Introduce
children to the wonders of opera with a Baltimore Opera production,
music by Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini. The famliar story of the Billy
Goats Gruff, with important lessons of tolerance and kindness to others.
Summary
Once upon a time there were three Billy Goats; Lucy, Dandini and Ernesto. One day, on their way home from school, the three Billy Goats decide to play a game of hide and seek before rushing home to do their chores and finish their homework. Dandini, being the leader of the group, volunteers to count first while Lucy, Lucy D Lamermoor and Ernesto find their hiding places. Osmin, the forest’s most feared bully Billy Goat, is hiding behind the “home-side” tree on the other side of the bridge and overhears the Billy Goats’ entire conversation!
Before hiding herself, Lucy runs over the bridge and hides Lucy D Lamermoor in the “home-side” tree, and then she and Ernesto run back towards the school. After finding both Ernesto and Lucy, Dandini is ready to start the next round of hide and seek. However, Lucy is insistent that he has not found everyone yet, for Lucy D Lamermoor is still hiding somewhere unfound. Emesto argues that Lucy D is just a doll and that dolls don’t have feelings so she shouldn’t be a part of the game! Right then, Osmin makes his presence known and takes Lucy D out of the tree! Frightened, Lucy, Dandini and Emesto begin to cross the bridge to run home, but Osmin blocks their way.
The three Billy Goats try desperately with different tactics to save Lucy D and escape the path of the scary bully, Osmin. They gather up all their courage and try being rough and tough and marching over the bridge, but Osmin catches them and frightens them away. Then, with Lucy’s persuasion, they try something a little less conspicuous; the three Billy Goats try “tip-toeing” over the bridge. Still, Osmin remains in possession of Lucy D, and refuses to let Lucy, Dandini and Ernesto by. The Billy Goats are forced to return home the long way and get help from their parents.
Upon hearing Osmin’s voice from behind the “home-side” tree, Lucy stays behind and tries one last time to cross the bridge and save Lucy D. She confronts Osmin face to face and asks kindly to get her doll back. The polite approach doesn’t work well with Osmin and Lucy, frustrated by his stubbornness, confronts him on the bridge. With the aid of a squirt bottle, she pushes him into the swamp! Lucy then runs to rescue Lucy D out of the tree and notices a drenched and embarrassed Osmin sitting on a nearby tree stump. Out of the kindness of her heart, she asks him if he is hurt from the fall, and she is surprised when he asks the same question in return! Lucy replies that she is fine, but that Lucy D is a bit shaken up from all of the day’s activities and that her feelings are a bit hurt. Expecting Osmin to argue with her like Ernesto and Dandini, she is shocked when he acknowledges that dolls too, do have feelings, just like Billy Goats!
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