An Opera for Children in One Act, Five Scenes
Libretto by Michael Dennis Browne, after an original story
Duration: 45 minutes


"Harmoonia," a deliciously funny opera (with a witty libretto)...is powered by a rich mix of
traditional opera arias, a catchy singalong piece, "Singalo, Singalay," quantities of spacey
boops, beeps and booms, plus some lively electronic and sound effects.  The story concerns an
invisible Earth moon called Harmoonia whose inhabitants are threatened by the villain
Oharmo, bent upon stealing melody, harmony and everything else musical from Harmoonia
and its heroic leader, Sofiria." -- Joan Bunke, Muscatine Journal



Synopsis:

The opera begins on Earth one winter's day as Betty and Bob are shopping in a department
store.  As they step into an elevator, they find themselves transported to Harmoonia, an
invisible moon which circles Earth.

The leader of Harmoonia, Sofiria, transported Betty and Bob from Earth with the help of her
magic crystal.  She explains that a villainous character, The Oharmo, has stopped all singing
and harmony of Harmoonia, out of his ambition to be the only singer, and out of fear of the
beauty of harmony.

Sofiria hopes that Betty and Bob can teach the Harmoonians to sing again and break The
Oharmo's spell.  However, Betty and Bob are not singers and it becomes necessary to
transport their children, Sally and Sam, up to Harmoonia to sing in their place.

The effort of this second transportation appears to kill Sofiria, and now The Oharmo has
prepared a rocket, assembling the Harmoonians for deportation.  But when Sally and Sam
sing their song, and everyone joins in (including the revived Sofiria!), he is overwhelmed and
disintegrates in an off-stage explosion.  

The Harmoonians are saved and this invisible moon is once again a place of harmony, as the
family boards the rocket to return to Earth.



Cast of Characters:  

Betty, the mother

Bob, the father

Sofiria, Priestess and leader of Harmoonia

The Oharmo, an evil creature on Harmoonia

The Oharmolets (3), ages 8-9

Sally, 10-year-old, daughter of Betty and Bob

Sam, 11-year-old, son of Betty and Bob
Soprano

Baritone  

Mezzo Soprano  

Bass-Baritone  

Acting roles to be selected  
in advance  from the audience  

Soprano  

Tenor   

Note:  Each Oharmolet carries a small, mechanical-looking device when he or she is on stage
with The Oharmo. Two of these, the Laughter Machine and the Applause Machine, are cued
by The Oharmo (with actual sounds coming from a tape recording back stage). The third
device, the Harmony Detector, should be equipped with a flashing red light that can be turned
on by the Oharmolet by means of a simple switch or button.  

Scored for: Piano and synthesizer (one player)
Synthesized sounds also available on cassette


Commissioned by Des Moines Metro Opera for Opera Iowa,
with a deeply appreciated gift from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
Published by Paulus Publications

Premiered by Opera Iowa, Des Moines Metro Opera
Muscatine, Iowa
February 23, 1991