OUANGA

Prelude

PROLOGUE

The spirit of Toussaint Louverture sings the motif of all that is
to follow, conflict between the heritage of the African mysteries
and the new civilization.

Act One

The curtain rises on a Voodoo alter on the summit of a foreboding mountain overlooking Cap Haitian. It is dark. A wild, primitive dance is in full tilt.

The music is the melodies of the Haitian peasants, barbaric expression of jungle rituals, authentic ancient African Rhythms.

Small bonfires flare. The grotesque shadows of the swaying natives lend an eerie note to the ritual dance. Le Bossal, a gigantic black leads the accompanying chant and as his voice booms over the heads of the fanatic natives the drums increase in tempo. Shrill cries cut through the intoxicating rhythm and spur the peasants on to greater frenzy. It is the night of the sacrifice to Legba.

Dessalines, the victorius general, enters with his staff, and frowningly
watches the stirring dance. Défilée rushes to him with a cry of joy and attempts
to make him join the revelers. He refuses. She turns dejectedly away toward
the dancers.

Le Bossal upbraids Dessalines for not joining in the ritual and reminds him that not many moons ago he was one of them, but now that he has won power he no longer worships Legba as his followers worship.

The time for the sacrifice has now arrived. Le Bossal carries a goat to the alter. The dancers cease and face the alter and Mougali, the High Priestess. Again Défilée tries to induce Dessalines to join the kneeling throng but he refuses.

Mougali chants the "Serpent Service", throughout which there is an under-current of supplication, "Drive the tyrant from our shores!"

When Mougali finishes her aria the entire chorus takes up the refrain, repeat-
ing the words of the Voodoo spell, "Ouanga". The word "ouanga", meaning magic
charm, is uttered with a mighty and glorious volume of fanatical enthusiasm, as
though this allpowerful ancient chant had gathered increasing potency throughout
the ages.

Dessalines, losing his temper, bluntly cries out, "Stop the sacrifice!"

As the worshippers, with consternation and surprise on their faces, kneel
and crouch before him, Dessalines stamps toward them raging. He orders them away
to their work. Soldiers with guns appear dashing from the woods. With cries of
fear and despair the chorus scurries away.

Hate and chagrin distort the face of Mougali. She raises her arms to bring down the "ouanga" spell upon Dessalines but is deterred by Défilée, who holds her arms, pleading to be allowed to bring the defiant general back to the fold. She kneels before the alter and tries to make Dessalines do likewise, but with a gesture and with the song, "A King is not afraid," he strides into the jungle.

Mougali turns back toward the alter and walking with great majesty, arms
uplifted, she begins to chant again. Le Bossal and the Papaloi, the high priest,
slip out of the jungle. Le Bossal taps lightly upon the largest drum. The
chanting swells. More drummers appear. Awed natives stealthily reappear. The
sound of the drums grows louder.

-3-

OUANGA

As the curtain slowly falls other natives creep mysteriously out of the dark into the light of the torches and join, even more loudly and confidently in the hypnotic singing.

ACT II

The Banana Grove

The insistent, measured beat of the native drums from the distant mountains ominously strikes the ear as the flamboyant tropical scene with full force flashes upon the eye. The orchestration expresses peace and the fresh beauty of nature in contrast to the veiled threat of the booming tom-toms.

Michel sings of his love for Licité and of the glory of Dessalines whose ambitions have lead him to take steps to become crowned Emperor of Haiti. The people will be commanded to embrace Catholicism and to cast aside the pagan idols. Michel completes a glowing picture of the court life that is to be, thus seeking to swerve Licité from her pagan belief.

Défilée appears at the threshold of a hut and upbraids Michel for bringing false messages in order to charm Licité. This dramatic accusation is accompanied by a passionate sweep of strings and woodwinds, which sound the theme of conflict between the old customs and the new as Dessalines would have them. Michel spiritedly defends Dessalines and his ambition, but hurries into the forest when he sees the general approaching. Licité, likewise, plunges into the shadows in search of her lover, Le Bossal, who she knows is enroute to a Congo dance.

Défilée sings an aria whose dominating theme is her love for Dessalines. Her agitation increases as her mind travels from her love of the powerful General to reverence and fear of the Voodoo. Dessalines, having overheard all, now enters and pleads with her to surrender her worship in the pagan enchantment for the Christian faith, so that she could become his queen.

Dessalines tells Défilée of his vision of Louverture warning to shun vain glory and tyrannical ambition, to hold steadfastly to the ancient heritage of the "Ouanga", to beware of the new order of things and of the bloody strife which will surely follow. But he is convinced that his own way is better.

Swayed by her love for Dessalines she is on the point of consenting, when the pulse-quickening echoes of the drums reverberates down the mountain side. Défilee draws back in fear and shuddering, refuses.

Dessalines, incensed at her refusal and panic-stricken by the echoes of the tom-toms, roughly pushes her to the ground. Chiding with the reproach that her love is not great enough for complete devotion to his cause, he strides away in great wrath and disappears in the forest.

As the orchestra reiterates their combined love motifs, Défilée arises, sobbing. With outstretched arms she starts after the vanished leader. The distant drums thunder from the hills. She falters and sinks to the ground again her body convulsed in a paroxysm of grief.

-4-

Entr'acte

Midnight on the Mountain

Danse Congo

Act III

The Coronation

It is afternoon in Cap Haitian. An expectant throng gathers in the public square, waiting to celebrate the dual festivities of Dessalines' marriage to the daughter of one of the élite, Claire Heureuse, and of his coronation as Emperor of Haiti.

There is a motley collection of natives. Vendors of food and drink wend their way in and out shouting their wares. (Genuine Haitian street cries are used for the melodies and orchestral treatment, giving a realistic atmosphere of the market-place of Cap Haitian.)

Into this hilarious group, striking the first sombre note, the sinister figure of Mougali, the Voodoo priestess, slowly enters. She greets the multitude. The crowd responds with great reverence as the joyous major key of the music abruptly changes into the minor mode of the Voodoo theme.

As the choir in the distant cathedral chants the "Te Deum", the trumpets suddenly blare the Dessaline theme of power. The chorus, offstage, hails the Emperor. The same melody, in a more triumphant key, is joyously repeated by the chorus of peasants and populace gathered in the public square for the public festivities.

Défilée, temporarily unbalanced and torn by her desire to see Dessalines again, makes her entrance in the disguise of an old hag. She is recognized by no one save Mougali. The orchestra sounds a few bars of the Voodoo theme, followed immediately by the Défilée motif and one of the most forceful arias of the Opera, "I am the aftermath", foretelling the scourge of the Voodoo curse. The crowds jeer as she sounds the knell of Dessalines' doom.

A joyous fanfare composed of the "trumpet call", the coronation chorus and the Dessaline theme, announces the approach of their Majesties. Led by Father Corneille Brélle, the King and Queen stride pompously to their thrones. A host of courtiers follow after. All are in the court dress of the new Haitian kingdom, styles, copied from the splendor of Napoleon.

Dessalines, hautily surveying the people, explains the keynote of the new order, "Liberty and peace!" His hearers cheer vociferously and immediately express their happiness in the national folk dance, the "Meringue". A Haitian festival dance follows and is in turn a prelude for "la danse martinique", accompanied by drums alone.

Mougali advances toward the throne as the crowd falls back to let her pass. She assails Dessalines with the warning, "Death to all who desert Legba!". Stripping Défilée of her disguise she screams, "Woe to him who betrays his true love."

Infuriated, Dessalines orders his soldiers to seize the Priestess and end her plaints. Upon her knees Défilée pleads for the life of Mougali. Dessalines is on the point of relenting when his new queen in a jealous rage seizes his arm and in turn orders the soldiers to carry out the death sentence.

-5-

Spitting out curses, Mougali is carried off while the crowd draws farther back in terror and awe. Défilée continues her distraught entreaties for the condemned woman. In vain is her supplication for the of execution are heard. There is wild confusion as Dessalines, arms folded, glares defiantly at the milling throng. The Queen looks down in triumph upon the defeated Défilée, bitterly weeping. The priest step forward and making the sign of the cross chants, "Father of Light, receive our Mougali, misguided, but Thy servant."

The curtain falls as the orchestra sounds again the menacing Voodoo theme.

## ACT IV

### Scene 1

The "Hougan", ceremonial hall of the Voodoo priestess.

The curtain slowly rises to the muffled beat of the ceremonial drum, contrasted with the hissing of the strings and the wierd wailing of the mourners.

The Papaloi stands before the body of Mougali. Facing him is a large semi-circle of mourners, seated within a magic yellow circle containing hieroglyphic symbols. The whole effect is dim, wierd, and mysterious. The walls and ceiling are dull black faced with drawings of pythons in green, yellow and red. Lights flicker upon the corpse, which is wrapped mummy fashion in white. Her face is covered with a square of black cloth.

As the wailing theme is sounded by the orchestra the Papaloi, whose scarlet headdress gleams in the dull light like the eyes of a living serpent, glides out from the shadows of the alter intoning the Voodoo chant with its ancient African words. The mourners invoke "Dambala", the ancient God to vengence against Dessalines. They begin a "snake dance" around the body of Mougali.

As the dancers work themselves into a fury, there comes a thunderous knocking at the door. All stop to listen. The knocking is repeated, while the orchestra rises in the crescendo of the theme of Dessalines, a voice cries, "Open in the name of the Emperor!"

Amidst great consternation the door is flung wide open and Dessalines, himself strides in majestically. He has come to ask forgiveness. He pleads, cajols, threatens, but the Papaloi remains unmoved. It is too late to atone!

The Papaloi moves slowly to the body of the dead priestess. Uncovering her face he shouts, "Behold your work! Behold the Mamaloi! Ouanga forces follow! They kill and destroy!"

Dessalines, in an endeavor to come closer, steps within the magic circle. In his fury and frightened rage he calls upon his soldiers to destroy the alter. They hesitate and Dessalines, completely beside himself, draws his sword to demolish his enemies.

The Papaloi makes a magic symbol. At once the mourners form a circle and begin to sway from side to side. Their bodies swing in unison as all the choirs of the orchestra and the voices of the dancers sweep into the terrifying incantation of the curse of Ouanga. The "Python of Dambala" has struck! The fangs are buried deep!

The hypnotic cry reaches Dessalines. Sword upraised, he trembles, totters, stops, unable to move. The Papaloi holds thumbs pointed at him. His sword falls clattering. His upraised arm remains rigid. The soldiers stand as if hypnotized. With an effort Dessalines staggers back out of the circle and rushes out into the night. The soldiers follow. Michel and Gerin, his lieutenants, make obeisance before the alter and join the departing king.

The Python has spoken!

-6-

## Scene II

### The Red Bridge

It is afternoon of a bright day. In the middle flows a small stream, bordered by trees. Lofty mountains tower in the background. Crossing the stream diagonally and large enough to dominate the entire scene is the historic Red Bridge on the outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The music has been continuous since the fall of the curtain on the previous scene, now gradually changes in expression from the wierdness of the Voodoo to the peace of a tropical landscape at sunset.

Défilée is seated on a rock at the foot of the bridge, lost in reverie. She awaits Dessalines who has begged for a rendezvous at their old trysting place beside the Red Bridge. She wonders if Dessalines request for their meeting is because of his love or for some other motive.

Her reverie is rudely interrupted by Gerin who comes abruptly from under the bridge where he has been in hiding. He has followed her from Port-au-Prince aware of her rendezvous with the Emperor. He attempts to enlist her aid in the betrayal of Dessalines by his soldiers. He ridicules the idea of Dessalines' being in love with her. She promises to cooperate if she finds that what he says is true.

Dessalines approaches and Gerin hastens under the bridge to avoid being seen. Gerin goes to summon the conspirators. Défilée is convinced that the Emperor still loves her and warns him of impending danger at the hands of Gerin and his soldiers.

The church bells ring in distant Port-au-Prince. The mournful sounds bring to her a sense of foreboding. The music at this time is scored for muted strings, woodwinds and celesta and against the tolling bell forms a unique ethereal atmosphere after their love duet.

Défilée hastily departs in a frantic effort to use her influence with the soldiers to save Dessalines. Alone the abandoned Dessalines sings of Haiti, of his love for his beautiful land, and mingled feelings of apprehension for her and his own fate.

In the meanwhile Gerin and his soldiers stealthily creep over the bridge and quickly surround the Emperor. Too late he attempts to defend himself. He is overpowered and repeatedly stabbed with the bayonets of the soldiers.

Défilée rushing back is seized by Gerin and prevented from reaching Dessalines. She invokes the curse with the cry of Ouanga. At this word Gerin and the superstitious soldiers rush back in awe disclosing the dying Dessalines.

Gerin shouts, "Come, let us spread the news!". He and the soldiers dash away in a panic, while Dessalines, recognizing Défilée, begs her forgiveness and pleads again for the "Songs of Africa" as he expires.

Défilée falls sobbing across his body. The sound of drums beating in the mountains sends forth the message of Dessalines' death.

In the distance, as the curtain descends, is heard again the African chant, intended by the Papaloi, ending in a great cry, "Ouanga! Ouanga! Ouanga!, each shout louder and more terrifying and through all the thread of the incessant beating of the drums, signalling the message to all Haiti.

"O Drums, beat me a tatoo,
Go tell the dread Voodoo
His dauntless soul has fled."