Symphony of Clouds by Margaret Larlham
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This Play is the copyright of the Author and must not be Performed or Copied without the Author's prior consentPRELUDE
(A skyscape of clouds. A statue of
Mozart on a pedestal.)
(The opening 16 bars of Symphony #40. K 550 Adagio Movement plays as
the house lights fade. Stage light reveals a “sculpture” of MOZART on
a pedestal and CONSTANZA looking up to it.)
CONSTANZA
(Sings the opening melodic theme of
Symphony #40.)
There once was a boy who would spend all his time writing songs of the
earthwriting songs of the sky
(Narrates over music, as fragment of Symphony #40. K 550 Adagio
Movement repeats.)
This is the story of a boy who spun the invisible threads of his life
into shimmering, acoustic clouds of music.
(MOZART statue “comes to life.” He conducts the music. Enter CLOUD
DANCERS. As MOZART gestures they form group shapes suggesting
delicately changing cloud formations. DANCERS lift MOZART off the
pedestal. He joins in with their dance.)
Set free into the blue sky the clouds blew far! Melodies, songs,
symphonies encircled the earth! Song clouds dissolved and poured into
the hearts and minds of people all over the world, revealing over and
over again the radiant music and mysterious secrets of the life and
times of the boy-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
(The music fades and CLOUD DANCERS return MOZART to pedestal as
statue. CLOUD DANCERS Exit. CONSTANZA references the frozen statue of
MOZART)
Born 1756 in Salzburg. Famous at the age of five, a musical prodigy!
His tempestuous life was short. He died in Vienna in 1791-all alone!
I should have been there. I, Constanza, was Mozart's wife, you know! I
knew all his secrets. Some I will share with you! Some you will
discover when you listen to the music. Let's see! It is 1760 when
our story begins!
(Piano music)
Listen! Wake up Wolfie-it's time for you to start this play and go
back to Salzburg and live your life as a boy again.
MOZART
(MOZART “statue” wakes. Sneezes.)
Constanza, I was having a wonderful dream! Will you not let me rest?
CONSTANZA
I bring you another dream! Give me your hand. I will put a little
infinity in your palm. Hold it tight! Today you are going back in time
to when you were a boy of four.
MOZART
(Delighted)
To be four again! The time of the silver smoke and water-drops!
Crystal clear memories! I am four again!
CONSTANZA
Hurry into the house. It is time for your sister's music lesson.
MOZART
I will! The music is calling me back! Auf Wiedersehen, my Constanza!
See you later!
(Exits)
CONSTANZA
I'll be waiting, always and everywhere!
ACT 1
SCENE 1: The Mozart Family. Salzburg. 1760-1762
(Mozart's house. A fine clavichord stands in the drawing room.)
MUSIC: Minuet in F Major, K 2 plays intermittently through piano
lesson, mimed by NANNERL or MOZART.
(LEOPOLD is teaching the talented NANNERL to play the clavier.
MOZART (WOLFIE) is sitting under the keyboard. Note: Mozart born in
1756 would be 4-6 years old in this scene.)
LEOPOLD
Good Nannerl!
(Nods approvingly to NANNERL, as she plays the clavichord.)
NANNERL
Thank you Papa. It is a pretty piece! Composed by
(Teasing)
Leopold Mozart-my own father!
(Enter ANNA MARIA pursuing fleeing chicken.)
ANNA MARIA
Stop! Catch that chicken Wolfie! Ja-ja-catch it!
(MOZART exits pursuing chicken.)
LEOPOLD
Anna Maria, liebchen, please! Not in the music room!
ANNA MARIA
Of course my dear Kappelmeister!
(MOZART returns holding chicken.)
But someone has to think of Sunday dinner tomorrow!
MOZART
Dinner? Chicken! Mama!
(MOZART devastated, releases chicken. Chicken exits. MOZART weeps.)
ANNA MARIA
Ag Wolfie!
(Hugs MOZART)
Don't be sad! Let Mama worry about the chicken! Go back to your Papa
now and Nannerl's beautiful playing! Mama knows-you too will become
a musician like your father!
(Calls chicken as she exits.)
Coop-coop!
LEOPOLD
Again, Nannerl, my daughter! If you keep practicing this way, you will
soon be ready to perform in public-perhaps even for the Archbishop
Schrattenbach!
NANNERL
Really Papa! Really! The Archbishop would listen to me play?
MOZART
(Imitating NANNERL.)
Really…really…really!
LEOPOLD
Hush Wolfie! Back to work Nannerl. Let me hear the last four bars
again.
MOZART
Let me do it! Let me play!
LEOPOLD
Wait Wolferl-you are only four! Too young! Patience!
MOZART
Four-two-four-four-four-some more! Cheep cheep cheep!
LEOPOLD
Hush! Play quietly on your own now! That way you will grow up faster!
Hush! Nannerl is busy with her lesson!
(NANNERL resumes playing. MOZART clucks like a chicken.)
NANNERL
(Petulantly)
Papa, Wolfie is annoying me!
LEOPOLD
(Sternly)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! I am losing patience! Your sister needs to
practice.
(Softening)
You know that your sister Nannerl has a great gift! We love to listen
to her play-don't we?
MOZART
Yes, papa!
LEOPOLD
Well then!
(NANNERL resumes playing. MOZART recovers his happy disposition and
dances happily imitating flying fingers. 3 MUSIC SPRITES enter and
play dance/game of hide and seek with MOZART. They are unseen by
anyone but MOZART. NANNERL concludes playing. MUSIC SPRITES hide.)
LEOPOLD
Very good! Bravo!
MOZART
Papa-Papa! My turn now! I waited! I'm grown. Let me try!
LEOPOLD
(Laughing)
Very well young man! Come Nannerl! That is enough for today. Let us
see what Wolfgang Amadeus can do! Will he follow after his famous
father and talented sister-I wonder!
MOZART
(Seating himself at the piano.)
Mmm wait!
(He strikes a few notes and appears to be listening. LEOPOLD and
NANNERL exchange amused glances. With supreme concentration, and
secret encouragement from the SPRITES, MOZART plays a fragment of the
music he has just heard.)
NANNERL
Papa! He's playing my piece!
(Calls)
Mama!
LEOPOLD
Mama! Come quickly!
(ANNA MARIA enters holding plucked chicken.)
ANNA MARIA
What is so important that I had to leave off cooking? What's all the
fuss about?
(Sees MOZART at the clavier.)
Wolfgang! How on earth?
(MOZART breaks off playing and skips about nonchalantly.)
NANNERL
Wolfie-when did you learn this?
MOZART
Why-just now when you played it of course!
NANNERL
Well that's amazing!
LEOPOLD
How is this possible? Wolfgang, tell the truth now! Who taught you?
MOZART
I just know, that's all! I copied the cloud shadows of the music that
dance in the air. It's simple!
NANNERL
What do you meanshadows?
MOZART
Clouds-or-smokelike watery smoke! Like me! They call and I
follow them!
(Runs back to the keyboard.)
Look! Little silver and gold water-drop sprites playing!
(MOZART returns to clavier. Three dancing CLOUD SHADOW SPRITES
holding fine golden strings emerge as though “from” the clavier. They
dance jauntily as MOZART begins to play #27 Piano Concerto.)
RECORDED MUSIC: Piano Concerto #27 excerpt
(As the dance is established MOZART leaves the keyboard and joins the
SPRITES in a dance as the musical theme repeats itself. LEOPOLD, ANNA
MARIA and NANNERL are suspended in a dream-not physically aware of
the SPRITES yet attentive to the rhythm of the music. At the
conclusion of the excerpt MOZART whirls around with NANNERL. CLOUD
SHADOW SPRITES disappear as MOZART drops to the floor, suddenly
depleted of energy. NANNERL rocks the sleeping MOZART in her arms as
LEOPOLD and ANNA MARIA converse.)
ANNA MARIA
Look! He is exhausted! Leopold, I don't think this is good for him.
I worry! It's too much…madness! I could not bear it if he were taken
from me like my other five babies! He should play outside more! He's
not like other boys at all!
LEOPOLD
Wife, he is not and I thank Jove for it! Do not worry-he is strong.
He is exceptional-I see it now! Our children are angels sent to us
from heaven! Just think how people will
sit up and notice the Mozart Family now
ANNA MARIA
WellI suppose! Jaimagine what the elector would say if he saw
them!
LEOPOLD
Elector and Archbishop-even the Empress!
NANNERL
Wolfie's really sleepy now mama!
(LEOPOLD and ANNA MARIA attend the children.)
ANNA MARIA
My poor baby! He's exhausted!
LEOPOLD
Yes, but we all know how he bounces back.
(Rousing MOZART.)
Like a scherzo-a musical surprise, you always bounce back, don't
you, my boy! Come on, Wolferl, before we go to bed-sing your little
song.
MOZART
(Instantly recovered, springs to his feet.)
Yes Papa!
LEOPOLD
(Sings)
Goodnight!
May angels light-your w-a-y
And keep you safe for another day!
(The family has a way of singing this prayer incorporating playful
and familial gesture. See score for “Goodnight Song.”)
(MOZART joins LEOPOLD singing.)
Goodnight!
May angels light-your w-a-y
And keep you safe for another day
(ANNA MARIA and NANNERL join with LEOPOLD and MOZART.)
Though time divide us
We'll always pray
To be together at end of day!
Goodnight!
May angels light-your w-a-y
And keep you safe for another day!
[end of extract]
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