Pandora's Box
Comic Opera Pastiche for Youth in 3 Scenes

Loosely Based on the Greek Myth
Music by
J. Offenbach
Written and Arranged by
Michael Jacobsen and Danielle Sinclair

Score: Vocal/Piano Accompaniment, 177 pp.
Difficulty: Advanced
Running Time: Approx. 1 hr.30 min.

See a full student production by the
Westminster Conservatory Youth Opera Workshop!

 Before the curtain rises, two priestesses of the oracle appear, using their magic to call forth the ancient world with its fascinating myths and legends. As the curtain opens, the stone likenesses of the ancient Athenians suddenly come to life and a bustling street scene develops. It is the time of Panathenaea, the annual festival honoring the Goddess Athena, and the streets are full of vendors and entertainers.  In the square, young Pandora (an extremely curious girl) is caught up in the excitement when her cousins Penelope and Phoebe appear, frantically searching for her.  They bring news that the girls have officially been invited to participate in the festival. Pandora suggests that they may even be chosen for the special honor of being festival priestesses and Phoebe becomes enraptured with the idea. The three set off excitedly to begin shopping in preparation.  Just then the courier Postophicles enters bearing a box scheduled for delivery.  Tired and unwilling to continue packing the load, Postophicles agrees to give what he sarcastically describes as a “gift from the Gods” to a trio of townspeople who volunteer to sign for it--provided they pay him the 15 drachmae service fee.  They refuse and a furious Postophicles leaves the box, but not before informing them that failure to pay causes the gift to turn into a curse that will cause great calamity if opened.  Terrified, the crowd exits to ponder the gravity of the situation.  Unaware of these events Pandora’s parents, Anxietes and Optimisia, enter (pictured right), busily engaged in planning for the festival.  They have just ordered golden wreaths and festival robes as surprise gifts for Pandora, Penelope, and Phoebe, who have secretly been selected to serve as festival priestesses.  But as they wait in vain for the box, it seems all of their festival planning is beginning to fall through, Pandora’s father fumes while her mother tries to put the best spin on things.  They exit and the townspeople return. No one is willing to take charge of the cursed box so they leave it under guard in the square while they seek a permanent solution. Pandora, Penelope, and Phoebe reappear, returning from their shopping spree, and Pandora’s interest is immediately piqued by the guarded box.  She concocts a plan to lure the guard away so that she can look inside, and enlists Phoebe and a reluctant Penelope as accomplices.  Her plan succeeds and she opens the box to discover three golden wreaths and three robes which she removes and shows to her cousins.  Soon they hear the crowd returning and realize they must return the items immediately.  But Phoebe is so engrossed in playing with her wreath and robe that she dances off and Pandora and Penelope have no choice but to keep their unexpected treasure and follow her.  The townspeople return, discovering, to their horror, the open empty box.  Panic ensues as they fear the fulfillment of the curse.

 Scene Two – The Agora, immediately following

 As the curtain reopens on the same scene of panic, the messenger Phydipides arrives, utterly exhausted and bearing grave news of an imminent foreign invasion.  Everyone assumes this is due to the curse and begins to panic anew. One citizen, Baistander, tries to restore order and suggests that they send Phydipides for help. After dispatching him to summon the town council and some military assistance, they exit.  Just then Phoebe dances in, still wearing her accidentally acquired wreath and robe.  Penelope and Pandora finally catch up and the three discuss their predicament.  Pandora resolves to ask her father, Anxietes, for help. As the girls leave, Anxietes enters and happens to spot Postophicles whom he confronts about the missing box. Informed that “three thieves” now have possession of it, he fumes as Postophicles exits and Pandora enters.  Frightened by Anxietes anger and suspicions, she tries in vain to discuss her problem with him.  Just then her mother Optimisia enters with great news that she has just booked some actors as festival entertainment.  The actors, led by Thespis (pictured left), soon arrive, and upon request, give a demonstration of their talents, enlisting a reluctant Pandora to join in a scene that strikes a little too close to home for her. Pandora exits frustrated, as her parents go off in search of the thieves and missing box.  Phydipides then enters and, mistaking the actors for the Athenian town council, bids them to come and help with the impending crisis.  They follow him off, thinking only that he has come to take them to their lodgings to prepare for the show. A crowd gathers to gossip about the curse and spread rumors of thieves roaming the streets.  Pandora overhears this gossip and begins to worry. As the crowd disperses, Pandora returns to find Penelope and Phoebe and convey her disappointing news. Penelope reminds her of the seriousness of the situation while Phoebe continues to daydream of being a priestess.  Penelope leads Phoebe away as a heartbroken Pandora is left alone to ponder her act and their fate.

 Scene Three – The Agora on the Day of the Festival and Battle

 As the scene opens, Penelope relates her deepest fears to Pandora and Phoebe.  Pandora begs her not to give up hope, a sentiment Phoebe echoes. Their rejuvenated spirits soon plummet when they are suddenly interrupted by the appearance of Thespis and his acting company who are passing by on their way to the festival.  The girls beg the actors not to turn them in and a soft-hearted Thespis relents, inviting the girls to join the company (staying in disguise as priestesses) in the festival show.  In return he offers to help them return the inadvertently stolen items at the conclusion.  As they depart, the townspeople have begun to gather for the festival in a state of uncertainty.  Phydipides arrives with news that the council will appear soon but no other help is forthcoming.  He adds that the foe has already landed at Marathon.  As the actors, along with their three new “priestesses” enter they are informed that the festival may have to be cancelled.  Unwilling to cancel a show, and thinking this is all part of the drama anyway, Thespis and company fervently insist on its continuation.  As the frightened townspeople show him the “cursed” box, Pandora also reveals to him that this same box is where the wreaths and robes belong.  Thespis, improvising, devises a series of “cures” (one pictured right) to get rid of the curse and, upon conclusion, signals Pandora, Penelope, and Phoebe, to return the items.  As they do so, they are suddenly interrupted by a furious Anxietes who has finally tracked down the three “thieves” whom he now believes to be Thespis and his company.  Anxietes reveals the truth about the box and its contents, eliciting delighted squeals from Phoebe who now realizes she has been chosen to be a priestess.  Recognizing her voice, Anxietes proceeds to unmask his daughter and nieces and everyone breaths a sigh of relief as they realize that there is no curse.  But they are reminded of the invasion and as fear builds, an exhausted Phydipides staggers in once more to give the cry of “Nike!” (Victory!)  and finally collapse.  The delighted, and greatly relieved throng celebrates with a good laugh and, as the curtain begins to close, Thespis steps in to stop it and demand that he receive his fitting “big finish.”  Everyone dances for joy as ancient Athens again fades into history.

See a full student production by the
Westminster Conservatory Youth Opera Workshop!

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