No. 1 One dollar and eighty-seven cents
From the mini-opera THE GIFT OF THE MAGI, performed by Christina Linton. For Lyric Soprano, Baritone and Piano. Duration: ~12 minutes. If you would like to perform the opera, please contact Jonathan Price.
Jonathan Price is an American composer for new opera, musical theatre, film and concert works.
Lyrics
Scene One
DELLA enters, walking slowly, looking in the unseen Broadway shop windows, thrilled by all the gifts for sale. SHE has nearly floor-length hair. SHE faces the audience as SHE looks at the unseen gifts SHE sees in the windows. After looking at three items, SHE realizes SHE does not have enough money to buy the items. SHE opens her small purse and recounts the money SHE has to spend.
DELLA
One dollar and eighty-seven cents.
Only one dollar and eighty-seven cents
to buy a present for Jim.
How many hours have I spent planning
something nice for him.
Something fine and rare and sterling--
something just a little bit near to being worthy
to be owned by Jim.
(SHE looks in a window:)
Solid Silver Handle Knife.
Two blades, two dollars and fifteen cents.
Four blades, two dollars and eighty-five.
Why don't they make one with one blade?
I would imagine
That would cost one-eighty-seven...
(SHE looks in the next window:)
Gold filled, smoked pearl fancy holder
with fine gold pen!
In a satin-lined morrocco case.
Two dollars and sixty-five cents.
It would look very fine on Jim's writing desk.
And I would borrow it, too, to write
my little notes:
(miming writing to JIM:)
"Now I have gone to the grocer.
Now I have gone to the butcher.
Now I have gone to the vegetable man!"
Little notes that would mean the world
to Jim and I,
and nothing to the rest of the world.
One dollar and eighty-seven cents.
Only one dollar and eighty-seven cents
to buy a present for Jim.
Pennies I saved for something special,
something wonderful,
something Jim would want for Christmas!
And that I'd be bursting with pride and joy to
give him on this Christmas Eve!
(SHE looks in the next window:)
Oh, I have found it at last.
This watch chain has surely been made for Jim.
How much?
Twenty-one dollars.
Twenty-one dollars.
(Now at the end of the store row, SHE sees a shop offstage.)
"Madame Sofronie.
Hair Goods of All Kinds."
(SHE caresses her hair, suddenly hopeful.)
How much dare I hope she'd give me
for all this hair?
Dare I hope she'd give me twenty-one?
What will Jim say when he sees it short?
He'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl.
But what can I do--
with a dollar eighty-seven?
(motions to the watch-chain)
This is the one perfect present!
(motions to Madame Sofronie's hair shop offstage)
There is the money to buy it!
Madame Sofronie!
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