This is the day

THIS IS THE DAY/DYMA'R DYDD

Alan Osborne

THE STORY AND SETTING OF THE ORATORIO

Opera: " President of the Immortals"

Opera Oratorio: - "This is the day"

A company of iron workers under the leadership of "Judah Pryce" meet with a company of slate workers from the North under the leadership of "Mary Judge" (Judah's sister). The 'Rebeccas' of mid and west Wales and the coal-miners of Pembrokeshire under the leadership of "John Judge" all meet as an ensemble at the secret valley of Rhydwilym - known for it's political and spiritual freedoms.

The dusts and fires of hell, disease, poisoned skies and deep loss have been enormous. They need to build a community with haste and send for their wives and children. Their community will be based on their Chartist Beliefs and the joy of music, secular and faith-based.

They are met by a pompous, drunken " Magistrate of the West" who sets the four conditions to achieve their acceptable asylum. The first condition is Ty un Nos, a shelter built in one evening and night. They are joined by two local itinerant minstrels "Seamus and Ruth" who are quite lawless and provocative but comical and helpful. That is the scond condition fulfilled. The third condition is vital - to receive approval of the ancient "Celtic Woman of the Woods;" she is the ruling spirit. The fourth condition is the throwing of a hammer to mark the length and breadth of their land.

Judah goes into the woods at night with fear and anger to meet the woman. He has had a premonition of this encounter- and so has the woman. They have shared the same dream: she tells him that she is his fortune not his fear - she grants him fortunes. The fortunes are love, dedication and passion that will renew his spirit and his suffering.

In the morning the magistrate comes - when the shelter is complete - but he focuses more on the approval of the woman of the woods. Judah says he has received fortunes. The magistrate is cynical - and has obviously gathered more information on the company. He wants proof, and makes aggressive claims against Judah's leadership, calling him a "ghost hunter" a child story believer - there is no woman! He is a political liar unfit to lead his people. The chorus.ensemble respond to all the magistrate's vicious attacks. These attacks may amount to their claim for asylum being denied.

The whole ensemble is stopped by a "cyfarwydd" - a transformation of the time and space. The woman enters and tells them and us, that the power of nature must be respected. This change has affected both sides with the magistrate awakening and granting access to their new found land - as much as they need - as long as they " put it back after it's use."

The " Narrator" tells us finally that the events of this day in the land of song and conflict will always be played out by the power of nature's memory into the near and distant future.

The narrator is joined by Seamus and Ruth and their mother - the woman of the woods and they silently leave the choal ensemble to follow their own destiny.