CAST (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

ACT I, SCENE I (1609) Where it all begins

Philip III, the King of Spain announces his plan to expulse the Moors (Moriscos) from Spain. The Archbishop and the Viceroy of Valencia agree while Queen Margaret of Austria and a representative of the Valencian nobles are against the idea.

ACT I, SCENE II (20 years later) Victory mixed with sadness

The Moorish pirates are holding a funeral for some companions who died in a fight against the Christians in which they have taken prisoners. They sing to Allah and Mohammed about revenge against the Christians and then prepare to set sail. They sing about the prisoners’ riches and potential for fetching a good ransom, and not tempting fate by talking about it. Osmán sings about a woman he loves and what he’d do if he were rich. Saïd asks him if he wants to leave and he says he has no money. Saïd gives him a ring from one of the prisoners. Saíd sings that they’re Allah’s soldiers, and not lovers and some of the crew complain that he’s unfair. Idriss, the cabin boy complains that Saïd has promised him many things but that he’s never been given anything.

ACT I, SCENE III Hunger and thirst

The Christian prisoners beg for water. They are injured and hungry and wonder what will happen to them. The father, and Viceroy of Valencia, says the best that can happen to them is that they die soon. If they are sold as slaves, they’ll suffer longer. Ferran, Blanca’s fiancé offers his support to Blanca.

ACT I, SCENE IV Revelations

The Moorish pirates bring up the captives to find out who they are. The Viceroy lies and say he’s a Barcelona businessman. Idriss, the cabin boy, tells the pirates who the Viceroy really is and they cut off one of his ears for lying (he had sworn his identity on his daughter’s cross) Saïd tells the pirates to treat the prisoners gently, with white gloves.

ACT I, SCENE V Rumblings of discontent

The pirates sing about their exploits. They’re “heroes, warriors and killers”. The song ends when some pirates complain about Saïd, saying he’s cheating them. Osmán suggests bringing up the captives to rape them, which they do. Hassen, Saïd’s “watch dog” tries to stop them, Saïd interrupts their fun, and has Malek (keeper of the keys) lashed and demoted. He gives the keys to Joanot. He sends everyone to bed and tells Hassen to try to treat Blanca’s wounds. Joanot sings about being half-Christian, half-Muslim and his survival, thanks to his cunning. He’s triumphant about the Captain’s giving him the keys and all it represents.

ACT I, SCENE VI The awakening

Blanca awakes. She’s in Saïd’s cabin. Hassen and Saïd are sleeping. She tries to kill them with her cross/dagger, but Idriss stops her and claims that he has rescued the captain. Until he sees the dagger, Saïd doesn’t believe she would have killed him. Once he sees it, he thanks Idriss for saving him, saying he owes him his life. Idriss doesn’t pay attention, saying Saïd has already promised him many things before, which he has not come through with. Just that he should kill Blanca. She asks him to kill her, because she thinks he is a terrible person.

ACT I, SCENE VII Flashback

In a flashback, Saïd sings about his childhood, and how happy the Muslims were until the Christians came, killing his father before expulsing the women and children and killing his mother. His mother sings about why the Christians hate them: for praying to their god, for wearing their clothes, for speaking their language, for bathing regularly, and that Saïd should hate them for killing his parents (then she’s killed).

ACT I, SCENE VIII Pity and more?

Saïd is amazed at Blanca’s reaction. They sing Why did I cry, why did she cry?

ACT I, SCENE IX Recriminations and accusations

Blanca returns to the other Christians and asks her father why the Moors had been expelled from Spain, when they hadn’t done anything and shouldn’t have been so badly treated. Her whole family is horrified.

ACT I, SCENE X Innocence and more mutiny

Idriss, the Cabin boy offers an apple to Maria, Blanca’s younger sister. They are acting like kids and Idriss lets slip the fact that Saïd’s going to buy her sister, Blanca. The pirates discover Idriss with Maria and react (Saïd had forbidden any interaction with the prisoners). There’s the beginning of a revolt and fighting, but then Idriss sees land (Algeria).

ACT I, SCENE XI Land

The pirates sing about their life on the sea, the support of the queen of the night (the moon and the flag) the waves, the water, dominating the Christians, etc. in this showstopper.

ACT II, SCENE I Nightmare and belonging and still more mutiny

Blanca has a nightmare. Saïd wakes her up. She says she doesn’t want to wake up and asks him to kill her, he refuses. She says she’s just a slave, he says not. That he’s secretly taking them to be freed because she’s shown she’s not like other Christians. He’ll risk everything for her. They declare their love in the song No estàs sola. (I’m not alone. With you I’m the world. You are the sea, I am the sky) The pirates discover them. Malek declares himself captain in name of the pirates. They repeat the refrain that they’re Allah’s soldiers, not lovers, what Saïd had said before.

ACT II, SCENE II Betrayal

Joanot offers to help the prisoners in exchange for the title of marquis, money and respectability. He gives them the keys and weapons.

ACT II, SCENE III More betrayal

Hassen sings a lament about the fact that he has betrayed Saïd. He is attacked from behind and knifed by Joanot. Before dying he tells Idriss to untie Saïd, that the Christians are taking over the ship. All are shot, including Idriss who forgives Saïd’s debts to him (Allah will reward him) before dying in his arms.

ACT II, SCENE IV True love and Tragedy

The Christians have taken over the ship and pray for domination over the heathen Moors. Saïd is brought up and sees that Joanot was the traitor. Saïd is about to be hung and asks to say goodbye to Blanca. At first she doesn’t say anything then begs her father for mercy for Saïd. If he must die, she wants to die too. Her father says to tie her up. She takes her cross/dagger and threatens to kill herself. She tells them that Saïd had been planning to save them. Her father gives her a few minutes to decide if she’d rather live or die. Her sisters try to reason with her. They don’t understand what she’s doing. Blanca can’t believe their superficiality. Ferran says he admires her faithfulness to Saïd, but that her life is with him, not Saïd. Saïd tells her he’s ready to die, he appreciates her heroism, but its not necessary. BUT, if Ferran agrees to let him go, he’ll swim to Algeria. Ferran agrees, in exchange for Blanca´s agreement to marry him, as if none of this had happened. She agrees, since she’d rather have Saïd live than die. While she and Saïd are saying their goodbyes, her father sees them and shoots him in the back. She then stabs herself. Ferran accuses the Viceroy of murdering his daughter in pride, rather than forgiving and trying to understand the situation. They bury the two lovers in the sea. (Al mar?, asks Joanot. Al Cel!, says the Viceroy)

ACT II, SCENE V Ghosts

Maria hears voices. They’re the voices of the dead pirates. They sing that the sea is their graveyard. The sea is disheartened and the sky is in pain from the horror of death and hatred. Peace found in darkness is all they’ve achieved. The story of Blanca and Saïd’s tragic love will be remembered.