The Ballad of Baby Doe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Ballad of Baby Doe is an opera by the American composer Douglas Moore to a libretto by John Latouche. The premiere took place at the Central City Opera (Colorado), in 1956, with Dolores Wilson and Leyna Gabriele alternating in the name part. It is his most famous opera, and one of the few American operas to be in the standard repertory, the others being Carlisle Floyd's Susannah and Samuel Barber's Vanessa.

The opera is noted for several things. It is one of the few operas that have the male lead being a baritone instead of a tenor (see Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet and Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin). Especially famous are Baby Doe's five arias "Letter Aria," "Willow Song," "I knew it was wrong", "Gold is a fine thing", and--the most famous--"Always through the changing." Horace Tabor's "Warm as the autumn light" is also frequently heard.

Distinguished sopranos who have essayed the title role include Beverly Sills, Karan Armstrong and Elizabeth Futral.

1 The Story
2 Act I
3 Act II
4 Discography

[edit] The Story

Based off the real live events of Horace Tabor, Elizabeth "Baby" Doe Tabor, and Augusta Tabor, the opera basically tracks their lives from the meeting of Horace and Baby Doe through to the death of Horace. "Always through the changing" is a postscript ending foretelling Baby's death.

[edit] Act I

Scene 1

The story begins with comments on the riches of the Matchless Mine and how Tabor owns the whole town of Leadville, Colorado. Horace sings "It's a bang up job" praising his new opera house and telling of his disenchantment with his wife Augusta to the towns people. Augusta comes in to chide him of not acting his place, Horace pleads with her to not insult the common people-- equating the prostitutes and bar girls's work as helping build the opera house as much as her committee did. Baby Doe comes in, and meets Horace. It is night and everyone leaves the opera house. Augusta goes to bed, while Horace finds that the girl whom he met is named Baby Doe. He listens to her sing "The Willow Song" and applauds her-- much to her surprise since she did not know he was listening. He sings "Warm as the autumn light" to her. Augusta's comments from upstairs stop the scene from developing more.

Scene 2

Several months later, Augusta goes through Horace's study and finds gloves and a love letter. She thinks they are for her until she realizes at the end they are for Baby Doe. The rumors have been true. Horace comes in, they fight and Horace says he never meant to hurt her.

Scene 3

Baby Doe, at the hotel, realizes she must end her relationship with Horace and tells the hotel workers to find out when the next train leaves for Denver. The hotel workers go to find Horace so he can head her off. She sings of her love for Horace in a letter to her mother (the "Letter Aria"). Augusta comes in and tells Baby to leave, she agrees, but plees that she and Horace have done nothing they should be ashamed of ("I knew it was wrong"). When Augusta leaves, Baby decides against leaving at the same time Horace comes in. They sing of their love.

Scene 4

The wedding party of Horace and Baby Doe in Washington DC. Baby's mother praises the riches of the couple. The couple comes in and are well received. Baby Doe's mother tells the Roman Catholic priest about the divorces of both Baby and Horace-- of which the priest didn't know. Scandal rocks the party, but is stopped when President of the United States Chester Arthur comes in. The debate turns to the silver standard and Baby Doe sings "Gold is a fine thing". Horace then presents Baby with the diamond necklace of Queen Isabella. All praise the couple.

[edit] Act II

Act II chronicles the disintegration of Baby and Horace's riches. Augusta warns of the gold standard, but Horace doesn't listen. Horace politically backs William Jennings Bryan for president. When Bryan loses, Horace is abandoned by his party. In the final scene, Horace asks to see the opera house he built so long ago, though he no longer owns it. On the stage, he hallucinates and sees the people from the past. Augusta both taunts and pleads with him. He is told that his one daughter will decry the name Tabor and that his other will become a prostitute. He collapses distraught. Baby Doe enters. After he becomes convinced that she is not a hallucination, he tells her nothing will come between them and begs her to remember him. He dies in her arms and she finishes the opera with "Always through the changing."