Opera-to-Be

Sorry, guys. I really am working on a more meaningful post, but I'm trying to get pictures to go with it, and things keep going wrong. Until then, however, I do have a really interesting and TRUE story that I learned about in my Music 101 class. (We only talked about it because Bro. Brown really wants one of his students to turn it into an opera.)

Okay, so you all know Lucy Mack-Smith, right? Well, she had a brother named Jason. This is his story:

Once upon a time there was a young man named Jason Mack. He was a very hardworking man, helping with his father's business, and he had a lot going for him in life. But one day, he met a girl, and that changed everything.

Her name was Esther. She was beautiful and talented and Jason was immediately enamored with her. He found excuses to be around her and soon enough he caught her eye. As is the way of things, they fell madly in love with each other. They enjoyed a long, delightful courtship and one day Jason finally asked Esther to marry him. She said yes.

Jason returned home to his father positively glowing with his happy news, but his father had something else in mind. Jason's father needed to go to Europe for business, you see, and very much desired that Jason come with him, since Jason would one day inherit the company and needed to learn more about management. If Jason went, he would be gone for over a year. Devastated, Jason broke the news to Esther. The lovers despaired, but decided that Jason should go to Europe with his father, and Esther would wait for him. Exchanging vows of love and loyalty, Jason sailed away.

Esther and Jason wrote frequent and passionate letters back and forth for about six months, but then Jason stopped writing. Esther was very worried, and waited anxiously for a few months more before she finally received another letter. This letter, however, brought her no joy. The letter was a condolence, explaining gently that Jason had lost his life in a tragic accident. Esther's heart snapped in two.

All of Esther's friends came to offer comfort, but one friend in particular paid her more attention than the rest. This friend, a young man, eventually not only healed Esther's heart but took it for himself. They had a very quick courtship and very soon after were married. Esther thought she had finally found her happy ending.

That was when Jason came back.

Yes, it turns out Jason was not dead after all. He showed up at Esther's house about a year later with a bundle of love only to find his betrothed already married to another man. He was heartbroken and filled with rage. Esther was bewildered and lost. Her husband, however, was unsurprised to see Jason.

You see, Esther's new husband used to be the Post Master. During Jason's absence he had been the mail-carrier, and he knew what was going on between Jason and Esther. But he wanted Esther for himself. So he started intercepting Jason's letters, making sure that Esther would never see them and would start to think Jason had stopped writing. Then he himself wrote the letter explaining Jason's fictitious death. Then he made his move and married Esther for himself.


Jerk.


Jason left in a tempest of rage. He returned to the sea and became a sailor, and he died without ever marrying. Esther, torn from her true love and married to the man who had separated them, withered and died in six months.


The End.


Now, that would be a great opera, huh? I'm considering writing it myself, except that I know nothing about writing music. Maybe I'll hook up with my little sister Sam. She's quite the composer, you know. I could write the poetry and she could write the music. And then we'd both be famous and rich and able to send our parent to really nice asylums when they get old and crazy. (Just kidding, Mom and Dad.) . . . (Maybe.)