Michael Tippett - New Year

Synopsis of the action

Act I

The action of the opera begins Somewhere Today, in a modern Terror Town.

Once upon a time there was a girl named Jo Ann.

Jo Ann was an orphan. She was brought up by a foster-mother, known as Nan. When she went to school, Jo Ann dreamt that one day she would help and comfot all the other orphans in the world outside. To achieve this goal, she majored in child psychology. Meanwhile, Nan had adopted another orphan. He was black boy, called Donny, whose parents were probably Caribbean or African. Donny's delinquent behaviour and Jo Ann's memories of being an orphan have now made her fearful of going out into the world to put her knowledge and training into practice.

When the opera opens, the Presenter and chorus depict the terror town outside and introduce Jo Ann. Alone in her room with her books, Jo Ann feels safe. She dreams of the day some inner resolution and courage will induce her to go through the door out into the town, where she can help the abandoned waifs and strays.

Donny bursts in on her reverie. He makes fun of Jo Ann's caring manner and voice. Flapping his arms, strutting and crowing like a cock, he retreats to his own room.

Nan arrives to fetch Donny and wanrs Jo Ann that she may overdo her caring compassion; for Nan, discipline is also essential.

Donny cavorts onto the stage and enacts a 'skarade'. a dance-sequence punctuated by choral refrains in which he conjures up what he imagines to be his Caribbean and/or African past - his roots; the dancers join in his bizarre antics, masquerading as lions to frighten the spectators. Donny's 'skarade', in fact, encapsulates his orphaned situation and sense of social rejection.

In an Interlude, the chorus introduce to the world of Nowhere Tomorrow - an imaginary realm in outer space.

Scene 2 then opens in Merlin's laboratory. Merlin is a technological wizard and is showing off his new computer. Beside him is Pelegrin, the handsome young pilot and explorer. They discuss what to call the computer, but the machine, in a fit of impatience, names itself.

Merlin and Pelegrin toast their impending voyage into the future. But when the computer controls are operated, only visions from the past can be obtained, amongst them an image of Jo Ann's anguished face. Pelegrin is immediately fascinated and concerned about her troubled expression. Regan, their boss, interrupts orders Merlin to clear the screen. Regan wants them to think only about the future: her dream is exclusively of the journey into unknown time and space on which they will embark when the New Year's bell sounds.

Left alone, Pelegrin retrieves the picture of Jo Ann on the computer screen and holds it there. He then moves the space-ship into position, gets into it and it takes off.

In an Interlude, the chorus conducts us back to Jo Ann. The space-ship lands. As yet, Pelegrin and Jo Ann cannot make actual physical contact. She realises he represents something special for her: maybe from him she might derive the strength of will to go out into the town and do her work amongst the children. Pelegrin flies off again.

In a Postlude, the Presenter reflects on the progress of the action and Merlin is seen attemptin to monitor Pelegrin's trip in the space-ship.

Act II

The action begins outside in the town at night. The Presenter and dancers indicate that it is New Year's Eeve. The crowd enact the universal New Year ritual. Firstly, a Shaman dances himself into a trance in order to discover the identity of the scapegoat - the Bad Old Year: this happens to be Donny and the crowd now hunt for him and symbolically beat him out (so that the Good New Year) can come in.

The shattering sound of the Midnight bell unexpectedly signals the approach and descent of the space-ship. Merlin appears and takes over as Master of Ceremonies. Pelegrin comes out of the space-ship. The crowd are puzzled and curious. Merlin orders Pelegrin to roll out a carpet for Regan, but Pelegrin has already recognized Jo Ann in the crowd and gone over to her, so Merlin takes charge of the carpet himself.

Regan emerges and demands to know where she has been brought and who everyone is. Donny seizes the opportunity to make a mockery of her and briefly she rises to the bait. Regan realises now that she has been tricked by Pelegrin into travelling back into the past. She confronts him. Jo Ann comes to his defence. Nan supports her. Altogether they sing of their separate dreams and apprehensions. But now the crowd is growing restive. Donny, fantasizing that he might fly off in the saucer, indulges in more antics, this time pretending he is a bird. Regan and her companions resits Donny and the crowd, return inside the space-ship and fly off.

In the final scene, the crowd, frustrated, turn on Donny and this time beat him up in actuality. Jo Ann rescues him and takes him away, as the real New Year bell rings and everyone joins in singing Auld Lang Syne.

Act III

It is New Year's Day. The chorus reflects on the contrast between the cruel and joyous New Year celebrations. Jo Ann is back in her room with her books and dreams. Nan enters to bring Donny back into her care for good. Donny arrives and reminds them of the traumas of his childhood. As Nan takes him off, he gives Jo Ann a video-cassette which, he says, contains his secret dreams. When they have gone, Jo Ann plays the cassete. In the first of the three stanzas of Donny's dreamsong, he identifies first with a bird of prey - the condor - and a beast of prey - the tiger; Jo Ann, a potential victim or subordinate, recoils from them all. Donny's dream (in the third stanza) of finding a metaphorical family amongst the whales that "boom their love-song in the deep" is clearly more congenial to her.

Pelegrin now lands in the space-ship and takes Jo Ann off with him. In an interlude, the chorus signals the change of scene to an outdoor sacred place.

Pelegrin now involves Jo Ann in a ritual, in which she has a choice: she can choose to drink the blissful waters of a fountain, which will enable her to forget both her worries and the abandoned children she cares for; or she can choose the bitter waters of a lake, which will ensure she remembers her past and her duties to other orphans. She samples both, but rejects the fountain uin favour of the lake. Already, thus, she has displayed the will and the stamina to face up to her responsibilities. And this prompts Jo Ann and Pelegrin to declare their love for each other. Concluding the ritual, Pelegrin leads Jo Ann to a paradise garden, where she is taught a dance that makes physically manifest her new-found freedom.

Inevitably, they now must part. Pelegrin picks rose from the garden and holds it ready to give to Jo Ann. They both leave.

In an Interlude, the paradise garden fades and the scene changes back to Jo Ann's room. The Presenter, previously unseen, comes on stage and tries to instil a sense of urgency into the action.

Jo Ann and Pelegrin arrive in the space-ship. Pelegrin gives her the rose and instructs her to hold it high. They are briefly overcome by love. But Pelegrin has to go and Jo Ann watches as he flies away for ever: she then begins to dance towards the door, holding the rose high in her hand and the scene is transformed to the laboratory of Nowhere.

Merlin is relieved when Pelegrin returns in the space-ship. Regan tells Pelegrin he was tricked by Jo Ann, but in a moment of silence, the rose he had given her appears magically in his hand telling him she is finally ready to go out into the world. He then goes to the computer and manipulates the controls. Nowhere disappears.

Jo Ann, still wondering at her empty hand, opens the door and hears the noise of the town outside.

The Presenter speaks of the universal dream of 'One humanity; one justice". Jo Ann goes through the door and it shuts behind her.

Meirion Bowen (1998)