"A SYNOPSIS THE KING WHO WOULDN’T SING"
WRITTEN BY PATRICIA DAHLQUIST JAN. 2004

In a village, far, far away, free spirited Aryana is waking up the inhabitants with her sweet voice heralding the sun. Theo, our 12 year old protagonist, 8 year old Amelia, his sister who is in a wheelchair, Barbara their mother along with the villagers and their children join in and sing of the beauty of the day and their happy lives. In the castle, however, everything is not so rosy. The dour King is grumbling about all the noise from the music. His Jester tries to humour him out of his complaint and talks him into joining in the following day’s music festival, convincing him that it’ll be good for business. The king grudgingly agrees. During the following day’s set up the children and villagers sing of the fun of music and singing. As the festival begins the King and Jester enter and the festival begins. It is announced that someone from the festival will be chosen to be “in attendance” at the castle. When Theo sings, the King leaves. What does that mean? We learn that Theo has won the commission to visit the King.

At the Castle Theo learns that he is to teach the King to Sing ( Jester’s idea) but the King is resistant and the lesson ends in failure. Theo is dismissed. He leaves feeling badly. Aryana comes to the King’s window to soothe and encourage him but he takes out his rage and frustration on her and banishes her to the Cave of Silence. The first half of the opera ends in a ceremonial march. In a gilded cage Aryana is sequestered with two formidable Monsterguards, Yeahbut and Whatif.

The 2nd half curtain opens on a village in distress. Gang fights have erupted, stealing and disrespect are rampant, everything looks dirty and Rap rythmns emanate from doorways. Barbara and her children bemoan the condition of the town with some of their neighbours and talk about missing Aryana and the impact of lack of music. Theo and Amelia secretly agree that they must go and plead with the king. In the meantime Yeahbut, a killer rabbit (who has never killed anything) and Whatif (a dragon who is afraid to breathe fire) regale Aryana with the advantages of being in the protected world of the Cave. Aryana sings of the love of the open sky and nature but succumbs to her situation. Amelia and Theo plead with the King to no avail and are sent away. The Jester suggests that he and the King should disguise themselves and go to the village. In the meantime Theo vows to free Aryana and coaxes flustery, fearful Yeahbut and Whatif to venture out of the cave with them. He almost gets caught in a Keystone cops like chase but Aryana is taken back, the monstrous duo breathing a sigh of relief.

The King and Jester. Go to view the town and are appalled. They proceed to Barbara’s house to see the ailing Amelia and in a touching quintet we hear the events that shaped the lives of the adults, Amelia and Theo join in as they notice that the King is singing! When the King realizes that he has been singing he is freed from the blocks in his past and his epiphany transforms his attitude towards music, his people and Aryana. The musical muse of the village, Aryana, is set free and the opera ends with everyone celebrating in an atmosphere of gratitude that music is back to stay.