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“La bohème” by Giacomo Puccini libretto (English)
Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four |
Translation: William Fense Weaver © Capitol Records, Inc., 1952 |
The garret (Marcello once more at his easel; Rodolfo at his table. They try to work, but instead they are talking.) MARCELLO In a coupé? RODOLFO With footmen and horses. She greeted me, laughing. "So, Musetta," I said, "your heart?" "It doesn't beat - at least I don't feel it, thanks to the velvet that covers it." MARCELLO I'm glad, really glad. RODOLFO (Faker, go on! You're laughing and fretting inside.) MARCELLO Not beating? Good. I also saw... RODOLFO Musetta? MARCELLO Mimì |
RODOLFO You saw her? (with pretended unconcern) Really? MARCELLO She was in a carriage, dressed like a queen. RODOLFO That's fine. I'm delighted. MARCELLO (The liar! Love's consuming him.) RODOLFO Let's get to work. MARCELLO Yes, to work. (They start working, but quickly throw down brush and pen.) RODOLFO This pen is terrible! MARCELLO So is this brush! RODOLFO (O Mimì, you won't return! O lovely days! Those tiny hands, those sweet-smelling locks, that snowy neck! Ah! Mimì! My short-lived youth.) |
MARCELLO (I don't understand how my brush works and mixes colours to spite me. Whether I want to paint earth or sky, spring or winter, the brush outlines two dark eyes and inviting lips, and Musetta's face appears... ) RODOLFO (And you, little pink bonnet that she hid under the pillow as she left, you know all of our joy. Come to my heart, my heart that died when our love died.) MARCELLO (Her face appears, so lovely and so false. Meanwhile Musetta is happy and my cowardly heart calls her, and waits for her.) RODOLFO What time is it? MARCELLO It's time for dinner... Yesterday's dinner. |
RODOLFO And Schaunard's not back. (Schaunard comes in and sets four rolls on the table. Colline is with him.) SCHAUNARD Here we are. RODOLFO and MARCELLO Well? MARCELLO Well? Just bread? COLLINE A dish worthy of Demosthenes: A herring... SCHAUNARD ...salted. COLLINE Dinner's on the table. (They sit down.) MARCELLO This is like a feast day in wonderland. SCHAUNARD (puts the water-bottle in Colline's hat) Now let's put the champagne on ice. |
RODOLFO Which do you choose, Baron, salmon or trout? MARCELLO Well, Duke, how about some parrot-tongue? SCHAUNARD Thanks, but it's fattening. I must dance this evening. (Colline gets up.) RODOLFO Full already? COLLINE I'm in a hurry. The King is waiting for me. MARCELLO Is there some plot? RODOLFO, MARCELLO, SCHAUNARD Some mystery? COLLINE The King has asked me to join his Cabinet. MARCELLO. RODOLFO, SCHAUNARD Fine! COLLINE So...I'll see Guizot! |
SCHAUNARD Pass me the goblet. MARCELLO Here. Drink. I'll eat. SCHAUNARD By the leave... of this noble company... RODOLFO and MARCELLO Enough! MARCELLO Weakling! COLLINE What a concoction! MARCELLO Get out of here! COLLINE The goblet, please! SCHAUNARD I'm irresistibly inspired by the Muse of poetry... THE OTHERS No! SCHAUNARD Something choreographic then? |
THE OTHERS Yes. SCHAUNARD Dance with vocal accompaniment! COLLINE Let the hall be cleared. A gavotte. MARCELLO Minuet. RODOLFO Pavane. SCHAUNARD Fandango. COLLINE I suggest the quadrille. RODOLFO Take your lady's arm. COLLINE I'll call the figures. SCHAUNARD La lera la lera la! RODOLFO (gallantly, to Marcello) Lovely maiden... |
MARCELLO Please, sir, respect my modesty. COLLINE Balancez. SCHAUNARD The Rond comes first. COLLINE No, damn it. SCHAUNARD What boorish manners! COLLINE Your provoking me, I believe. Draw your sword. SCHAUNARD Ready. Lay on. I'll drink your blood. (Colline takes the fire-tongs and Schaunard the poker. They fight as the others sing.) COLLINE One of us will be run through! SCHAUNARD Have a stretcher ready! |
COLLINE And a graveyard too! RODOLFO and MARCELLO While the battle rages, the dancers circle and leap. (Musetta enters.) MARCELLO Musetta! MUSETTA Mimì's here...she's coming and she's ill. RODOLFO Where is she? MUSETTA She couldn't find strength to climb all the stairs. RODOLFO Ah! (Rodolfo hastens out to Mimì, who is seated on the last step. Then they carry her into the room and place her on the bed.) SCHAUNARD We'll move the bed closer. RODOLFO Here. Something to drink. |
MIMÌ Rodolfo. RODOLFO Rest now. Don't speak. MIMÌ O my Rodolfo! You want me here with you? RODOLFO Ah! My Mimì! Always, always! MUSETTA (aside, to the others) I heard Mimì had fled from the Viscount and was dying. Where was she? I sought her... Just now I saw her in the street stumbling along. She said: "I can't last long. I know I'm dying... But I want to die with him... Perhaps he's waiting for me... " MARCELLO Sh! MIMÌ I feel much better... MUSETTA "...Please take me, Musetta?" |
MIMÌ Let me look around. How wonderful it is here. I'll recover... I will... I feel life here again. You won't leave me ever... RODOLFO Beloved lips, you speak to me again. MUSETTA What is there in the house? MARCELLO Nothing. MUSETTA No coffee? No wine? MARCELLO Nothing. Poverty! SCHAUNARD She'll be dead within half an hour! MIMÌ I'm so cold. If I had a muff! Won't these hands of mine ever be warm? RODOLFO Here. In mine. Don't speak. You'll tire yourself. |
MIMÌ It's just a little cough. I'm used to it. Hello, Marcello, Schaunard, Colline... All of you are here, smiling at Mimì. RODOLFO Don't speak, don't... MIMÌ I'll speak softly. Don't fear. Marcello, believe me - Musetta is so good. MARCELLO (holds Musetta's hand) I know. I know. MUSETTA (gives her earrings to Marcello) Here. Sell them. Bring back some cordial and send the doctor! RODOLFO Rest now! MIMÌ You won't leave me? RODOLFO No! No! |
MUSETTA Listen! Perhaps it's the poor thing's last request. I'll get the muff. I'm coming with you. MARCELLO How good you are, Musetta. (Marcello and Musetta go out.) COLLINE (taking off his greatcoat) Listen, my venerable coat, I'm staying behind, you'll go on to greater heights. I give you my thanks. You never bowed your worn back to the rich or powerful. You held in your pockets poets and philosophers as if in tranquil grottoes... Now that those happy times have fled, I bid you farewell, faithful old friend. Farewell. (He puts the bundle under his arm, then whispers to Schaunard:) Schaunard, each separately, let's combine two kindly acts; mine is this...and you... leave the two of them alone. SCHAUNARD Philosopher, you're right! I'll go along. (They leave.) |
MIMÌ Have they gone? I pretended to sleep because I wanted to be alone with you. I've so many things to tell you, or just one thing - huge as the sea, deep and infinite as the sea. .. I love you...you're all my life. RODOLFO Ah! my beautiful Mimì! MIMÌ Am I beautiful still? RODOLFO Beautiful as the dawn. MIMÌ You've mistaken the image: you should have said, beautiful as the sunset. "They call me Mimì... but I don't know why." RODOLFO The swallow has come back to her nest to twitter. (He takes the bonnet from its place over his heart.) MIMÌ My bonnet! My bonnet! Ah! do you remember when I came in here the first time? |
RODOLFO Do I remember! MIMÌ The light had gone out. RODOLFO You were so upset. Then you lost your key... MIMÌ And you knelt to hunt for it! RODOLFO I searched and searched... MIMÌ My dear sir, now I can tell you: you found it quick enough. RODOLFO I was helping Fate. MIMÌ It was dark. You couldn't see me blushing. "How cold your little hand is... Let me warm it for you..." It was dark. You took my hand in yours... (Mimì has another spasm, a fit of choking.) |
RODOLFO Good God! Mimì! (Schaunard enters at that moment.) SCHAUNARD What's wrong? MIMÌ Nothing. I'm fine. RODOLFO Please...don't talk. MIMÌ Yes, yes forgive me. Now I'll be good. (Marcello and Musetta come back, then Colline. Musetta sets a candle on the table.) MUSETTA Is she sleeping? RODOLFO She's resting. MARCELLO I saw the doctor. He's coming. I made him hurry. Here's the cordial. MIMÌ Who's speaking? MUSETTA (handing her the muff) Me. Musetta. |
MIMÌ Oh, how lovely and soft it is. No more, no more...my hands all ugly and cold...The warmth will heal them. (to Rodolfo) Did you give it to me? MUSETTA Yes, he did. MIMÌ You spendthrift! Thank you...but the cost... You're crying? I'm well. Why are you crying like this? Here, beloved...with you always! My hands...the warmth...to sleep. (Silence.) RODOLFO What did the doctor say? MARCELLO He's coming. MUSETTA (praying) Oh blessed Mother, be merciful to this poor child who doesn't deserve to die. (breaking off, to Marcello) We need a screen here; the candle's flickering. (Marcello sets a book on the table which acts as a screen.) |
That's better. Let her get well, Holy Mother, I know I'm unworthy of forgiveness, but Mimì is an angel come down from heaven. RODOLFO I still have hope. You think it's serious? MUSETTA I don't think so. (Schaunard approaches the bed.) SCHAUNARD (softly to Marcello) Marcello, she's dead. COLLINE (enters, and gives money to Musetta) Here, Musetta. How is she? RODOLFO You see, she's resting. (Rodolfo becomes aware of the strange expression of the others.) What does this mean? This going back and forth? Why are you looking at me like this? MARCELLO Courage. (Rodolfo runs over to the bed.) RODOLFO Mimì! Mimì! Mimì! THE END |
libretto by William Fense Weaver |
Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four |