Vera Troshneva. "The Cat's House"

A play for young and old, in four parts, based on an old Russian folktale.

The music for “ Cat’s house” ballet was written in 1998 as my diploma work. It’s a Christmas fair tale for children and adultes with cheerful and sometimes somewhat sad music and a happy end. I wrote the music and libretto myself. The ballet is made up of 4 scenes with 12 solo parties and corps-de-ballet. The music score was compiled for a full symphony orchestra, the piano version is also available. Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Part 1.
1. The scene is a town square on a winter morning. To the right is the house of Glafira the cat. It is newly built, and has two storeys and a balcony. Presently another cat, Basil, walks into the square - he is Glafira's butler. He stretches himself, then picks up a broom and commences sweeping up in front of Glafira's house. Suddenly Glafira appears on the balcony, having just woken up. Basil has been passionately in love with Glafira for a long time, constantly dreaming of her, and when he sees her he impulsively rushes towards the house, gazing up at her with intense longing. But she isn't the least bit interested, and sternly tells him to get on with his work. Basil continues with his sweeping. At first he is sad, but soon begins to imagine that the broom is his beloved Glafira and, holding it tenderly, he waltzes around the square. However, his daydream is brought to a sudden end as Glafira rings a bell and summons him to the house. Dejectedly he obeys her command.
2. It is a bright sunny winters day, and many townsfolk are out enjoying the warmth. A group of piglets are scampering around throwing snowballs. One group, Mrs. Pig, Mr. Cock, Mrs. Hen and Mr and Mrs Goat, stroll along talking amongst themselves and admiring Glafira's new house. The piglets keep interrupting their discussion and try to get Mrs. Pig to join their game, but she tells them to go away. Suddenly the sound of a trumpet is heard, and the people clap and cheer as the fire brigade marches to the centre of the square. The fire brigade band starts to play a waltz and the people dance around the square. After a while Basil appears and, with an air of great importance, hands out invitations to a house- warming party which Glafira is planning. Soon, the townsfolk cease dancing and bid each other farewell as darkness falls.
3. It is the evening of the same day. Basil comes out to light the street lamp in front of Glafira's house and hurries inside again as a snow -storm begins. Two shabbily dressed kittens appear - they are Glafira's poor nephews and have come to ask their aunt for help. They ring the doorbell and Basil appears, dressed in a dinner jacket. He listens to their plea, then solemnly explains that their aunt Glafira is about to host a big party and won't be able to see them. The kittens plead with Basil to let them in but he is unmoved. He tells them that Glafira would be very angry if their dirty feet soiled the carpet in the sitting room and shuts the door in their faces. Realizing that nobody wants them, they start to leave, then decide to knock on the door once more because they are freezing and shivering from the cold. This time Basil is angry and drives the kittens away with a broom. Seeing that their aunt Glafira will not help them, they collect their belongings and leave.
Part 2.
4. The scene is the sitting room in Glafira's house, with portraits hung around the walls. Glafira is in front of the mirror, trying on new dresses and hats, and she is so absorbed in this that she doesn't notice Basil enter the room. Basil once more tells Glafira of his love for her but she mocks him, saying that he's too common for her, the descendant of pure - bred aristocratic cats. Again he begs her not to turn him down and she becomes very angry and scratches him. At this moment the door bell rings and Glafira orders Basil to open it. As he moves to comply, he stops at the threshold and casts a longing look at Glafira, but she stamps her feet and he leaves, licking his wounds.
Divertismento.
5. Minuet. Lots of guests are arriving at Glafira's house, to attend her house - warming party and see in the new year. They are entering the sitting room in pairs - there are Mr. Cock and Mrs. Hen, Mr. and Mrs. Goat , and Mr. Pig with three piglets. They bow deeply and give presents to Glafira.
6. The cock and hens dance.
7. Glafira's Oriental dance.
8. Mr. and Mrs. Goat's polka. Basil serves wine and food to the guests.
9. The dance of Mr. Pig and the piglets.
10. Glafira's dance. At the end of this dance Mr. Cock, who has had too much to drink, approaches Glafira and declares his love for her. She tells him to leave.
11. The Drunk Tango of Glafira and Mr. Cock. At the end of this dance Cock falls to the floor and is dragged away by Basil, with assistance from Mrs. Hen.
12. The Russian dance of Glafira and the Mr. Goat, to a Russian folk song.
Mr. Cock's place is taken by Mr. Goat, also somewhat the worse for drink. He forgets about Glafira and begins to dance by himself, whirling ever faster until he too falls to the floor.
13. Seeing that the situation is becoming somewhat embarrassing, Basil tries to improve matters by playing a cheerful Strauss polka on the gramophone. The guests start dancing, quietly at first but gradually the tempo increases until they are whirling around the room with wild abandon and loud drunken laughter. In the riotous melee, a candle is knocked over and sets the curtains afire. The drunken revellers immediately panic and start dashing around the room. Glafira asks them to help her save some belongings, but they just grab a few useless things, including some of the presents they'd just given her, and rush madly from the burning house. Glafira then faints. Soon the fireman arrive and, with Basils assistance, try to put out the fire, but to no avail. When Glafira recovers, she sees the smouldering ruins of her house. All her friends have left, except for her devoted Basil, who holds her in his arms and tries to comfort her as she sobs loudly. Presently they leave the scene.
Part 3.
15. Interlude. The firemen march across the stage, leaving only Glafira, with Basil at her side. Still in shock, Glafira starts to do a waltz, thinking that she is still at the party, but soon the reality of her loss sinks in and she realizes that she has nowhere to spend the night. Crying bitterly, she looks once more at the ruins of her house, and then, with Basil at her side, she slowly sets off to find some lodgings for the night.
16. The night on the street.
Glafira's friends live in three modest sized houses.
17. Glafira and Basil approach the first house and knock on the door. Mr. Cock and Mrs. Hen come to the door. They express sympathy for Glafira's plight and pledge their friendship and loyalty. However, when Glafira asks whether she and Basil can stay the night, Hen and Cock bow deeply and close the door.
18. Basil knocks on the door of the second house, and Mr. Goat answers, holding a flower pot. He is still merrily drunk and doesn't understand Glafira's disastrous situation. Presently Mrs. Goat comes down see what's going on, and she angrily remonstrates with her husband and orders him to go inside before slamming the door.
19. The two cats knock at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Pig. Mrs. Pig answers and is not pleased at being woken up at such a late hour, despite Glafira's attempts to explain her plight. Suddenly the three piglets, awoken by the sound of voices, run out the door and start to frolic around Glafira, throwing snowballs at her.
20. Glafira's grief.
Mrs. Pig scolds the piglets, chases them back into the house and tells them to get back to bed. Presently she returns, gives Glafira a coin and closes the door.
Now Glafira realizes that she is homeless and that her friends don't care.
Part 4.
21. Introductions.
The kittens are at home decorating their New Year tree. The furniture of their house is sparse and poor, but the kittens are happy as they look forward to New Years day. Suddenly there is a knock at the door and, opening it, the kittens see Basil standing there. He explains that he is now homeless, apologizes to the kittens for turning them away when they were seeking shelter and asks for their forgiveness.
22. Saraband. The kittens accept Basil's apology, whereupon he asks Glafira to come to the door. She feels very guilty and also offers the kittens an apology as she cries and tells them of the misfortune she has suffered. They tell her that they have already forgiven her and care about her very much.
23 Glafira and the kittens, Glafira and Basil. Taking a chance once more, Basil tells Glafira of his love for her, and this time she returns his feelings, telling him that she loves him too. The clock strikes midnight, ushering in the new year.
24. Glafira, Basil and the kittens are so happy. They embrace each other lovingly and start dancing. Soon, however, the kittens get tired and Glafira gently lulls them to sleep. Everyone is content.
25. Bows.