Michaelmass

Saint Savior

After his hesitant choice the role of the donkey is assigned to him. By her craft skill his mother installs an exstension of the donkey's spine on the boy's pants (aria O zitt're nicht mein lieber Sohn). At the presentation in front of the assembled commune with his performance the boy persuades the village elders and their wifes (aria Am stillen Herd). Later on the ballads and reminders of Johnny Cash and Reinhard Mey impress him. When classical music sounds from the radio or television he switches immediately. He regards classical musicians as grim penguins. Following the example Emperor Nero the boy claims half of his mother's residence as his theater stage. For his theater productions he engages his mother as assistant director whom he dictates his dramatic inspirations to neat handwriting, his grandfather as reciting supporting actor and his grandmother as well disposed theater critic (terzet Alles ist so gut wie richtig). The set consists of a composition of several products of furniture store shops, the costumes are quite square but soft and fluffy blankets and proven headgear. A board put on the door separates the audience area from the stage. Curtains protect the actors from illuminating daylight. So the young hero in his own world of the dark stage room finds his first hero parts that come up to his true greatness in its real extent of his whole corpulence (aria Amfortas! Die Wunde!).

2nd Act

Young man Michael has travelled to Waldram for purposes of study. During music lessons he is forced to recieve acoustic stimuli that he previously could be closed to. But at the presentation of Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue he recognizes the essence and grace of classical music. After the lesson he wants to make every effort to buy this recording (aria Schau her, das ist ein Taler). The music teacher also teaches him singing, playing guitar and tenor recorder. (aria Verachtet mir die Meister nicht).