 CHU CHIN CHOW
Book and Lyrics - Oscar Asche : Music - Frederic Norton
Opened His Majesty's Theatre, London August 1, 1916 (2238 peformances)
Manhattan Opera House October 22, 1917 (208 performances)
The Story:
Chu Chin Chow is based on the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty
Thieves. The setting is themagnificent Eastern palace of Kasim Baba who
welcomes the Chinese merchant Chu Chin Chow. He is, in fact, not who he
seems to be but the rascally Abu Hasan, a robber come to glean information
that will enable him to rob his host. Hasan has a slave, Zahrat, already
spying in the palace. She has made friends with Kasim's chief wife, Alcolom,
who in turn is loved by Kasim's poor brother, Ali Baba. Another friend
is the slave maid Marjanah who loves Ali's son, Nur Al-Huda. The downfall
of Kasim would solve a lot of problems!
Marjanah recognises Abu Hasan and enlists him in a scheme to get rid
of Kasim - she wants her freedom and Alcolom wants to be with her beloved
Ali. In exchange, Abu Hasan's identity will not be disclosed. Kasim entertains
his guests royally. Abu Hasan tries to buy Marjinah as intended, but drunken
Ali Baba offers a fortune, forty thousand gold pieces, - which he does
not possess - to buy her for his son. The offer is accepted.
Next morning, Ali can't remember anything, but wakes up in a cactus
grove with a hangover. Meanwhile, Marjinah and Nur Al-Huda are preparing
to escape when they overhear Abu Hasan and his men coming out of a
concealed rock entrance. Abu has ordered Zahrat's lover, Omar, to be
brought to the desert to ensure her loyalty to him. When the robber
band has left, Marhjanah and Nur tell Ali about the concealed cave,
its treasure and its password - "Open Sesame". Later the incantation
works for the three as well. Now they can acquire enough money to buy
Marjinah from Ali. At the sale, Chu Chin Cow believes his identity
has been revealed by Zahrat. He proposes to put Zahrat to death. She
exposes his real identity and he leaves with her, his robbers and all
the bid money.
Ali visits Kasim, his brother, tells him of the cave and brings the promised
bid money for Marjanah, who can now wed Nur. The lovers return to the
cave, where they discover a chained Zahrat. They are unable to release
her as Kasim is ushered in. He goes mad at the sight of the treasure but
is captured by Abu Hasan and put to death. Hasan has brought along Zahrat's
lover to die with her. Eventually Zahrat is freed; the robbers are killed
by boiling oil, and Hasan is stabbed to death. All that remains is for
the young lovers to be united - and so are Ali and Alcolom.
|
Musical Numbers:
- Prelude
- Song (Abdullah & Chorus) - HERE BE OYSTERS - Here
be oysters stewed in honey
2a: Zahrat Theme
2b:(Abdullah) - There be perfumed wines from Persia
2c: Underscore
2d: (Abdullah) - Here be bitter juice of orange
- Entrance of Chu Chin Chow - I AM CHU CHIN CHOW - I am
Chu Chin Chow of China
- Javanese Dance and Entrance of Ali
- Song (Marjanah & Chorus) - CLEOPATRA'S
NILE - When the blood-red sun is gliding o'er the Nile
- Finale Scene 1 (Ali Baba & Company) - I'LL
SING AND DANCE -
I'll sing and dance and dance and sing
- Scene 2. Serenade (Nur Al-Huda & Marjanah)
- CORRALINE - Marjanah, O list to my sighs
- Scene 3. Song (Ali Baba) - MY HEAD, MY HEAD -
My head, my head, it weighs like lead
- Song (Ali Baba) - WHEN A PULLET IS PLUMP - When
a pullet is plump, she's tender
- Robbers' March (Robbers Chorus) - WE ARE THE ROBBERS
OF THE WOODS - We are the robbers of the woods
- Scene 4. Song & Trio (Ali Baba,
Marjanah & Nur
Al-Huda) - WHY
SHOULD I REPINE - Awah! Temperamental am I
- Song (Marjanah) - I LOVE THEE SO - Although
I've often asked before
- Duet (Marjanah & Ali Baba) - ALL MY DAYS TILL END OF
LIFE - All my days till end of life
- Scene 5 - Underscoring
- Song (Abdullah) - BEHOLD - Behold, spare not your gold
14a. Underscoring
- Finale Act I - THE ROBBERS' MARCH
Act II
- Scene 1 - Introduction
- Dance
- Song (Alcolom & chorus) - I LONG FOR THE SUN
- How can I sing from a heart that's cold?
- Exit music
- Ensemble (Ali Baba, Kasim, Alcolom, Marjanah
& Chorus) - HAIL THE
GRAND WAZIR - Hail to the grand wazir to be
- Song (Marjanah, Nur Al-Huda, Alcolom,
Kasim & Chorus) -
MAHBUBAH - She will say her say all night and day
- Change of scene
- Scene 2. Song (Marjanah) - I BUILT A FAIRY PALACE IN
THE SKY - I built a fairy palace in the sky, all women do
- Change of scene - Interlude Music
- Jewel Ballet
- Chorus - ROBBERS' MARCH - We are the robbers of the woods
- Song (Abu Hasan & Chorus) - THE SCIMITAR -
I draw my short, sharp scimitar
- Scene 4. Interlude Music
- Song (Alcolom) - ANYTIME'S KISSING TIME - People
have slandered out love serene
- Scene 5. Interlude Music - Change of scene
- Song (Baba Mustapha) - THE COBBLER'S SONG -
I sit and cobble at slippers and shoon
- Bazaar Music
- Song (Fruit Girls) - WE BRING YE FRUITS - We
bring ye fruits of ev'ry clime
- Underscoring
- Mannequin Scene (Girls) - From Cairo, Baghdad, Khorasan
- Reprise - From Cairo … and underscoring
- Scene 6. Duet ( Alcolom & Ali Baba) - HOW DEAR IS
OUR DAY - How dear is our day now that Kasim's away
- Interlude Music - Change of scene
- Underscoring
- Song ( Abdullah & Chorus) - OLIVE OIL -
Sweet olive oil
- Underscoring
- Finale Act II - WEDDING PROCESSION - On with the wedding let joy
be complete
|