THE THREE HERMITS
A Church Opera
Inspired by author Leo Tolstoy
A story of grace and humility
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Music: STEPHEN PAULUS
Libretto: MICHAEL DENNIS BROWNE
One Act
Three Scenes
Duration: One Hour
Excerpted Arias from The Three Hermits
Epigraph
"And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be
heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you
ask Him."
-Matthew, vi. 7, 8
Synopsis:
A bishop, accompanied by his mother and two nuns, is traveling on a ship across the White Sea
in Russia. Many pilgrims are also on board. Hearing a fisherman tell of three strange old hermits
who live on a remote island, the bishop resolves to go there and deliver some religious
instruction to them.
After being rowed ashore, the bishop spends the entire day on the island teaching the Lord's
Prayer to the hermits, who have considerable difficulty learning it. Finally satisfied that he has
done God's work, the bishop is rowed back to the ship at day's end and sails away from the
island. As the moon shines over the water and the bishop is sitting on deck with his mother, she
notices a disturbance behind them on the water. It turns out to be the three hermits, who are
running over the water toward them.
When the hermits arrive, they apologize to the bishop for having forgotten the words of the Lord's
Prayer after "Who art in heaven." Chastened, the bishop assures the old men that the way they
choose to pray is well-loved by God. The hermits then turn and run back over the water. The last
words we hear are those of their original prayer. "Three are Ye; three are we; have mercy on us!"
Reviews
"...Simple, direct and moving, The Three Hermits is based on a Tolstoy story derived from a folk
tale about a bishop, traveling with his flock, who is taught a spiritual lesson by three saintly,
childlike hermits.
Paulus, one of today's most accomplished opera composers, has set the story with fervent
simplicity, using modality to suggest religiosity...The result is a small jewel that could have an
important life with church and amateur groups around the country."
-Patrick J. Smith, Opera News
...a deceptively simple score with luminous choral writing and vocal lines that sing nicely, but
never mask the words."
-Michael Anthony, The Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Paulus's tonal language and vocally friendly writing keep the music accessible, while his
evocative orchestration and sense of line keep it interesting. The final chorus (Pilgrims' Hymn) is
a beautiful meditation on God's initiative."
-Scott Robinson, American Organist
"The Three Hermits is a 'miracle opera,' like Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors. While it was
not intended as a seasonal work, the opera is as moving as Menotti's Christmas classic, and it
could become a welcome addition to the Christmas repertory."
-John Michel, Skyway News
Cast of Characters :
Bishop, Baritone
Mother, Mezzo-Soprano
Sister Angelica, Soprano
Sister Miriam, Soprano
Fisherman, Tenor
Captain, Baritone
First Hermit, Tenor
Second Hermit, Baritone
Third Hermit, Tenor
Chorus of Pilgrims, SSAATTBB
Orchestra :
flute, oboe, clarinet, percussion, harp, organ, 2 violins, viola, cello, bass
Commission :
Commissioned and premiered April 24, 25, and 27, 1997, by
The House of Hope Presbyterian Church
St. Paul, Minnesota
To the glory of God
With gifts given by the family and friends of Richard McMillan
Recording :
The Three Hermits
d'Note Classics; DND 1025; 800-995-2657; www.dnote.com
Conducted by Thomas Lancaster
Motet Choir of House of Hope Presbyterian Church
Soloists: James McKeel, Miriam Langsjoen, Esther Heideman, Vicki Johnson, Marcia
Laningham, Mark Schowalter, Jon Harney, James Wintle, Corby Welch, John Bitterman, Phil
Jorgenson
Orchestra: The Saint Paul Sinfonietta
Leo Tolstoy
The Three Hermits
from Twenty-Three Tales
Leo Tolstoy, author of the epic works War and Peace and Anna Karenina, learned this tale from
Shchegolenkov, a wandering story-teller, in 1879; he finally wrote it down in 1885. This was at a
time when he was turning to folk-tales and simple stories as a way of imparting moral lessons to
the general population....
Some of the stories in his publication Twenty-Three Tales are original creations and some are
re-tellings. The road to Kiev, which was on the pilgrim route, passed near his estate, Yasnaya
Polyana, and he became fascinated with the speech of such people. In more than one case,
Tolstoy read a story at a pilgrims' inn and invited one of his listeners to re-tell it after his own
fashion. It was this version of the story which was finally published.
His son, Ilya, tells us the origin of The Three Hermits: "In the summer of 1879, the wandering
minstrel Shchegolenkov stayed with us....I always think of him sitting on the stone steps of the
veranda outside father's study. His endless stories delighted me and I loved to sit and gaze at his
long gray beard, which hung in twisted locks. These tales were imbued with remote antiquity, and
one felt in them the accumulation of centuries of sound wisdom...Papa used to listen to him with
great interest, every day making him recite something new, and Petrovich never failed to reply. He
was inexhaustible. Later Father borrowed several of these subjects for his popular tales."
-Michael Dennis Browne
Pilgrims' Hymn and the Libretto :
...With the exception of the last two verses in the opera, almost all the words which the pilgrims
sing are taken from the Russian Orthodox liturgy. It had always been my intention to close the
work with some original hymn words, based on the verses from the sixth chapter of Matthew
which form the epigraph to the work. When I heard Stephen's deeply stirring setting of the evening
hymn which closes the second scene, I proposed to him that I re-write my provisional words to
match the meter of this setting and that the melody might conceivably return at the conclusion of
the piece. He was willing to entertain this possibility and so it proved--the melody returns, now in
a new key, the "Thee" and the "Thou" have become "You," and in this way we modern pilgrims are
linked to those of another time and place, who sing, at the end of the work as at the beginning, a
song of homage, praise, and love to God.
-Michael Dennis Browne
Pilgrims' Hymn
Now that the day has come to a close,
I thank Thee, O Lord,
And I ask that the evening with the night
May be sinless;
Grant this to me, O grant this to me,
O Savior, and save me.
Glory to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
Now that the blessed day has passed,
I praise Thee, O Lord,
And I ask that the evening with the night
May be without blame;
Grant this to me, O grant this to me,
O Savior, and save me.
Both now and forever,
And unto ages of ages,
Amen.
(Russian Orthodox liturgy)
Even before we call on Your name
To ask You, O God,
When we seek for the words to glorify You,
You hear our prayer;
Unceasing love, O unceasing love,
Surpassing all we know.
Glory to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
Even with darkness sealing us in,
We breathe Your name,
And through all the days that follow so fast,
We trust in You;
Endless Your grace, O endless Your grace,
Beyond all mortal dream.
Both now and for ever,
And unto ages and ages,
Amen.
-Michael Dennis Browne
