Missy Mazzoli
Royce Vavrek
PROVING UP
an opera
Based on a story by Karen Russell
Piano/Vocal score
From the G. Schirmer Rental Library
Date of Printing________________
G. Schirmer, Inc.
New York, NY
Missy Mazzoli
Royce Vavrek
PROVING UP
an opera
Based on a story by Karen Russell
Piano/Vocal score
Commissioned by Washington National Opera at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Francesca Zambello, Artistic Director and first produced at the Kennedy Center during the 2017-2018 season.
Co-commissioners: Opera Omaha
Miller Theater at Columbia University
G. Schirmer, Inc.
New York, NY
Dramatis Personae
Miles Zegner: A thirteen year-old runt, his voice barely changed Tenor
Mr. Johannes “Pa” Zegner: his father
Mrs. Johannes “Ma” Zegner: his mother
Baritone
Soprano
The Two Zegner Sisters, Littler and Taller: sleeping in graves under the tufting gama grass Soprano/ Mezzo-soprano (both double Dmaj Harmonica)
The Sodbuster: a black-lipped stranger Bass-baritone
Peter Zegner: his sixteen year-old brother, bloodied in a steel tub (non singing role)
Setting
A homestead in Nebraska, circa 1877.
Synopsis
Proving Up is an opera about the American Dream, told through the story of Nebraskan homesteaders in the 1870s. A family dreams of “proving up” and obtaining the deed to the land they’ve settled. They obsessively list the requirements of the Homestead Act: five years of harvest, a sod house dwelling, and perhaps the most elusive element—a glass window. With their eldest son incapacitated, Ma and Pa Zegner send their youngest living child Miles on a mission to share the valuable commodity with their distant neighbors who are expecting a visit from a government inspector. Miles mounts his gray mare with the window wrapped in burlap and gallops across the land. The elements, natural and otherwise, have other plans, and Miles comes face to face with a strange man who turns out to be the ghost of a neighboring farmer, driven mad by the requirements of “proving up.” The willowy figure knows all too well the cost of the American Dream, and the window soon becomes a broken mirror reflecting great tragedy.
Table of Contents:
Part 1: The Settler’s Scar .................................................................1
Part 2: Miles will Prove Up..............................................................2
Part 3: How Pa Obtained the Glass 41
Part 4: Strange Dreams ..................................................................58
Part 5: Nore at a Soft Canter .........................................................68
Part 6: Sodbuster 93
Part 7: Epilogue ............................................................................129
Sam's Farm" text: Jesse Hutchinson, Jr. (1850)
Of all themighty - nations - in theEastorin theWest, This
glorious - Yankee - na-tionis thegreatest - and thebest. Wehave
Comefromev'ry - nation, - comefromev'ry - way Ourlandstheyarebroade nough -
Don't be a-larmed. Un-cleSam is rich e nough - to
motto's - "GoAhead" And telltheforiegn - paupers - thatourpeople - arewellfed,
Forthenations - mustremem - -ber Un cle - Samisnot afool,
lands theyarebroade nough - Don't be a-larmed.
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[Thefamilycomestolife.Twoyounggirls,theZegnersistersrunaboutonafiveyear-oldNebraskanhomestead,withasmallsodhouse andasmallwoodenbarn,barelybigenoughforasinglehorseandalargehog.Laundryflapsgentlyontheline,andaplowsitsunused byawashtub.PAsitsdrunkonastumpagainstthebarn,MawashesPeter,theireldestson,whositsbloodyinanoutdoorsteelwashtub, andMilesisinmid-conversationwithhisonlyfriends,Nore,themare,andPig,thehog]
all legato that'sre-quired
all legato that'sre-quired
all legato that'sre-quired
all legato that'sre-quired
legato
LittlerDaughter:
TallerDaughter:
LittlerDaughter:
TallerDaughter:
[Thegirlslaydownintheirgraveduginahillontheproperty Theirfiguresghostlyglowfromofthemoundofdirt]
[Petersaysnothing.Milesspiesonthewashing fromanunevenslatinthebarn.]
[Padrunkenlystumblesovertothebathtub, tripsoverhimselfandtumblestotheground Madoesn'tsomuchaslookathim,letalone flinch]
[PalooksatPeter,thenstartstoslowly pullhimselfofftheground,muttering underhisbreath]
LittlerDaughter:
{ThesceneshiftstotheYother’bustlinghomestead.Childrenrunaround, thesunshines,MaandPaarrivewithahandfulofcarrotsasagift.The sceneisactedoutbytheZegnersisters,whopullclothesofftheYothers’ laundrylineandbecomethecharacters,exaggeratingtheirspeech]
[Panoticesthelandtitleinabrokenframe, leaningagainstthewallHebrieflyholdsit inhishandbeforenoticingthewindow]
atempo(q=92)
[Abeamoflighthitsthewindow]
[Pafindsahammerandusesitsclawtoprythewindowfromtherottenframeofthesodhouse. HewrapsitintheremnantsofMrs.Yothers'dressandcarriesithome.]
[Zengersisterssitupin theirgraves.]
fiddling,likebeginning,suddenlyrough
[Mawashesthemudoffthewindowaswereturntothe presentmomentPaisverydrunkinthebarn]
fiveyearsofharvest, - window - of glass, but f thesequeer little - trees, withqueerlittleStatelyq=72 Y
[TheZegnerssleepintheirsodhouse,ahollowedoutholeintheearthPasnores,Petermoansinhissleep Mawakesupandwalksoutofthehouse,shecouldbesleepwalking sheslipsoutoftheflapthatshields theinsideofthedwellingfromtheelementsMilescallsouttoMa,butshedoesn’thear ]
Some planguid,sleepwalking -how the weeds findmeansto grow longafter - they've
soaked uptheblood ofthosewe'vebur ied. -
LittlerDaughter: [Milestriestogethis mother'sattention.]
TallerDaughter:
[Thegirlsslipbackintotheirgrave.Mareturnstothesodhouse, slippingbyMiles,goingbacktosleepwithabouquetofthistles.]
[PawhispersintoMiles’ear,slippinganenvelope intothebackpocketofhistrousers]
Macrumblesintears
you'vefound the rhythm
of asquare trot, but now it'stime to
[Theenvironmentbecomes morehostile,thesky darkens]
Menomosso
[Milesopenshismouthandtriestocatchthewaterinhis mouthassheetsofwaterstartpummelingdown]
[Asuddencrashofthunder.Nore’searsfoldpack. Adropletofrainfalls,Milesputsouthishandand catchesadropinhishand]
LittlerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica)
TallerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica)
[AshapeshiftsinthedistanceMileswondersifhiseyesareplayingtricksonhim, butiscertainheseesahumanfigure,obscuredbytherainwaterpaintingofthe glassThefigurewalks,nearlyfloats,inaclockwisefashion,circlingMiles Mileswalksagainsttherotationofthefigure]
staggerbreathingwithTallerDaughter
staggerbreathingwithLittleDaughter
[MilesgetsbackuponNore, theghostlyfiguredisappears]
[Thesisterssing“TheInspectorisarumor”inslowmotion,drawingoutconsonants andslidingbetweennotesNotationisapproximateWordsdonotnecessarilyneed tobeintelligible]
[ThewindandsnowattackMilesdrops thereinsandwrapshisarmsaround Nore'sneck]
[NorewhinniesandbucksMilesoffofherback TheZengersisterssurroundMiles]
holdnoteaslongaspossible,audiblyrunoutofair,gaspforbreath
stringricochetonbridge, morenoisethanpitch
Part6:Sodbuster
[MilescomestoTheblizzardhasgivenwaytoamistthatpervadesthelandscape Ablack-lippedSodbuster:gaunt,ofwillowyframeandblackenedface,sitsinthe distancewearingahatthatcovershiseyes]
LittlerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,staggerbreathing)
TallerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,staggerbreathing)
[MilesandtheSodbusterstand atthesametimeandcalloutto eachother]
[Theymovehesitentlytoward eachother]
f Spoken,almostyelled,suddenlyunhinged
out adropofwater! - TheIn-spector - willcome, andI'llownev'ry - a-cre
[Miles’heartsinksashestartstorealizewhat’sgoingon]
LittlerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,staggerbreathing)
TallerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,staggerbreathing)
[MileslungesattheSodbuster,grabbinghisknife
MilesstabstheSodbusterbetweentheshoulder blades,buthewon'tdie]
LittlerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,randombursts)
TallerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,randombursts)
[Thesisterschaseeach otheraroundincircles, playingagame]
imprecise,jitteryguitar
stopabruptly, asiftornoff
[PasquintsoutatthefigureapproachinginthedistanceHisexpression turnstoterrorasherealizesthatitisnottheInspectorMacontinues herrapturoussong,oblivious]
LittlerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,staggerbreathing)
TallerDaughter:(DmajHarmonica,staggerbreathing)
[PaturnstowardMA,standingbetweenherandthe approachingSodbuster.Sheseeshisfaceandrealizes thatsomethingiswrong.TheSodbusterentersbehind Pa,draggingMiles’body.]
[MafinallyburstspastPaandstandsfacingtheSodbuster. Shedirectsherwordsatthesky.]
[Milesjoinshissisters,whoare standingovertheirgraves]
[Masuddenlyhearsherdaughtersandhervoice quicklyfadesawayinastonishment]
[TheSodbusterpushesMaintothehouseandshe stopssingingPadoesnotreactHeseemstobe inatrance,andstartstotakeoncharacteristics oftheSodbuster.]
[TheSodbusterholdsthewindowoutand looksthroughitatPa.]
[MilesandtheZengersistersliedown intheirgravesandfallsilent]
random-feelingstrummedacousticguitar repeatcells,
