Rodgers–DE, Epilogue

We just heard the Act Two Finale, but this show had three acts. The final act was called “Epilogue” and was meant to resolve all of the plot issues and bring us to the conclusion of the war and the fight for independence in 1783. This act starts with an Intermezzo, which could not be found. Once again, Larry Moore reconstructed the music based on what was intended.

“This number needed to accomplish two things besides cover a five-minute scene change. I wanted it to encapsulate the seven years’ of war between 1776 and 1783 and to sustain the tension of the Act Two curtain. Once I had decided on the parallels between Betsy and Princess Aurora and the American Revolution with the wicked fairy Carabosse, Tchaikovsky’s wonderfully suspenseful theme for Carabosse’s spell provided a nice dramatic contrast to the melancholic purity and simplicity of Rodgers’ beautiful ‘Bye And Bye.’ ”