Thomas Pasatieri - The Seagull

(2007)
Opera in two acts; original libretto by Thomas Pasatieri based on George Feydeau's play, A Flea in her Ear.

Premiere

Original Cast

Conducted by Joseph Illick
Directed by Richard Kagey
Sets by Richard Kagey

Synopsis

(Set in Texas in 1948 on the Double T Ranch, home of successful cattle rancher Tom Carter and his wife Tallulah, former vaudeville headliner. Together they have made the Double T the social center of their region of Texas.)

Act I: Our story opens the morning after a Texas-sized barbeque given by Tom and Tallulah to welcome three guest to the ranch: Charles, Tom's nephew from New York; Lucy Perez, Tallulah's former vaudeville partner; and Lucy's husband, Raul, a successful breeder of prize bulls. As the curtain rises, we see Charles in his chic city robe and pajamas nursing a Texas-sized hangover with the help of the butler, Burton, who explains that everything is bigger in Texas. The two go off to find a vat of coffee for Charles.

Tallulah enters carrying a package containing the red, white and blue suspenders she had given Tom. They have been returned to the ranch from the notorious Hotel Casablanca. Tallulah assumes the worst. Lucy bounds in, bubbling about the previous night's party, only to find her friend distraught with marital doubt. A great opera fan, Lucy suggests that Tallulah write an anonymous letter to Tom, à la The Marriage of Figaro, inviting him to a tryst at the Hotel Casablanca. Lucy writes the letter on Tallulah's behalf and seals it with a kiss. The ladies decide to go together to the hotel, in disguise.

Tom Carter enters, telling Burton to set out brandy and cigars for a meeting with Raul Perez about the purchase of a new bull. Tom notices the package of suspenders, which he had lent to his nephew Charles, and is furious that the young man would be so careless as to leave them lying around. Tom is concerned with Charles's "city ways," and wonders whether his nephew likes women. After a talk with the young man, he sends his nephew off to change into more "manly" clothes for horseback riding.

The letter arrives just as Tom, Raul and the ranch manager, Tobias, begin their meeting. Tom reads is aloud and decides the letter must be for Tobias, since no one would dare to write such a letter to a married man. Tom send Tobias off in his own Cadillac to meet the passionate stranger at the hotel.

While Tom and Tobias fetch the keys to the car, Raul looks at the letter and recognizes Lucy's lipstick and handwriting. He assumes the worst and vows revenge by shooting the lovers with one bullet: "It goes in his back and comes out hers." Tom enters and gives Raul directions to the hotel. When Raul rushes out, Tom realizes there is trouble brewing. He takes down his rifle and hands another to the bewildered Charles, who has entered dressed as his "city slicker" idea of a cowboy. Tom rushes to the hotel, with Burton at his heels. As the curtain falls, Charles tells us he is going to the Hotel Casablanca... again.

Act II: The Hotel Casablanca has seen better times, but its new owner, Miss Pooder, envisions it as a grand hotel, complete with the Oasis Lounge and the not-yet-executive suite. She has fired all the former employees and explains her plans to her new employee, Daisy. Daisy has her own dreams of Hollywood and has renamed herself Veronique. Miss Pooder steps out to search for more help, and Veronique begins her new job by answering the phone. In that call, we learn that Muffy, her predecessor, was not so much a desk clerk as a lady of the evening or -more aptly- of the afternoon.

The ladies of the Double T arrive. Tallulah is disguised as Madame Butterfly and Lucy as Groucho Marx. Veronique points them to the executive suite. Lucy gets them a drink while Tallulah stews in disbelief that Tom would cheat on her in such an awful place.

Tobias arrives, flowers in hand and, as Veronique ushers him to the room, Tallulah and Lucy hide under the bed. Raul enters the hotel and Veronique, seeing him disguised in mask and cape, sends him to the executive suite as Miss Pooder returns to the front desk with her arms full of flowers.

When Raul enters the executive suite, he rushes to the bed and, mistaking Tobias for Lucy, kisses him on the back of the head. Lucy and Tallulah are discovered and a chase ensues, Raul still hungry for revenge against the confused Tobias. Ad they rush from the room, they run into Miss Pooder and flowers fly everywhere. Veronique hides behind the desk and Tom and Charles arrive to save the day.

Everyone discovers that it was Charles who left the suspenders at the hotel during a rendezvous with the infamous Muffy, and all is pardoned. Charles meets Veronique, Miss Pooder notices Tobias, and Burton serves up some Texas-sized martinis.