| Other “Lohengrin” libretti [show] |
|
• Russian
• German • English |
| Line-by-line [show] |
|
• Russian
• German |
“Lohengrin” by Richard Wagner libretto (English)
| Contents: Characters; Act One; Act Two; Act Three |
|
SCENE ONE (The fortress at Antwerp. Middle background the Palas [knights' quarters], left foreground the Kemenate [ladies' chambers], right foreground the portal of the minister, exactly behind it the castle gate. It is night. The windows of the Palas are brightly lit; from the building can be heard the sound of triumphal music, horns and trumpets playing merrily into the night. Friedrich and Ortrud are sitting on the steps leading up to the minister portal. Both are dressed in dark, shabby clothes. Ortrud, resting her head in her hands, is staring at the brightly lit windows of the Palas; Friedrich is looking sullenly at the ground. Long, gloomy silence) FRIEDRICH (suddenly standing up) Arise, companion of my shame! Daybreak must not find us here. ORTRUD (without changing position) I cannot go, I am bound here as if by a spell. From the splendour of this our enemy's feast let me suck a terrible, dearly poison that will end our shame and their joy! FRIEDRICH (moving over to Ortrud, darkly) O fearful woman, what spell binds me to you still? Why do I not leave you be and run away, away to where my conscience might find peace again! Through you I lost my honour, all my glory; never again shall praise adorn me, my knighthood is but shame! I am condemned as an outlaw, my sword lies smashed, my coat of arms broken, and cursed is the house of my fathers! Wherever I turn I am shunned, condemned; lest he be defiled by my countenence, even the robber flees me! Would that I had chosen death, for I am so wretched! I have lost my honour, my honour, my honour is no more! (He falls to the ground, overcome with grief. Music is heard from Palas) |
|
ORTRUD (still in her first position; as Friedrich is geting up) What drives you to such wild lament? FRIEDRICH The fact that I have been robbed of the very weapon (violently gesturing towards Ortrud) with which I would strike you down! ORTRUD Peace-loving Count of Telramund! Why do you mistrust me? FRIEDRICH You dare ask me? Was it not your evidence, your word that lured me into accusing the innocent one? Did you not lie to me, saying that from your wild castle your own eyes bore witness to the crime being carried out in the dark wood around you, that you saw Elsa herself drown her brother in the pond there? Did you not ensnare my proud heart by prophesying that the ancient House of Radbod would blossom anew and rule in Brabant? Did you not induce me to renounce the hand of Elsa, the innocent one, and to take you for my wife, because you are the last in the Radbod line? ORTRUD (softly, but grimly) Ah, your words cut me to the quick! (aloud) Yes, I said and testified all this to you! |
|
FRIEDRICH And did you not make me, whose name was esteemed, a man of the very highest virtue, the shameful companion of your lies? ORTRUD Who lied? FRIEDRICH You! Did God not pass judgement and punish me for having done so? ORTRUD God? FRIEDRICH O horror! How dreadful his name sounds from your lips! ORTRUD Ah, do you call your cowardice God? FRIEDRICH Ortrud! ORTRUD Do you mean to threaten me? Me, a woman? O you coward! Had you but addressed such grim threats to him who now sends you into the misery of exile, you would have bought victory for ignominy! Ha! He who knew how to match him would find him weaker than a child! |
|
FRIEDRICH The weaker he was, the greater the might of God in battle! ORTRUD The might of God? Ha, ha! Give me the power and I will surely show you what a weak god it is that protects him. FRIEDRICH (shuddering with fear) O wild seer, do you mean by secret means to enchant my reason anew? ORTRUD (pointing to the Palas, in which the lights have been extinguished) The revellers have lain down to sumptuous rest. Sit down beside me! The hour has come for my prophetic eye to enlighten you! (During the following, Friedrich moves ever closer to Ortrud, as if drawn by a mysterious power; he listens to her attentively) Do you know who this knight is who was brought ashore by a swan? FRIEDRICH No! ORTRUD What would you give to find out if I told you that, were he forced to reveal his name and origin, that strength would vanish that is granted him by magic alone? FRIEDRICH Ah! Now I understand his interdict! ORTRUD Listen! Nobody here has the power to draw that secret from him |
|
save she whom he so strongly forbade ever to ask him the question. FRIEDRICH So Elsa must be brought to the point where she asks him the question? ORTRUD Ha, how quickly, how well you take my meaning! FRIEDRICH But how can that be done? ORTRUD Listen! The most important thing is not to flee this place; so use your wit! To arouse just suspicion in her, come forward and accuse him of having used magic to confound the trial! FRIEDRICH Ha! Deception and the cunning of magic! ORTRUD Should this fail, there is always the possibility of using force! FRIEDRICH Force? ORTRUD Not for nothing am I versed in the darkest of arts; so heed what I say to you! Every creature that is made strong by magic, should but the smallest part of its body be torn off, it will immediately show itself to be powerless as it really is. |
|
FRIEDRICH Ha, were that true! ORTRUD Had you but cut off a finger during the fight, even just the joint of a finger, the knight would have been in your power! FRIEDRICH O horror! Ha, what is this that I hear? I imagined myself to have been beaten by God; but the trial was confounded by deception, through magic's cunning I lost my honour! But I could avenge my shame, I could prove my honesty? I could smash the lover's deception and win back my honour? O woman, whom I see before me in the night, if you are deceiving me again, woe betide you! Woe! ORTRUD Ha, how you rave! Be calm and collected! I will teach you the sweet delights of revenge! (Friedrich slowly sits down beside Ortrud on the steps) ORTRUD AND FRIEDRICH May the work of revenge be conjured up from the wild night of my breast! You who are lost in sweet sleep, know that disaster awaits you! |
|
SCENE TWO (Elsa appears on the balcony, dressed in white; she goes over to the balustrade and leans her head on her hand) ELSA Ye heavens, so oft filled with my sad laments, now I must gratefully tell you of the happiness that is mine! He came through you, you smiled on his journey, on wild ocean waves you faithfully preserved him. To dry my tears I have oft implored you; cool now my cheek which burns with love! ORTRUD It is she! FRIEDRICH Elsa! ORTRUD She shall curse the hour in which I now behold her face! Away! Leave this place awhile! FRIEDRICH Why? ORTRUD She is for me - her knight is yours! (Friedrich moves off and disappears into the background) |
|
ORTRUD (still in the same position) Elsa! ELSA Who calls? How terrible and plaintive is the sound of my name as it rings out through the night! ORTRUD Elsa! Is my voice so strange to you? Will you completely disown the poor creature whom you are casting into the furthest reaches of exile? ELSA Ortrud! Is that you? What are you doing here, unfortunate woman? ORTRUD "Unfortunate woman"! How right you are to call me that! In the distant solitude of the wood, where I was living quietly and peacefully, what did I do to you? What did I do to you? I was joyless, merely lamenting the misfortune that has long troubled my family. What did I do to you? What did I do to you? ELSA In God's name, what are you accusing me of? Was it I who brought you suffering? ORTRUD However could you envy me the happiness of being chosen for the wife of the man you so gladly scorned? ESA Merciful God! What am I to make of this? ORTRUD He must have been beguiled by some unhappy madness to have accused you, the innocent one, of a crime - now his heart is torn by remorse, he is damned to grim repentance! |
|
ELSA God of justice! ORTRUD Oh, you are happy! After a brief, sweetly innocent period of suffering you now see life smiling upon you; you may gladly take leave of me, sending me down the road to death, lest the grim spectre of my misery ever visit your feasts again! ELSA I would scarce be doing justice to your goodness, O mighty God who smiles upon me so, If I were to cast aside the misfortune that stoops before me now in the dust! Never! Ortrud! Wait for me! I will take you in myself! (She hurries back into the Kemenate. - Ortrud springs up from the steps in wild delight) ORTRUD Ye gods profaned! Help me now in my revenge! Punish the ignominy that you have suffered here! Strengthen me in the service of your holy cause! Destroy the vile delusions of the apostate! Woden! I call on you, O god of strength! Freyja! Hear me, O exalted one! Bless my deceit and hypocrisy, that I may be successful in my revenge! ELSA (still offstage) Ortrud, where are you? (Elsa and two maids appear from the lower door of the Kemenate carrying lights) ORTRUD (humbly throwing herself before Elsa) Here at you feet. |
|
ELSA (starting back in alarm at the sight of Ortrud) Dear God! Must I behold you thus, you whom I had but seen in pride and splendour! I choke with pity to see you humbled thus before me! Stand up! O spare me your supplications! If you bore me hate, I forgive you; and what you have already suffered through me I beg you to forgive me in turn! ORTRUD I thank you for showing me such goodness! ELSA He who tomorrow is to be called my husband I shall appeal to his loving nature, that he may show mercy to Friedrich too. ORTRUD You bind me in fetters of gratitude! ELSA At down let me see you ready - adorned in splendid garments you shall accompany me to the minster: there I shall await my knight, to become his wife before God! ORTRUD How can I ever repay such kindness, for I am powerless and wretched? If you allowed me to live with you, I would always be the beggar! (drawing closer to Elsa) I am left but one power, no law robbed me of it; through it I could perhaps protect you, save you from the scourage of remorse! ELSA What do you mean? |
|
ORTRUD Let me warn you not to put too blind a trust in your happiness; lest you are ensnared by misfortune, let me look into the future for you. ELSA What misfortune? ORTRUD Could you but comprehend the wondrous origin of this man; may he never leave you as he came to you - by magic! ELSA (Seized with horror, she turns away in indignation; then she turns back to Ortrud, filled with sadness and compassion) Piteous creature, can you not understand how a heart can love without harbouring dubts? Have you never known the happiness that is given to us by faith alone? Enter here with me! Let me teach you to know the sweet bliss of true devotion! Turn then to the belief that there is a happiness without regret! ORTRUD (aside) Ha! This pride shall help me fight her devotion! Against this I shall turn my weapons, her arrogance will cause her to repent! (Ortrud, led by Elsa, feigns hesitation as she enters the small door; the maids light the way and close the door once everybody is inside. - Dawn begins to break) FRIEDRICH (emerging from the background) Thus misfortune enters this house! Fulfil, O woman, what your cunning mind has devised; I feel powerless to stop your work! |
|
The misfortune began with my defeat, now shall she fall who brought me to it! Only one thing do I see before me, urging me on: he who robbed me of my honour shall die! |
|
SCENE THREE (Once he has spotted the palace that will best hide him from the view of the arriving people, Friedrich steps behind one of the minster buttresses) (Dawn gradually breaks. Two watches sound the morning fanfare from the tower; an answer is heard from a distant tower. As the watches descend from the tower and open the gate, castle servents emerge from several directions, greet one another and go quietly about their tasks etc. Some draw water from the well in metal vessels, knock on the portal of the Palas and are let in. The portal of the Palas opens again, the royal trumpeters emerge, sound the fanfare then go back into the building. The servants have left the stage. Brabantian soldiers and nobles arrive in increasing numbers, some crossing the courtyard, others coming in through the tower gate. They assemble in front of the minister and greet one another in cheerful excitement) NOBLES AND SOLDIERS The dawn fanfare bids us assemble, the day promises much! He who here performed such great miracles will perchance do many more wondrous deeds! (The herald appears from the Palas and moves onto the terrace in front of it, the four trumpeters preceding him. The royal fanfare is sounded once again and everyone turns towards the background in animated expectation) HERALD I hereby make known to you the King's word and wish: so pay heed to what he bids me tell you! Friedrich Telramund has been outlawed for daring to enter the trial by combat untrue. Whosoever shall harbour him or join him shall himself be outlawed in accordance with the law of the realm. MEN A curse on him who was untrue, who was judged by God! May the innocent shun him, may peace and sleep flee him! (The trumpeters' call once again brings the people to attention) HERALD And further the king proclaims that the God-sent stranger whom Elsa wishes to take as her husband, is to be enfeoffed with the land and crown of Brabant. But the knight does not wish to be called Duke - you shall call him Protector of Brabant! MEN Great is the long-awaited man! Hail to him who was sent by God! We will faithfully serve the Protector of Brabant! (another call from the trumpeters) HERALD |
|
How hear what he bids me tell you: today he celebrates his wedding feast with you, but tomorrow you shall come here prepared for battle, to serve the king as soldiers; he himself spurns the sweet pleasures of rest, he will lead you on to enjoy the noble fruits of glory! (He goes back into the Palas with the four trumpeters) MEN Do not delay in going to battle, the noble one leads you on! He who fights courageously with the knight shall see the road to glory smile upon him! From God is he sent to make Brabant great! (As the people surge forward with joy, four nobles, Friedrich's former liegemen, appear in the foreground) |
|
FIRST NOBLE Now hear, he means to take us from this land! SECOND NOBLE Against an enemy who has never yet threatened us! THIRD NOBLE Such bold beginnings should not be granted him! FOURTH NOBLE Who shall stop him, since he has given the order to leave? FRIEDRICH (who has come amongst them unnoticed) I! (He bares his head; they recoil in horror) THE FOUR NOBLES Ha! Who are you? - Friedrich! Do my eyes deceive me? You dare show yourself here, the pray of every serf? FRIEDRICH I will soon dare even more, the truth will dawn radiant before your eyes! He who so boldly commanded you to go to war, him will I accuse of deceiving God! THE FOUR NOBLES What is this I hear? You rave! What is your intent? Woe unto you! You are lost if the people hear you! (They push him towards the minster, where they try to hide him from the view of the people. - Four pages proceed from the door of the Kemenate onto the balcony, descend the stairs and take their positions on the terrace in front of the Palas. The assembled throng notices the youths and presses forwards) PAGES Make way for Elsa, our lady! She is going in faith to the minister. (They press forwards, clearing a broad passage through the retreating nobles, to the minster steps, where they take up their positions. Four other pages proceed solemnly from the Kemenate door onto the balcony and line up to await the procession of ladies whom they are to accompany) |
|
SCENE FOUR (A long procession of ladies dressed in splendid garments slowly emerges from the door and moves onto the balcony; the procession turns left past the Palas before moving forwards again towards the minster. The ladies take up their positions on the minster steps as they arrive) NOBLES AND SOLDIERS (during the procession) May she be blessed as she proceeds, she who suffered long in humility! May God guide her, may God protect her step! (The nobles have unwittingly pressed forwards again, but they move back once more as the pages approach, clearing the way for the procession which has arrived in front of the Palas. Elsa, in a sumptuous wedding dress, has appeared in the procession and arrived on the terrace in front of the Palas; a passage been cleared once again and everyone can see Elsa, who lingers awhile) NOBLES AND SOLDIERS She approaches, the angelic one, consumed in a chaste glow! (Elsa slowly moves into the foreground through the avenue of people) Hail to you, O virtuous one! Hail, Elsa of Brabant! (The pages and foremost women have arrived at the minster steps and taken up their positions to watch Elsa enter the church; amongst the women behind her and closing the procession is Ortrud, also sumptuously dressed. The women nearest her are afraid and clearly cannot conceal their indignation. They keep their distance from her, such that she appears to be isolated; the expression on her face is one of increasing wrath. Just as Elsa, hailed loudly by the people, is about to tread on the first step, Ortrud rushes forward. She strides up to the bride and positions herself in front of her on the same step, thus forcing her to move back) |
|
ORTRUD Back, Elsa! No longer will I suffer to follow you like a maid! You shall give me precedence everywhere, you shall humbly bow down before me! PAGES AND MEN What is the woman doing? Back! ELSA In God's name! What is this that I see? What sudden change has come over you? ORTRUD Just because I forgot my worth for one single hour, do you think that I must only crawl before you? I dare now to revenge my suffering, I mean to redeem what is due to me! (General astonishment; the crowd stirs) ELSA Woe, did I let myself be led astray by your hypocrisy, you who stole to me moaning in the night? How can you arrogantly claim precedence over me, you, spouse of a man condemned by God? ORTRUD (feigning an expression of deep pain) False judgement may have banished my husband, but his name was honoured throughout the land; he was called the One of highest virtue, his brave sword was known and feares. But your husband, pray, who here knows him? You yourself are unable to utter his name! MEN, WOMEN AND PAGES What does she say? Ha, what does she proclaim? She blasphemes! Silence her tongue! ORTRUD |
|
Can you utter it, can you tell us whether he is of worthy and noble descent? Or whence the waters brought him to you, when he shall leave you again, and whither he shall go? No, you cannot! For to do so would cause him great anguish - thus did the guileful knight forbid the question! MEN, WOMEN AND PAGES Ha, does she speak the truth? What terrible charges! She slanders him! How dare she? ELSA (after the initial shock, she has regained her composure) You blasphemer! Dastardly woman! Hear the answer that I venture to give you! So pure and noble is his being, so virtuous is the distinguished man, that he shall be smitten with eternal misfortune who dares to doubt his sending! MEN Indeed! Indeed! ELSA Did not my worthy champion, with the help of God, beat your husband in battle? (to the people) Pray tell, all ye who are here present, which of the two is innocent? MEN, WOMEN AND PAGES Only he! Only he! Your champion alone! ORTRUD Ha, the innocence of you champion would soon be tarnished if he had to tell of the magic that gives him such power! If you do not dare ask him, |
|
we will all rightsully belive that you yourself are torn with worry, that his innocence is not what it seems! WOMEN (supporting Elsa) Help her against the loathsome woman's hatred! (The Palas doors open, the four trumpeters emerge and sound the fanfare) MEN (looking towards the background) Make way! Make way! The King approaches! |
|
SCENE FIVE (The king, Lohengrin and the Saxon counts and nobles have emerged from the Palas with great cerimony; the procession is broken up by the disturbance in the foreground. The king and Lohengrin force their way through the confusion in the foreground) BRABANTIANS Hail! Hail to the King! Hail to the Protector of Brabant! THE KING What is this dispute? ELSA (She rushes over to Lohengrin in a state of great agitation) My Lord! O my Master! LOHENGRIN What is it? THE KING Who, this procession to the church dares disturb? THE KING'S RETINUE What is this dispute that we have heard? LOHENGRIN (noticing Ortrud) What do I see? That unholy woman near you? ELSA My deliverer! Protect me from this woman! Chide me if I have been disobedient to you! I saw her grieving in front of this portal, and took her in that she might forget her misery. Now see what dreadful recompense she pays my goodness: she chides me for trusting you too much! |
|
LOHENGRIN (giving Ortrud a steadfast, damning look; she is unable to move) You fearful woman, depart from her side! You will never be victorious here! (turning tenderly to Elsa) Tell me, Elsa, did she manage to poison your heart? (Weeping, Elsa hides her face in his breast) LOHENGRIN (lifts her head and points to the minster) Come, shed these tears there in joy! (He turns back to Elsa and the king, and leads the procession towards the minster; everybody prepares to follow in an orderly fashion) (Friedrich appears on the minster steps; the women and pages withdraw in horror when they recognise him) FRIEDRICH O King! Princes beguiled by deception! Stop! THE KING What does he want here? MEN What does he want here? Cursed one! Leave this place! FRIEDRICH Listen to me! THE KING Back! Leave this place! |
|
MEN Away! Or you will surely die! FRIEDRICH Listen to me, for you have done me a dreadful wrong! THE KING Away! MEN Away! Leave this place! FRIEDRICH The trial by combat was defamed, deceived! You are beguiled by the cunning of magic! MEN Seize the wretch! THE KING Seize the wretch! MEN Listen! He blasphemes! (They rush upon him from all sides) FRIEDRICH (making a disperate effort to be heard, he keeps his eyes fixed on Lohengrin and ignores the people pressing towards him) He whom I see in splendour before me, him do I accuse of magic! (Those pressing forwards are startled by his words and finally pay attention) May the power he won through cunning be scattered as dust before God's breath! How carelessly you proceeded with the trial |
|
that yet robbed me of my honour, for you spared him one question when he came to do battle! You shall not prevent that question now, for I shall put it to him: (assuming a domineering mien) His name, station and honour I ask him to reveal before all here present! (The crowd stirs, deeply shocked) Who is this who sailed ashore drawn by a wild swan? He who avails himself of such magical creatures, his purity do I consider deception! Now shall he answer the charge; if he can, then I received just punishment - but if he cannot, you shall see that his innocence is not what it seems! (Shocked and expectant, everyone looks at Lohengrin) THE KING, MAN, WOMEN AND PAGES What serious charges! How will he answer them? LOHENGRIN I need not stand here and justify myself to you who so forgot his honour! I can fend off the doubts of the wickend, never shall innocence succumb to them! FRIEDRICH Since he does not consider me worthy, I call upon you, your Majesty! Will he say that you too are ignoble and refuse to answer your question? LOHENGRIN Yes, I can resist even the King, and the highest counsel of princes! The burden of doubt will not trouble them, they saw my good deed! Only one person must I answer: Elsa - (Lohengrin stops in consternation as he turns to Elsa and notices that, with heaving breast, she is standing ahead of her, torn by an inward struggle) |
|
LOHENGRIN Elsa! How she trembles! I see her brooding wildly! Has the lying tongue of hatred beguiled her? O Heaven, protect her heart from danger! May the innocent one never be plagued with doubts! FRIEDRICH AND ORTRUD I see her brooding wildly, doubt is stirring within her breast! he who caused me distress by coming to this land, he is vanquished once the question is put to him! THE KING AND ALL THE MEN What secret must the knight harbour? If it causes him anguish, may his tongue guard the secret! We will protect him, the noble one, from danger; he proved his worth to us through his deed. ELSA (oblivious to what is happening around her, staring ahead) The secret he conceals would bring him disaster if he revealed it here to all present; how woefully ungrateful I should be to betray my saviour by forcing him to reveal it. If I knew his lot, I would keep it secret! Yet my breast is torn with doubt! THE KING Great hero, boldly answer the disloyal one! You are too noble to shy away from his accusations! MEN (pressing towards Lohengrin) We stand with you, never shall we regret that we recognised you to be a true hero! Reach us your hand! We faithfully believe that your name is noble, even if it is never uttered! |
|
LOHENGRIN You knights shall not regret believing in me, even if my name and origin are never uttered! (The men form a circle round Lohengrin, who gives his hand to each one. As he moves into the background, Friedrich pushes through to Elsa. Overcome with worry, confusion and shame, she has not yet dared look at Lohengrin; and still struggling with herself, she is standing alone in the foreground) FRIEDRICH (bending towards Elsa) Trust me! Allow me to tell of a way of being sure! ELSA (shocked, but softly) Away from me! FRIEDRICH Let me take from him but the smallest part, the tip of his finger, and I swear to you that what he is keeping from you, you shall clearly see before you, and, faithful to you, he shall never leave your side! ELSA Ha! Never! FRIEDRICH I shall be near you tonight, - just call, and it will be done quickly and painlessly. LOHENGRIN (quickly moving to the foreground) Elsa, who are you talking to? (Elsa, with an expression of pained, desperate doubt, turns away from Friedrich and sinks at Lohengrin's feet, deeply shaken) LOHENGRIN (to Friedrich and Ortrud) Away from her, cursed ones! May I never see either of you near her again! (Friedrich make a gesture of bitter rage) Elsa, arise! I your hand, in your devotion lies the pledge of all happiness! |
|
Does the force of doubt not leave in peace? Do you wish to put the question to me? ELSA (deeply agitated and in a state of confused embarrassment) My deliverer, who brought me salvation! My knight, in whom I must melt away! High above the force of all doubt shall my love stand. (She sinks upon hie breast) (Organ music is heard from the minster) LOHENGRIN Hail to you, Elsa! Let us now go before God! MEN Lo, he is sent from God! WOMEN AND PAGES Hail! Hail! (Lohengrin solemnly leads Elsa past the nobles to the king. As they pass, the men respectfully make way for them) MEN Hail to you! Hail Elsa of Brabant! (Led by the king, Lohengrin and Elsa move slowly towards the minster) May you be blessed as you proceed! May God be with you! MEN, WOMEN AND PAGES Hail to you, virtuous one! Hail Elsa of Brabant! (As the king reaches the top step with the couple, Elsa turns emotionally to Lohengrin, and he takes her in his arms. As they embrace, Elsa glances apprehensively down the right and side of the steps and sees Ortrud, who has raised her arm as if she were sure of victory; Elsa is alarmed and looks away. Led by the king, Lohengrin and Elsa walk towards the minster door) |
| Contents: Characters; Act One; Act Two; Act Three |