Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Robert Xavier Rodríguez
Monkey See, Monkey Do (1986)
- G Schirmer Inc (World)
- cl/tpt/perc/gtr.acn.pf/vn.vc
- 2 Sopranos, Mezzo Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass
- 35 min
- Libretto by Mary Duren and the composer based on a Mexican folk tale. Spanish translation available.
- English, Spanish
Programme Note
Cast List:
PEDRITO, sombrero salesman: Tenor
MARIA, Pedrito's fiancée: Soprano
ANTONIO, organ grinder, Maria's father: Bass
FIRST WOMAN VILLAGER/also BABY MONKEY: Soprano
SECOND WOMAN VILLAGER/also GIRL MONKEY: Mezzo-Soprano
Additional villagers, doubling villager ensemble parts, ad. lib
Instrumentation:
Production notes:
Monkey See, Monkey Do may be performed either by singing actors or
by puppets and singing actors (or tape). A tape of the opera, with singers and instrumental
accompaniment, is available on rental for productions that use puppets.
Production requirements (for productions with puppets):
A Mexican village square.
The Mexican setting of Monkey See, Monkey Do is reflected in the music. The opera is scored for a typically Mexican mariachi-like ensemble. Violin, trumpet, guitar, and accordion are especially prominent. Several actual folk melodies are woven into the musical texture, among them a variation of the popular Chapanecas (Mexican Clapping Dance) and two strains from the celebrated El Jarabe Tapatio (Mexican Hat Dance.) Other quoted melodies include two dance tunes associated with Antonio, the organ grinder (La Chilena Guerrense and Los Viejitos), and two love songs for Pedrito and Maria (La Mestiza and Preguntale a las Estrellas).
Synopsis:
In a beautiful village in Mexico, Antonio the organ grinder, has a somewhat obsessive attachment to his pet monkey. Meanwhile, Pedrito, a young man who makes sombreros, wants to marry Antonio’s daughter Maria. One day the monkey runs away, causing Antonio great distress; the whole town searches for the monkey, ignoring everything else. Antonio’s monkey is soon discovered hiding in a tree with a whole band of monkeys who have snatched all of Pedrito’s colorful hats, playing and dancing delightedly. Pedrito demands the return of his hats but the monkeys merely mimic his efforts, ignoring the order. Realising this, Pedrito cleverly throws his hat on the ground; the monkeys imitate him, throwing all the stolen sombreros from the tree. ‘Bravo Pedrito!’ cry the villagers, affording him instant fame and renown. All live happily ever after.
PEDRITO, sombrero salesman: Tenor
MARIA, Pedrito's fiancée: Soprano
ANTONIO, organ grinder, Maria's father: Bass
FIRST WOMAN VILLAGER/also BABY MONKEY: Soprano
SECOND WOMAN VILLAGER/also GIRL MONKEY: Mezzo-Soprano
Additional villagers, doubling villager ensemble parts, ad. lib
Instrumentation:
- Clarinet in B-flat
Trumpet in C
Percussion (one player):
Marimba, Chimes, Glockenspiel, 2 Timpani, Suspended Cymbals, Tenor Drum, Snare Drum, Pedal Bass Drum, Triangle, Tambourine, Wood Block, Maracas
Guitar
Accordion
Piano
Violin
Cello
Production notes:
Monkey See, Monkey Do may be performed either by singing actors or
by puppets and singing actors (or tape). A tape of the opera, with singers and instrumental
accompaniment, is available on rental for productions that use puppets.
Production requirements (for productions with puppets):
- A puppet theater with a backdrop depicting a Mexican village square with a fountain, church, shops, etc. Downstage left is a large tree with two pull-down groups of
monkeys (one group with sombreros and one group without sombreros) arranged so that the
monkeys can suddenly appear and disappear among the branches.
Nine puppets depicting the characters listed above.
A stack of seven or more small sombreros for Pedrito to wear, arranged as
follows: two separate sombreros on top, four or more in the middle (attached to each other in
the stack), one separate sombrero on the bottom.
Four or more additional sombreros.
A Mexican village square.
- Quintet: Antonio frantically searches for his missing monkey. Maria and a trio of sympathetic villagers listen and try to help.
Sextet: Pedrito enters, wearing many sombreros piled upon his head. He tries to sell the sombreros, but the town people, more interested in Antonio's plight, rebuff him. Only Maria listens to Pedrito, and the two exchange tender words. The villagers leave to look for the monkey.
Scena: Maria and Pedrito ask Antonio's permission to marry. Antonio refuses, calling Pedrito a failure. The organ grinder storms off to continue looking for the monkey. As Pedrito and Maria console each other, Antonio's monkey appears, this time with a girl monkey.
Quartet: Unaware of the monkeys, Pedrito and Maria sing an affectionate duet. The monkeys imitate their phrases as well as their gestures, then rush off. Maria leaves to appeal once more to her father.
Recitative and Pantomime: Alone, Pedrito muses on his predicament and, still wearing his stack of sombreros, rests under a tree. As Pedrito dozes, the two monkeys reappear, now with a baby monkey. Antonio's monkey steals the top sombrero, the girl monkey steals the next sombrero and the baby monkey takes all but one of the remaining sombreros. One by one the three monkeys disappear into the branches of the tree. They suddenly reappear, accompanied by several other monkeys, wearing sombreros and singing.
Sextet and Pantomime: Pedrito awakens and is alarmed to see the monkeys wearing his sombrero. Maria, Antonio and the villagers hear the commotion and enter only to add to the confusion. Pedrito waves his arms about in frustration, whereupon the monkeys, in unison, imitate him behind his back.
Finale: When Pedrito realizes that the monkeys are copying him, he leads them in an imitation pantomime, culminating in his throwing his own sombrero on the ground. Instantly the monkeys follow suit, and hats fly as Pedrito's sombreros come sailing down from the tree. Antonio rushes to congratulate Pedrito. As the two embrace, Antonio's monkey, the girl monkey, and the baby monkey join them on the ground, imitating the happy scene. The delighted villagers eagerly buy up the celebrated sombreros of the clever Pedrito. Antonio, now the proud owner of three monkeys, gives his blessing to Pedrito and Maria. The audience joins the cast in a Mexican celebration, clapping and singing.
The Mexican setting of Monkey See, Monkey Do is reflected in the music. The opera is scored for a typically Mexican mariachi-like ensemble. Violin, trumpet, guitar, and accordion are especially prominent. Several actual folk melodies are woven into the musical texture, among them a variation of the popular Chapanecas (Mexican Clapping Dance) and two strains from the celebrated El Jarabe Tapatio (Mexican Hat Dance.) Other quoted melodies include two dance tunes associated with Antonio, the organ grinder (La Chilena Guerrense and Los Viejitos), and two love songs for Pedrito and Maria (La Mestiza and Preguntale a las Estrellas).
Synopsis:
In a beautiful village in Mexico, Antonio the organ grinder, has a somewhat obsessive attachment to his pet monkey. Meanwhile, Pedrito, a young man who makes sombreros, wants to marry Antonio’s daughter Maria. One day the monkey runs away, causing Antonio great distress; the whole town searches for the monkey, ignoring everything else. Antonio’s monkey is soon discovered hiding in a tree with a whole band of monkeys who have snatched all of Pedrito’s colorful hats, playing and dancing delightedly. Pedrito demands the return of his hats but the monkeys merely mimic his efforts, ignoring the order. Realising this, Pedrito cleverly throws his hat on the ground; the monkeys imitate him, throwing all the stolen sombreros from the tree. ‘Bravo Pedrito!’ cry the villagers, affording him instant fame and renown. All live happily ever after.
