2000
CD Preview
The 2000 production of "Space Opera" by the North Cambridge Family Opera Company was performed by two different casts. We have recorded and created a CD for each cast, and these CDs are now available for purchase. The highly compressed MP3 recordings below allow you to preview the entire opera at modest fidelity.
The Bridge of a Rebel Blockade Runner
Princess Leia Organa leads the crew of a Rebel blockade runner, which is under attack from an Imperial Warship as they orbit the desert planet Tatooine.
Leia loads stolen Death Star plans into R2-D2, a "droid" (robot) and sends him off to the planet surface to find Obi-Wan Kenobi, an old Jedi knight.
R2-D2's beleaguered sidekick, C-3PO, searches frantically for R2-D2 and accompanies him to Tatooine.
The Rebel blockade runner is seized and boarded by Imperial Stormtroopers.
Darth Vader interrogates Princess Leia. When she will not reveal the location of the Rebel base, Vader orders the destruction of Leia's home planet Alderaan.
Leia and the Rebels mourn their captivity and the impending destruction of Alderaan.
The Home of Luke Skywalker on Tatooine
Luke Skywalker is an orphaned teenage boy who yearns for adventure, but he is stuck on Tatooine with his aunt and uncle.
Luke purchases two droids from a group of Jawas.
The droids turn out to be R2-D2 and C-3PO, who tell Luke all about how they came to Tatooine. R2-D2 runs away after Luke goes to bed.
The next morning, Luke demands to know why R2-D2 is missing.
C-3PO explains that R2-D2 is looking for Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Vader and the Stormtroopers arrive after Luke and C-3PO have left to search for R2-D2. Vader orders the destruction of the Skywalker home and the murder of all inside.
The Desert, near the Home of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine
Luke and C-3PO find R2-D2 in the desert, then are greeted by Obi-Wan Kenobi.
R2-D2 plays Princess Leia's message to Obi-Wan. Luke is struck by Leia's regal beauty and urges Obi-Wan to bring the Death Star plans to Alderaan for Leia.
Obi-Wan agrees to help Leia. He tells the story of Luke's father, Anakin, who was killed by Darth Vader. Obi-Wan gives Luke his father's light saber and asks him to accompany him to Alderaan.
Luke agrees to follow Obi-Wan.
Mos Eisley Spaceport
Luke, Obi-Wan and the two droids make their way past security to the Cantina, where they hope to hire a ship to take them to Alderaan.
The mercenary Han Solo boasts of his piloting and smuggling skills.
Han and Obi-Wan come to terms, but before Han can slip out of the Cantina, he runs into Jabba the Hutt, a local crime boss to whom Han owes money.
Jabba impresses upon Han the seriousness of his debt, and also advises him that Vader's men are on their way.
Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers arrive too late to stop Han and Chewbacca from taking off with Luke, Obi-Wan and the droids.
The Bridge of the Millennium Falcon
Han Solo pilots his ship precariously past the Imperial fleet waiting for them in orbit. Once they are safely past light speed, Obi-Wan begins to teach Luke about the Force and being a Jedi knight.
Obi-Wan is suddenly stricken as he perceives a great disturbance in the Force.
When Han and his passengers arrive at Alderaan, they find the planet destroyed by the Death Star, a giant space station built by the Empire. Their ship is captured and taken aboard the Death Star.
In the Hangar Bay of the Death Star
The Stormtroopers on the Death Star can't find the crew on the ship they've just captured and don't know how to proceed. Two Stormtroopers stay to guard the ship.
Emerging from hidden compartments in the ship, Chewbacca overcomes the guards, and Han and Luke put on the Stormtrooper uniforms. R2-D2 links to the main computer and finds the location of the tractor beam. Obi-Wan sets off to deactivate the tractor beam, which would allow the others to escape.
Knowing he will not return, Obi-Wan says goodbye to Luke.
R2-D2, still linked with the main computer, discovers where Princess Leia is being held. C-3PO urges Han and Luke to try to rescue her. Han is reluctant, but Luke convinces him that doing so would be very lucrative. Han hatches a plan to save Leia.
In and around the Detention Cells of the Death Star
Chewbacca, masquerading as a prisoner, is escorted to the cell block where Leia is being held by Han and Luke, who are still dressed as Stormtroopers.
Han, Luke and Chewbacca overcome the prison guards, and Luke goes to Leia's cell to rescue her.
Luke frees Leia from her cell.
Han and Chewbacca join Luke and Leia in the cell block as they retreat from the Stormtroopers' attack. Leia criticized the poor planning of their rescue effort and blasts a hole in the cell block wall to create an escape route.
In the Corridors of the Death Star
Having deactivated the tractor beam, Obi-Wan meets Darth Vader. As the two prepare to do battle, Obi-Wan demands to know why Vader, once a good man, has turned to the Dark Side.
Vader, having waited years to face Obi-Wan, figures he can wait another five minutes, and so he provides a long-winded answer to Obi-Wan's question.
Vader and Obi-Wan do battle as the Stormtroopers guarding Han's ship look on fascination. Han, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca and the droids take advantage of the distraction and slip onto the ship as Vader strikes down Obi-Wan.
On the Bridge of the Millennium Falcon
With the tractor beam deactivated, Han is able to pilot his ship away from the Death Star. Han and Luke fight their way past the sentry ships and jump to light speed. Han is jubilant, but Leia is skeptical.
Luke grieves for Obi-Wan.
Han and his passengers arrive at Yavin 4, where the Rebel Base is located. However, they have been tracked, and the Death Star is following close behind.
The War Room on Yavin Four
General Dodonna addresses the Rebels as they prepare to do battle against the Death Star. Although heavily fortified against attack from large ships, the Death Star is vulnerable to a small fighter firing a missile into a small reactor vent.
Luke prepares to join the fight with the Rebels, but Han elects to leave.
The Battle of Yavin IV rages, with the Rebels taking heavy losses. Only one fighter gets through to the reactor vent, but its shot is wide of the mark.
Luke approaches the target, but Vader's fighter is right behind him. Just before Vader can fire at Luke, Han's ship appears from nowhere and knocks Vader off course.
As Luke prepares to fire, he hear Obi-Wan's voice urging him to use the Force instead of his targeting computer. Luke's missiles hit their mark.
The Rebels rejoice in the destruction of the Death Star, honor their heroes, and pay homage to the memory of Obi-Wan Kenobi.