DARK MISSION

An Opera in Two Acts

By John D. Nugent

Libretto by Charles Deemer

 

 

CAST (in order of appearance):

Cayuse Chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Five Crows

Missionary Chorus

Marcus Whitman

Narcissa Whitman

Lorinda Bewley

Medicine Chief

Timothy

Joe Lewis

Father Blanchet

 

SETTING:  Whitman Mission, Walla Walla Valley in eastern Washington, 1836-1847.

 

 

 

INSTRUMENTATION AND VOICES:

 

 

1 Piccolo

 

2 Flutes (1 doubles wood flute)

 

2 Oboes

 

2 Clarinets (doubling various tunings)

 

1 Bass Clarinet in Bb

 

2 Bassoons

 

1 Contra-Bassoon

 

4 Horns in F

 

3 Trumpets

 

3 Trombones

 

1 Tuba

 

Percussion 1 (Bass Drum, Snare)

 

Percussion 2 (Cymbals, perhaps a high tom)

 

Percussion 3 (Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Chimes, Vibraphone, Tambourine)

 

Timpani

 

Harp

 

I Violins

 

II Violins

 

Violas

 

Violoncelli

 

Basses

 

 

VOCAL RANGES

 

Tiloukaikt (Baritone)

 

Tomahas (Tenor)

 

Five Crows (Tenor)

 

Marcus Whitman (Tenor)

 

Narcissa Whitman (Soprano)

 

Lorinda Bewley (Soprano)

 

Medicine Chief (Baritone)

 

Timothy (Tenor)

 

Joe Lewis (Bass)

 

Father Blanchet (Bass)

 

 

 

 

 

SCENES:

 

1/ THE CAYUSE

Cayuse Chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Five Crows

 

 

2/ THE MISSIONARIES

Missionary Chorus

Marcus Whitman

Narcissa Whitman

 

 

3/ WHO ARE THESE GHOSTS?

Cayuse Chorus

Marcus

Narcissa

 

 

4/ TO PLANT A GARDEN

Marcus

Narcissa

Lorinda

Tiloukaikt

Five Crows

Choruses

 

5/ THE CHILDREN ARE SICK

Tiloukaikt

Medicine Chief

Marcus

 

6/ NARCISSA'S DREAM

Narcissa

 

 

7/ TIMOTHY'S SEARCH

Timothy

 

 

8/ A SLEEPLESS NIGHT

Marcus

Narcissa

 

 

9/ TIMOTHY'S CONVERSION

Marcus

Timothy

Missionary Chorus

 

 

10/ TROUBLE

Joe Lewis

Timothy

Father Blanchet

Marcus

Narcissa

Missionary Chorus

 

 

11. / THE CHILDREN ARE SICK AGAIN

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Joe Lewis

 

 

12. / A STRANGE FOREBODING

Narcissa

Marcus

 

 

 

 

13. NOW IS THE TIME

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Five Crows

 

 

14. THE MEDICINE MAN MUST PAY

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Cayuse Chorus

Narcissa

Marcus

Missionary Chorus

Lorinda

Five Crows

 

 

15. A STRANGE COURTSHIP

Lorinda

Five Crows

Missionary chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

 

16. NOT GUILTY!

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Lorinda

 

 

17. MARCUS AND NARCISSA IN HEAVEN

Marcus

Narcissa

Missionary Chorus

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

 

 

18. CODA: DARK MISSION

Tiloukaikt

Tomahas

Cayuse Chorus

Five Crows

Medicine Man

 

 

ACT ONE

1/ THE CAYUSE

 

CAYUSE CHORUS:

We are the Waiilatpuan

Sometimes called Cayuse

Who ride our strong ponies

From the Blue Mountains

To the Walla Walla Valley

The place of rye grass

 

TILOUKAIKT:

I am Tiloukaikt

A strong and brave chief

Feared by Shishones

I fear no man

I steal their ponies

Now called Cayuse

 

TOMAHAS:

I am Tomahas

A strong and brave chief

Feared by the Snake

I fear no man

I drive them away

From salmon-filled rivers

 

CAYUSE CHORUS:

We are the Waiilatpuan

Named after hard stone

Called the imperial tribe

Whose name means Superior People

A people of great strength

And filled with much pride

 

FIVE CROWS:

I am Five Crows

A strong and brave chief

I fear no man

I hate no man

I am Five Crows

A strong and brave chief

 

CAYUSE CHORUS:

This is our land

From Blue Mountains to Walla Walla

The land of the Waiilatpuan

Land of the Cayuse

Who ride our swift ponies

In the place of rye grass

 

 

 

 

 

2/ THE MISSIONARIES

 

MUSIC suggests wind, dust. MISSIONARIES enter,

leaning into the wind, led by MARCUS WHITMAN.)

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

Step by step

One thousand miles

One thousand behind

One thousand to go

 

VOICE:

The wind too strong

I must give up

 

VOICE:

The dust too thick

I must give up

 

MARCUS:

Forward, you can make it!

Onward, you can make it!

Westward, you can make it!

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

Step by step

One thousand miles

One thousand behind

One thousand to go

 

NARCISSA:

Husband, I am weak

The trail too long

Too many bones

Along its stretch

The failure of those

Who passed before

The wind too strong

The dust too thick

My body frail

I am so weak

 

 

 

MARCUS:

Narcissa, dear wife

Strong in spirit

Where it counts

Don't you see

How God tests us?

This strength of wind

Thick clouds of dust

These tests of faith

So He might see

If we are chosen

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

Step by step

One thousand miles

One thousand behind

One thousand to go

 

VOICE:

Such a monotony, these long plains

 

VOICE:

Such an obstacle, these towering peaks

 

MARCUS:

Onward, across the plains!

Westward, over the mountains!

Never give up!

You can make it!

 

MARCUS (tune, missionary refrain):

These obstacles by God revealed

Are tests to judge our faith in Him, our

Strength to bring the word of God

Into a heathen land

 

MISSIONARY CHORUS:

These obstacles by God revealed

Are tests to judge our faith in Him, our

Strength to bring the word of God

Into a heathen land

 

Step by step

One thousand miles

Two thousand behind

And few to go

 

NARCISSA:

Marcus, look!

This beautiful valley

The long clear river

The sweep of rye grass

It looks like Eden

 

MARCUS:

Narcissa, yes!

I see it, too.

Might this be what

We are looking for?

It looks like Eden

 

MARCUS AND NARCISSA:

Step by step

The wind so strong

The dust so thick

And now at last

Our journey's end

 

(tune, missionary refrain):

This sacred spot by God revealed