Adapted by
Mary Hall Surface
Music by David Maddox
Choreography
by Dana Tai Soon Burgess
Prologue: The Emperor's
Servant and
the Nightingale
In the Garden: The Emperor's Court searches for the Nightingale, but finds a cow
The Mechanical Nightingale
The Emperor grieves the loss of the Nightingale
Death
The EMPEROR and the NIGHTINGALE dance a beautiful pas de deux as
the SERVANT sings. The dance celebrates their friendship, and the EMPERORÕs
new-found understanding.)
SERVANT (SINGING)
I sing of light from the garden
Music of the sea
Voices of your people
Listen and be free.
I will sing outside
your window
Sing, of what lies beyond your door Listen and look
A whole world is waiting
A world youÕve not seen before
I will live in the
forest
I will live in your heart
I will live in the forest
I will live in your heart
I am here, outside your window
Look, outside your window
Listen and be free.
(At the end of the pas de deux, the NIGHTINGALE flies to the Moongate. She gestures for the EMPEROR to follow her, then she flies back to her own green forest. The EMPEROR rushes to the Moongate to wave good-bye, and then steps outside of the palace for the first time.
from The Nightingale
©1997 M.H. Surface and D. Maddox
The Emperor battles with Death
The Nightingale premiered on October 25, 1997 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Peforming Arts, Washington, D.C. The set designer was Thomas Donahue, the costume designer was Jane Schloss Phelan, the lighting designer was Lynn Joslin, the properties artisan was Dreama J. Greaves, the assistant choreographer was Stacy Palatt, the stage manager was Robin Suleiman.
THE CAST
The Nightingale/Watchmaker...................................... Sarah
Craft Servant...........................................................................
Lisa Carrier Emperor......................................................................
Won Chul Lee Courtier / Henchman....................................................
Tina Frantz
Courtier / Henchman............................................ Daniel
Hickman
Mechanical Nightingale/Garden Ninja/Death......Kristina Berger
The Nightingale was commissioned by the Kennedy Center.
Photography by Carol Pratt and Deborah Sullivan
Running time is approximately 54 minutes
A CD recording of the Kennedy Center production is available
For Performance rights, contact Mary Hall Surface (202) 232-5397 or Willie Bell Music (202) 255-1124
