Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (TV Series)

1471: Mr. Rogers Makes an Opera (1980)

Fred Rogers: Mr. Rogers, King Friday XIII, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, Daniel Striped Tiger

Photos 

Quotes 

• King Friday XIII : You are all excused. Thank you, Miss Paulifficate, for the balogna. You may feed it to the elves out back.

  Audrey Paulifficate : Oh baloney.

  King Friday XIII : Exactly.

• Daniel Striped Tiger : [they're blowing bubbles]  They're not orange and black.

  [Clemmons tries] 

  Daniel Striped Tiger : They look about the same.

  François Clemmons : You see? Mine weren't black and yours weren't orange and black.

  Daniel Striped Tiger : But we're different colors, you and I. Why are our bubbles the same?

  François Clemmons : Because bubbles don't have anything to do with the outside of us. It's our breath from the inside that help make the bubbles.

• Daniel Striped Tiger : Mr. Clemmons, why is everybody so different on the outside and so similar on the inside?

  François Clemmons : I don't know. We do look very different, but we have many of the same feelings.

  Daniel Striped Tiger : I get sad sometimes. Do you?

  François Clemmons : Of course I do.

  Daniel Striped Tiger : And I get real happy sometimes. Do you?

  François Clemmons : I certainly do. And do you know one of the reasons I'm happy right now?

  Daniel Striped Tiger : Why?

  François Clemmons : Because I enjoy talking about serious things with you. And because I've just decided what to be in the opera: a porpoise.

• King Friday XIII : I just thought it would be lovely to have a bubble balcony here at the Castle.

  Handyman Negri : You mean, have a bubble that would cover the entire balcony and have it stay there?

  King Friday XIII : That's correct. Wouldn't it be lovely?

  Handyman Negri : I don't know. What ever gave you that idea?

  King Friday XIII : Oh, I heard a story in which a king got inside a bubble. I think that would be amusing.

  Handyman Negri : But that story is just pretend, King Friday.

  King Friday XIII : Well, so are we, Handyman Negri.

  Handyman Negri : So we are, and we should be able to make a bubble that will last.

  King Friday XIII : Exactly.

• Audrey Paulifficate : Is this what you wanted?

  King Friday XIII : What is that?

  Audrey Paulifficate : It's bologna. Isn't that what you wanted?

  King Friday XIII : It most certainly is not. As a king, I never indulge in bologna.

  Audrey Paulifficate : But I heard that you wanted a bologna on the balcony.

  King Friday XIII : Not at all.

  Handyman Negri : There must be some mistake. The king wants a big *bubble* for the balcony.

  Audrey Paulifficate : Oh, a bubble. How lovely.

• Mr. Rogers : You know, I was just thinking. Every person, whether little or big, is a human being. And because we are human there are many things that are alike about all of us. For instance, we all need to be loved. Everybody does. Every person that you see in this world needs to be loved. And the marvelous thing about being human is that while we're very much alike, each one of us is very different too. Isn't it great that we can care about one another the way we do?

• Mr. Rogers : Bubbles don't last very long, but they're beautiful while they're here.

• Handyman Negri : What would you like to be in the opera?

  Lady Elaine Fairchilde : A hummingbird.

  Handyman Negri : Oh, that should be nice.

  Handyman Negri : [sings]  I'm a ruby-throated hummingbird.