The Miraculous Staircase - an opera in one act - Viola

When the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe was completed in 1878, there was no way to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above. Carpenters were called in to address the problem, but they all concluded access to the loft would have to be via ladder as a staircase would interfere with the interior space of the small Chapel. Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem and the choir loft the Sisters of Loretto made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a simple toolbox looking for work. When the elegant circular staircase was completed the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. The opera reveals the legend that surrounds the staircase as well as the miracle that takes place involving the blind, young housemaid to the nuns. Duration: 30:00