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Act one
1 OVERTURE
An old celtic legend tells that Merlin is born when the Devil, wanting a representative on earth, seduces a princess. Although Merlin is born with mystical powers as a result of this union, the evil magic is eliminated when his mother has him baptised as soon as he is born thus leaving only the powers of good inside her son.
2 AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING
The story jumps into the future and finds the devil, Merlin’s father, disguised as a harmless minstrel wandering around the enchanted forest. He first meets Gwendolyn, the wife who Merlin deserted in favour of a solitary life, and then Ganieda, the troubled sister so worried about her brother and his apparent madness. Both women sing of their distress and lonliness and the devil seeing this weakness is quick to take advantage and befriends both of them.
3 WINTER LAMENT
Life in the forest for Merlin is hard as winter sets in and he finds himself without food and shelter. Thanks to his ability to communicate with animals, Merlin discovers, for the first time, how to overcome the laws of nature and midst the freezing winter snow makes a fruit bearing tree grow.
4 THE MUSICIAN ARRIVES
In the meantime Ganeida, Merlin’s sister, has fallen for the charms of the ’minstrel’ and has asked him to
help persuade her brother to return home where he will be safe and warm. The devil arrives in the forest and manages to force Merlin back to his sister’s house. A leaf from a tree in
the forest falls into Ganeida’s hair and unknowingly she carries it with her when she returns.
5 TRICKED / MUST YOU LEAVE SO SOON?
Merlin finds himself in the house of his sister and his brother in- law, her husband Rydderch. He has been tricked by the magic of the devil and as a result expresses his anger and dismisses their sentiments. As a sort of revenge, or maybe in the long run to save his sister from a worse fate, he draws Rydderch’s attention to the leaf in Ganeida’s hair and then goes on to reveal the
circumstances in which it got there. Rydderch doesn’t know whether to be more angry at his wife for betraying him or at his brother in-law for drawing his attention publicly to the situation. Finally Merlin is asked to leave and he happily returns to the forest.
6 FREE FOR ANOTHER
Merlin’s wife, lonely and abandoned, expresses her love for her husband but also sings of a new love. She has met a man who, although is rather strange, seems to feel a passion for her that Merlin never has done. She sends a friend into the forest to ask Merlin if she should wait for him to maybe one day return or if she is free to marry her new love. Merlin gives his consent to the new marriage, but this is before he, and Gwendolyn, realise that the man in question is the devil himself.
7 THE WEDDING MARCH
The demons prepare their master for his forthcoming wedding and their dance becomes a true wedding march as the bride, Gwendolen, arrives with her cortege. During the ceremony she is saved from her fate by the appearance of Merlin who challenges and seemingly defeats the Devil. Merlin evokes the powers of good against evil to save the kingdom and prepare to receive the chosen King Arthur.
8 OUR TIME IS NOW
Now that it seems the devil has disappeared, King Arthur knows that it is time to renew his friendship and collaboration with Merlin. The king and the wiseman join forces to face the future together.
Act two
1 FAIRIES DANCE
The spirits of the forest dance to pay hommage to their queen, Vivian.
2 MADMAN SINGS
Merlin expresses his doubts and fears, understanding neither his true identity, his true responsability or his true power. He calls upon Arthur to give him a sign, to help him understand, and he calls upon a magic spirit, a woman as yet unknown to him, a woman whose destiny will be inextricably linked with his.
3 SONG FOR THE NEW DAY (TREE OF LIFE)
Again the fairies and spirits of the forest dance to celebrate the new day. At a distance Merlin observes and in their midst spots Vivian, the woman he is destined to meet.
4 MERLIN AND VIVIAN
Destiny is fulfilled and Vivian asks Merlin for a sign that his love will remain true forever. He gives her a magic necklace made from the leaves of a golden willow tree, but she, greedy for magic, demands to see more. After creating a storm in her honour, Merlin is compelled to teach her the secrets of his arts in order to keep her love. Vivian is an eager pupil and starts to become as accomplished as her master.
5 BEYOND THE NIGHTMARES
Merlin’s sleep is disturbed when figures from his past continue to torment him. The nightmares are interrupted however as a vision of King Arthur appears: the phantoms fade into the night, recognising that a greater presence is now among them. The king summons Merlin to his court to participate in his wedding celebrations but only the audience is aware of an unwelcome intruder, about to join the festivities.
6 HOW TO DO THE SLEEPING SPELL
The next day Merlin tells Vivian that he must set off for the court of King Arthur and therefore leave her for a short period alone. Overcome with jealousy and her desire for even more magic, Vivian agrees to let him go on condition that he teaches her one final spell: how to put a man to sleep forever, thus saving him from death. She also gives him a magic sword as a gift for the king.
7-8 GLORIA / BLESSED WITH PEACE
The solemn ceremony in church on Christmas day changes into a joyous celebration of King Arthur and his new bride Guinevere.
9 HOW LONG CAN SHE WAIT?
Alone in the forest, this time it is Vivian who sings of her lonliness as she waits for Merlin to return to her.
10 UNINVITED GUEST / THE LAST BATTLE
The wedding feast is dramatically interrupted as the guests discover the true identity of a mysterious character in their midst: the devil. With the help of Vivian's magic sword, Arthur defends himself against the devil in a long and difficult battle.He finally manages to kill his adversary but the king too remains mortally wounded. Merlin is the only person capable of saving Merlin but when he is summoned to do so confesses that he has given his magic away and that now Vivian alone can save the king.
11 WAIT FOR THE GOLDEN AGE
Knowing that her powers are needed, Vivian comes swiftly to the court and, using the magic that Merlin has given her, is able to save the king from death. In doing so however she must put him into an eternal sleep. A sleep which, as legend would have, lasts until such time as the country again needs Arthur's help. The entire court, including Merlin are bound to follow the king, suspended in a moment which will end only when the world is again ready, when the Golden Age has returned.
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