Scene 3 - Misty Dreams ---5 mins.

Scene Summary :

Alone in the candle-lit library of the Temple-- as the statue of the Goddess

looks on -- Ariadne puzzles over an isolated scroll concerning the "latter

days" of the Empire -- and a recurring dream concerning a "stranger from the

North" -- leading to the ballet song-dance: "A Long Way to Athens"

 

Setting :  Darkness on stage -- Ariadne’s voice can be heard echoing a single phrase repeatedly against misty, dreamlike music: as if pacing back and forth,

trying to solve a puzzle --

 

Ariadne: [ echoing in darkness ] “From a grove of myrtle shall the white horse come-- from a grove of myrtle shall the white horse -- the white horse -- From a

grove -- of myrtle -- ”

 

[Then lights come softly up on Princess, center stage - kneeling with scroll in hand -surrounded by vast number of other scrolls now visible on floor and shelves – as if she’s been rummaging all night --She stops – and speaks very clearly as she reads it intensely:]

 

“From a grove of myrtle shall the white horse come -- To meet the bull in

the land of two peoples -- Who seeks a gift, but brings one greater --

In the latter days -- the days of circles -- When the key to the ancient door lies

hidden....-- ( She looks up now, repeats :) ... ‘The Ancient Door ‘. .

 

(Now she turns to the altar backstage and approaches-- speaks appealingly to the Goddess statuette :)

 

Tell me  Mother Goddess - why does my father refuse to see me? Why does he allow his enemies to speak? Why do you send me dreams of a stranger ??

[Music begins, Ariadne now kneeling]

Tell me what is True, Mother Goddess -- who is this Northern Prince....

..... and what should he mean to me?

Song: A Long Way to Athens Track 4 – CD

Choreo notes : first – elaborate genuflection – leading to lyric section with this ‘pattern’:[ apparently the song is addressed to the glowing, goddess figurine -- ]

she sings out toward audience, but alternately turns or steps back to the ‘goddess’ figurine on the altar at center back – as if asking for some kind of approval.

[ this may be the only mother she has]

After the last song lyric she goes back to altar, with genuflect/meditation – and says :

“ Tell me what is True, Mother Goddess --Do you send me dreams…. or memories of the Future ? …”

 

 Then she comes up out of this for final ‘ballet / dance’ – with no lyrics --- lighting candles with ‘wand’ all around stage during dance.

Very big, live drums come in toward the end as ‘lit-up’ stage starts to fade.

Ariadne- with the wand - does whirling, Arabic spins to ‘sacred bow’….