Synopsis Manifest Destiny 2011

1 synopsis

1.1 act 1
1.2 act 2
1.3 act 3

synopsis

the action takes place in london, palestine, afghanistan, white house in washington, d.c., , camp x-ray, guantanamo bay.

act 1

scene 1 – london

the palestinian poet leila , british jewish composer daniel living partners in london, leila writing libretto daniel s music. however, not well. daniel gradually going blind, , considers condition response trauma of world events. these dominated seemingly unavoidable clash between west , retaliatory terrorism of third world, perceives spiritual values under threat. (aria: o israel .) leila affected. sees iniquities of post-9/11 world , growing war on terror have pushed pro-palestinian political activism. has decided pursue of martyrdom part of personal jihad.

torn between love daniel , loyalty palestine, leila chooses leave daniel , return middle east join cell of islamic suicide bombers. (duet: ve been crying .) daniel attempts persuade otherwise adamant (duet: revenge futile ) , after harrowing debate, 2 part (duet: beginning of world, night ). daniel plunges despair, blindness takes hold. (aria: these? ) sense of responsibility intensifies, ability act paralyzed loss of leila, unfinished poem on struggle freedom , justice inspiration.

scene 2 – palestine

leila has joined friend mohammed in suicide bomb cell. expecting sent out on suicide mission, surprised when mohammed reveals has fallen in love her. (song: not yet, leila, not yet .) inspired leila s power of creativity (which considers greater power of violence) believes poetic vision, not power kill, true duty islam. having sabotaged cell s bomb supply (thus ending mission terrorists) attempts dissuade chosen course.

leila realises has confused passion cause friendship mohammed, , still in love daniel. (duet: confused – passion fight .) rejecting mohammed, leila leaves, choosing pursue own jihad further afield in afghanistan. left alone, mohammed reasserts love of leila more powerful commitment martyrdom. (aria: pain real – greater grief of islam ). in growing state of enlightenment, completes rejection of previous violent course , draws on new interpretation of own islamic beliefs foresee non-violent way forward, including peace tolerance , harmony. unsure of leila s ability follow same course, decides must save herself ( islam , man ) , follows afghanistan.

act 2

scene 1 – white house, washington, d.c.

in oval office of white house, newly elected president seen celebrating cia director carlos masueda after president s inaugural ball. (duet: oval office! ) muse idly , flippantly growing global ambitions. (duet: begin, mrs president? ) during masueda reveals aims of manipulating middle east , imply masueda himself involved in staging 9/11 attacks. masueda tempts president telling can become first american emperor .

scene 2 – afghanistan/london

in parallel scenes, daniel (in london) , leila (in afghanistan) call out memory of each other. (aria: cold on mountain top , duet: oh daniel! ) meanwhile, mohammed (who has followed leila afghanistan) captured american forces. masueda, has flown out there supervise operations, interrogates , beats him, newly pacific mohammed embraces torturer , pledges loyalty.

leila recalls how european americans destroyed native americans sake of gold manifest destiny policy, , fears similar fate awaits arabs sake of oil. (aria: century western nations have brought terror arabia ) pleads arabs want live in beauty of beliefs . in separate worlds, daniel, leila, mohammed , masueda muse on situation (quartet: parallels ).

mohammed decides betray leila forces (duet: can give leading terrorist ). privately, reasons if imprisoned save life , that, if still intending suicide bomber, ensure cannot kill others. however, decision causes him anguish , doubt (aria: blind... ) in london, daniel sings of continuing faith in leila (aria: leila, redeemer of memory ).

the final image of act 2 of leila pinned in beam of helicopter searchlight captured american forces.

act 3

scene 1 – white house, washington, d.c.

with masueda s return america, moral struggle develops between him , president. in display of conscience, expresses misgivings attacking arabian states, , fears mother children of arabia . (duet: feel uncertain ) masueda explains situation (duet: mrs president – arabians have oil ). states these resources belong world , america, on behalf of world, must rescue resources. sweeps aside president s protests, claiming conflict last beyond term of office , , insists signs authorization war.

as signs, interrupted sudden arrival of mohammed, has convinced captors of value double agent. (trio: mrs p, meet mohammed! ) duly dispatched guantanamo bay new american masters, believe big catch extract secrets detainees there. carried away moment, masueda announces new manifest destiny applies ( bums on our campuses! ) , beginning of full spectrum dominance – pre-emptive strikes against .

left alone, mohammed reveals true motive. following leila s capture , imprisonment, wishes follow guantanamo seeks forgiveness betrayal of her, , redemption actions. (aria: when betrayed leila )

scene 2 – camp x-ray, guantanamo bay (leila s cell)

masueda travels guantanamo – in advance of mohammed – continue leila s interrogation in beats , mocks (duet: this? s not poetry. ) spirit broken, leila pleas end suffering (aria: let me die ). despite himself, masueda moved kind of remorse. declaring no, save unbinds , goes in search of water. left alone, leila sings of how war has despoiled homeland , people (aria: there tree in mother s garden ).

masueda returns wash leila s feet. assures , people safe once country has been conquered , restructured american standards. (aria: not here hurt ). however, leila s journey through idealism, rage, capture, torment , imprisonment has been her. announces when over, ll dead .

scene 3 – camp x-ray, guantanamo bay (a waiting room)

several days later, mohammed arrives on mission white house. waits patiently see leila, , daydreams of forgiveness , new life them in america (aria: waiting in room ). masueda comes waiting room meet him, , mohammed announces has come leila (duet: mohammed ). masueda reveals mohammed late. leila has killed herself, having hanged herself in cell. grief-stricken mohammed demands leila s manuscript (duet: no, death s breathing life ) , masueda gives him. mohammed departs manuscript.

scene 4 – london

outside daniel s london studio, dawn has arrived. sun rises, little little daniel s sight miraculously returns. (aria: today light comes dripping honey d thread ) overjoyed, although wonders why has happened leila still not returned , world not mended yet .

in flood of brilliant light, mohammed arrives guantanamo. hands apprehensive daniel leila s libretto (duet: name mohammed ). on front, daniel reads words manifest destiny . mohammed reasserts daniel s mission set words music. @ point, mysterious veiled woman appears. theia, describes herself friend , reveals 3 of them have work do, creating work of art , harmony heal world. 3 leave together, final outcome unresolved.