For the Chorus There are birthdays to celebrate, a King to greet, a betrothal to honour, a bride to serenade, royal amateur theatricals to rehearse and perform, a revolution to incite and a coronation to attend, all set to music by Novello at the height of his powers. General company appear as Norseland village peasants, mannequins, serenaders, palace guards and servants, ladies and gentlemen of the Court, dancers and singers of the Muranian Royal Ballet Company, coronation dignitaries and the people of Murania. CAST Singing Principals • Cristiane • Countess Vera, her companion. • Marta Karillos. • Count Egon, of the Royal Guard. Straight Roles • Queen Elena. • Nikki. • Prime Minister Vanescu. Smaller Roles • Princesses Kirsten and Hulda, Cristiane's little cousins. • Countess Olga, a lady-in-waiting. • Madame Kiosk, a modest. • Marietta, a maid. • Trontzen, a dancing master. • King Peter, Cristiane's Father. • Jules, Nikki's valet. • Volkoff, a guest at Marta's Villa. • Three revolutionary roughs. MUSICAL NUMBERS 1. Fly Home Little Heart 2. The Gates of Paradise 3. Take Your Girl 4. The Violin Began To Play 5. Mountain Dove 6. If This Were Love 7. Someday My Heart Will Awake 8. Muranian Rhapsody 9. The Mayor of Perpignan 10. The Nigt You Were Mine 11. Mother of Heaven 12. The Legend of the Snow Princess 13. Birthday Greetings 14. Coronation Scene and Finale THE SCENES AND SETTINGS Act I • A room in Norseland's summer palace, 1880. • An hotel room, Paris (inset). • The walls of Bledz Palace (front drop). • A boudoir in the palace. • Under the boudoir window (inset). • The palace ballroom Act II • Marta's villa Act III • The garden of Kalacz palace. • An anteroom in the palace (inset). • The royal box, Paris Opera House, in the 1890s (half set). • Bledz Cathedral ORCHESTRATION 1st Violins A, B and C, 2nd Violins Viola Cello Double Bass, Flute, Oboe, 2 Clarinets, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Drums, Harp DISCOGRAPHY Ivor Novello’s King’s Rhapsody (Original London Cast)
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