flemish town of Mirlemont in the beginning of the 15th century.

ACT I.
SCENE 1. — The Weaver's Home.
SCENE 2. — The Market-place.

ACT II.
SCENE 1. — A Hall in the Castle.
SCENE 2. — The Weaver's Home.
SCENE 3. — Between the Castle and the North Gate.

ACT III.
SCENE 1. — The Terrace of the Castle.
SCENE 2. — The Market-place.


The MIDI files were originally sequenced by Colin Johnson.
Robin Gordon-Powell has kindly allowed us to use his new vocal score in their revision and to provide music for numbers omitted from the vocal score published in 1898.
The vocal score and a full orchestral score are available from The Amber Ring.

THE WEB OPERA

INTRODUCTION [3' 16", 16Kb]
     
Act I
     
Scene 1
No. 1 DUET (Simon, Joan) "Click, clack"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 2 CHORUS "Hobble, hobble, now we've caught her"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 2a CHORUS (with solos) "Maidens and men of Mirlemont town"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 3 PRAYER (Laine) "Dear Mary Mother"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 4 QUARTET (Laine, Joan, Simon, Devil) "Who stands within?"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 5 RECIT. & SONG (The Devil) "Since it dwelt in that rock"
     
Scene 2
No. 6 CHORUS "The bells are ringing o'er Mirlemont
  Town"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 7 DUET (Jacqueline, Devil) "My name is crazy Jacqueline"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 7a ENTRANCE OF BERGOMASTER & CROWD ""The bells are ringing o'er Mirlemont
  Town"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 8 SCENE (Saida, Loyse,Philip, Nicholas) "Know ye all!"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 9 FINALE — ACT I "Go, bring forth old Simon's daughter"
     
ACT II
     
Scene 1
No. 10 CHORUS "With cards and dice"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 11 SCENE (Saida, Philip, Eastern Girls, "Though she should dance"
  Chorus)
  DIALOGUE  
No. 12 DUET (Laine and Philip) "I love thee —"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 13 SCENE (Laine, Saida, Philip, the Devil, "I'll tell them what thou wast —"
  Guntran, Three Lords, Chorus
of Men)
     
Scene 2
  DIALOGUE  
No. 13b TRIO (Laine, Joan, Simon) "Look you — 'tis she!"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 14 DUET (Simon and Joan) " I would see a maid"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 15 QUINTET (Saida, Laine, Joan, Simon, "Haste thee! haste thee!"
  the Devil)
     
Scene 3
  DIALOGUE  
No. 15b DUET (Jacqueline, the Devil) "Up and down, and through the town"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 16 FINALE — ACT II "There he stands"
     
ACT III
     
Scene 1
No. 17a INTRODUCTION & SONG (Laine) "An hour agone 'twas the moon that
  shone"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 17b SONG (Laine) "The white moon lay on the ruined hay"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 18 SONG (Jacqueline) "Why dost thou sigh and moan?"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 19 SONG (Saida) "Mine, mine at last!"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 19a SONG (Laine) "With roses red they crowned her head"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 20 SCENE (Saida, the Devil) "So all is lost for ever!"
     
Scene 2
No. 21 CHORUS & DANCE "O'er Mirlemont City the banners"
  DIALOGUE  
No. 22 FINALE — ACT III "Hail to the lord of our land"

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Page modified 22 October 2011