“Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four

ACT THREE

The banks of the Nile
(Granite rocks, interspersed with palm trees. At the
summit of the rocks, the Temple of Isis, half-hidden by
the palms. It is a clear, starry night, a bright moon is shining.)

CHORUS (in the temple)
O thou, eternal mother
and spouse of Osiris,
goddess, who dost awaken
the chaste fire in human hearts,
succour us in thy mercy,
O mother of infinite love! etc.

(A boat draws up at the riverbank. Amneris, Ramfis,
together with a group of heavily veiled women and
guards, alight from the boat.)

RAMFIS (to Amneris)
Come to the temple of Isis, to beseech
the Goddess’s favour on the eve
of your wedding. Isis reads
in the hearts of mortals; every human
mystery is known to her.

AMNERIS
Yes, I shall pray that Radamès give me
his whole heart, as my heart is given
in sacred love, forever, to him.

RAMFIS
Let us go.
You will pray until dawn. I shall stay with you.
(All enter the temple.)
CHORUS
Succour us in thy mercy, etc.
(Aida enters, furtively. She is veiled.)

AIDA
Radamès will come here. What will he say?
I tremble. Ah! if you come, cruel man,
to bid me a last farewell,
in the dark eddies of the Nile I shall find
my tomb, perhaps peace – but at least, oblivion!
O fatherland, I shall never see you again!
O blue skies, soft breezes of my homeland,
where I lived out the quiet morning of my life,
O grassy hills, O fragrant streams,

O fatherland, I shall never see you again! etc.
O cool valleys, blessed, peaceful haven,
one day promised me by love,
now that the dream of love is gone,
O fatherland, I shall never see you again! etc.
(Amonasro enters.)
Heaven! My father!

AMONASRO
A grave matter
has brought me here, Aida.
Nothing escapes my eyes.
Love for Radamès is killing you.
He loves you too. You are waiting for him.
The daughter of the Pharaohs is your rival –
Princess of a hated race, our deadly enemy.

AIDA
And I am in her power!
I, the daughter of Amonasro!

AMONASRO
In her power!
No! if you wish,
you can defeat your powerful rival,
and fatherland, throne and love will all be yours.
You will see again our fragrant forests,
the cool valleys and the golden temples.

AIDA
1 shall see again our fragrant forests,
the cool valleys and the golden temples.

AMONASRO
Happy bride of the one you love,
you shall know great joys at last.

AIDA
One day of such enchantment,
one hour of such great joy – then I can die!

AMONASRO
You have not forgotten that pitiless Egypt
defiled our altars, temples and homes,
carrying off our maidens in slavery,
murdering our mothers, our old men and out
children?

AIDA
Ah, I remember well those unhappy days,
and the mournful sorrow which filled my heart!
Ah, grant, O gods, that for us may return
the dawn of this peaceful days for which we pray.

AMONASRO
Remember...
It cannot be long delayed.
Our people even now are ready for battle;
all is prepared, and we shall conquer.
One thing is lacking – for me to know
the route that the enemy will follow.

AIDA
Who could find out? Who?

AMONASRO
You could!

AIDA
I!

AMONASRO
I know you are waiting for Radamès. He loves you.
He is the Egyptian captain.
Do you understand?

AIDA
A horrid thought!
What are you asking of me? No, never!

AMONASRO (fiercely)
Arise then
soldiers of Egypt!
Sack and burn
our cities!
Spread terror,
rape and death!
There is no rein now
to your fury!

AIDA
Ah, father! father!

AMONASRO (repulsing her)
You call yourself my daughter!

AIDA
Have pity!

AMONASRO
Waves of blood are flowing
over the vanquished cities.
See – from the black swirls

the dead arise.
They point at you and cry,
“Because of you, our country dies!”

AIDA
Have pity! Father, have pity!

AMONASRO
A horrid spectre
rises in the shadows before us.
Tremble, for over your head
it lifts its bony arms.
It is your mother – see her,
she is cursing you!

AIDA (terrified)
Ah! father! no! have pity! etc.

AMONASRO (repulsing her)
You are not my daughter!
You are the slave of the Pharaohs!

AIDA
Ah! Have pity! Have pity!
Father, I am not their slave.
Do not curse me nor revile me –
you will call be daughter again,
for I shall be worthy of my country.

AMONASRO
Remember that a whole people, conquered
and suffering, can rise again through you!

AIDA
O fatherland, what a price I must pay, for thee!

AMONASRO
Be brave! He is coming now. I shall hear all.
(He hides among the palms. Radamès enters.)

RADAMÈS
At last I am with you, again, sweet Aida.

AIDA
Stop go away! What do you want from me?

RADAMÈS
It is love which brings me to you.

AIDA
But the rites of another love await you.
Married to Amneris –

RADAMÈS
What are you saying?
You, Aida, are the only one I can love.
As the gods are my witness, you shall be mine.

AIDA
Do not break your oath! As a hero
I loved you, if you swear false, I cannot.

RADAMÈS
Do you doubt my love, Aida?

AIDA
But how can you escape from Amneris’ wiles,
from the King’s command, from the people’s will,
from the wrath of the priests?

RADAMÈS
Hear me, Aida
Ethiopia has awakened,
eager for fierce, new battles.
Your people have already invaded,
and I shall lead the Egyptians again.
Then, in the midst of the triumph,
kneeling before the King, I shall open my heart.
You shall be my victor’s wreath;
and we shall live, blessed by undying love.

AIDA
And do you not fear
Amneris’s wrath? Her vengeance,
like a thunderbolt,
will strike me, my father and my people.

RADAMÈS
I shall defend you.

AIDA
It would be in vain.
Yet, if you love me, there is still
an escape for us.

RADAMÈS
What is it?

AIDA
To flee –

RADAMÈS
To flee!

AIDA
Let us flee from the scorching sun
of this desert land.
A new fatherland
reveals itself to our love.
There, in the virgin forests,
fragrant with sweet flowers,
we shall forget the world
in blessed joy.

RADAMÈS
You asked me to flee with you
to a foreign land?
To abandon my fatherland
and the altars of our gods?
This land where I first plucked
the flowers of glory,
this land where first we loved –
how can we forget it?

AIDA
There, in the virgin forest, etc.

RADAMÈS
The land where we loved, etc.

AIDA
Beneath my country’s freer skies
it will be granted to us to love.
There, in the same temples
we shall worship the same gods, etc.

RADAMÈS
To abandon my fatherland etc.

AIDA
Let us flee –

RADAMÈS (hesitating)
Aida!

AIDA
You do not love me – go!

RADAMÈS
Not love you!
No man, no god
has ever burned with such a love!

AIDA
Go, go – Amneris is waiting for you at the altar –

RADAMÈS
No, never!

AIDA
Never, you say?
Then the headman’s axe will fall
on me, on my father –

RADAMÈS
Ah no! Let us flee together.
Yes, let us flee, far from these walls,
let us flee, together, to the desert.
Here there is nothing but misfortune,
there we shall find a heaven of love,
the never ending desert
will be our wedding-bed,
the stars will shine upon us
with a purer, brighter light!

AIDA
In the happy land
of my fathers, heaven awaits us.
There the breeze blows sweet
over that perfumed land of flowers.
Cool valleys and green fields
will be our wedding-bed.
The stars will shine upon us
with a purer, brighter light!

AIDA and
RADAMÈS
Come with me, we shall flee together,
from this land of sorrow.
Come with me, I love you,
and love shall be our king.

AIDA
But tell me – how can we avoid
the Egyptian legions?

RADAMÈS
The route by which my men
will march against the enemy
will be free until tomorrow.

AIDA
And that route is?

RADAMÈS
The pass of Napata.
(Amonasro comes forward.)

AMONASRO
The pass of Napata!
My men will be there!

RADAMÈS
Who has overheard us?

AMONASRO
Aida’s father, the King of the Ethiopians!

RADAMÈS (excitedly)
You – Amonasro! You – the King! O gods!
What have I done?
No, it cannot be, it cannot be!
I dream, I am raving mad!

AIDA
Ah no! Be calm. Listen to me,
trust my love.

AMONASRO
Aida’s love for you
will build you a throne!

RADAMÈS
I am dishonoured! dishonoured!
For you I have betrayed my country!

AIDA
Be calm!

AMONASRO
No! You are not guilty,
it was the will of Fate.

RADAMÈS
I am dishonoured!

AIDA
Ah, no!

RADAMÈS
For you I have betrayed my country!

AMONASRO
No: You are not guilty.

AIDA
Be calm...

AMONASRO
Come – beyond the Nile
my brave and faithful men are waiting.
There, love shall fulfil
the wishes of your, heart.
Come!
(Amneris, Ramfis, the priests and guards come out
from the temple.)

AMNERIS
Traitor!

AIDA
My rival!

AMONASRO
(throwing himself upon Amneris with drawn dagger)
You have come to defeat my plans.
You shall die!

RADAMÈS (coming between them)
Stop, madman!

AMONASRO
Oh, fury!

RAMFIS
Guards, look out!

RADAMÈS (to Aida and Amonasro)
Quickly! flee!

AMONASRO (dragging Aida)
Come, my daughter.

RAMFIS (to the guards)
After them!

RADAMÈS (to Ramfis)
Priest, I am in your hands.

libretto by Dale McAdoo

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four