The Gift of the Magi is a chamber opera in four scenes with music by David Conte and libretto by Nicholas Giardini. Based on the short story of the same title by O. Henry, the opera focuses on Jim and Della, who are a poor married couple and cannot afford to buy each other presents for Christmas. It premiered on December 7 and 8, 1997 with a workshop production to the accompaniment of two pianos at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The orchestral version was premiered at the conservatory on December 3, 2000.[1]
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Jim and Delia's small flat. Christmas Eve.
Scene One: Della prepares for Christmas before Jim returns home. She lets her hair down and sings of love and happiness. After a brief encounter with Jim trying to entice her, he remembers an errand he must run. Being a poor couple, Della reminds him not to get her a present for Christmas. Jim shrugs it off until she bays him to promise, then he leaves.
Scene Two: Having no money Della calls her friend Maggie to help her buy Jim’s Christmas present. Della decides to sell her hair over Maggie’s objections and they leave to sell her hair. Contains "Della's Aria"
Scene Three: Jim and, his friend, Henry carry in a Christmas tree. Knowing Jim’s financial situation, Henry questions him as to how he purchased it. Not wanting to acknowledge the loss, Jim evades, but eventually tells Henry that he sold his fathers watch. Henry scolds Jim for being foolish and Jim tries to explain his love for his father and his wife in the aria “Jim’s Soliloquy”.
Scene Four: Jim and Della reunite in their flat. Both admit to breaking their promise and present each other with their gifts. Jim gets a gold chain that was bought with Della hair and Della gets two ornate combs that were bought with Jim’s father’s watch. At first the sit in melancholy silence evaluating what they have received. The sacrifice of their partner shines forth in their minds. At the end, they sing of their love and renewed fidelity.
Both "Della's Aria" and "Jim Soliloquy" can be found in E. C. Shirmer's Opera Aria Anthology vol. 1 Soprano and vol. 4 Baritone respectively.