“Otello” by Giuseppe Verdi libretto (English)

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

ACT FOUR

Desdemona’s bedroom. A bed, a prie-dieu, a table, a
mirror and some chairs. A lighted lamp hangs before
the image of the Madonna above the prie-dieu. On the
right is a door. It is night.
(Desdemona, with the assistance of Emilia, is preparing
for bed.)

EMILIA
Was he calmer?

DESDEMONA
He seemed so to me.
He commanded me to go to bed
and there await him.
Emilia, I pray you,
lay upon my bed
my white wedding nightgown.
(Emilia does so.)
Listen.
If I should die before you,
lay me to rest in one of those veils.

EMILIA
Put such thoughts from you.

DESDEMONA
I am so sad, so sad.
(seating herself mechanically before the mirror)
My mother had a poor maidservant,
she was in love and pretty;
her name was Barbara;
she loved a man who then abandoned her.
She used to sing a song,
the song of “The Willow”.
(to Emilia)
Unbind my hair.
This evening
my memory is haunted
by that old refrain.
“She wept as she sang on the lonely heath,
the poor girl wept,
O Willow, Willow, Willow!
She sat with her head upon her breast,
Willow, Willow, Willow!
Come sing! Come sing!
The green willow shall be my garland.”

(to Emilia)
Make haste; Othello will soon be here.
“The fresh streams ran between the flowery
banks, she moaned in her grief,
in bitter tears which through her eyelids sprang
her poor heart sought relief.
Willow! Willow! Willow!
Come sing! Come sing!
The green willow shall be my garland.
Down from dark branches flew the birds
towards the singing sweet.
Sufficient were the tears that she did weep
that stones her sorrow shared.”
(to Emilia, taking a ring from her finger)
Lay this ring by.
(rising)
Poor Barbara!
The story used to end
with this simple phrase:
“He was born for glory,
I to love...”
(to Emilia)
Hark! I heard a moan.
(Emilia takes a step or two.)
Hush... Who knocks upon that door?

EMILIA
‘Tis the wind.

DESDEMONA
“I to love him and to die.
Come sing! Come sing!
Willow! Willow! Willow!”
Emilia, farewell.
How mine eyes do itch!
That bodes weeping.
Good night.
(Emilia turns to leave.)
Ah! Emilia, Emilia, farewell!
Emilia, farewell!
(Emilia returns and Desdemona embraces
her. Emilia leaves.)
(kneeling at the prie-dieu)
Hail Mary, full of grace,
blessed amongst wives and maids art thou,
and blessed is the fruit, o blessed one,
of thy maternal womb, Jesu.
Pray for those who kneeling adore thee,

pray for the sinner, for the innocent
and for the weak oppressed; and to the powerful man,
who also grieves, thy sweet compassion show.
Pray for him who bows beneath injustice
and ‘neath the blows of cruel destiny;
for us, pray thou for us,
pray for us always,
and at the hour of our death
pray for us, pray for us,
pray!
(She remains kneeling and, with her head bowed on the
prie-dieu, repeats the prayer silently, so that only the
first words and the last are audible. )
Hail Mary ...
... and at the hour of our death.
Hail! Amen!
(She rises from her knees and goes to bed.)
(Othello appears on the threshold of a secret door ...
He comes forward ... places his scimitar on the table
... hesitates in front of the candle, wondering whether
to put it out or not ... Looks at Desdemona ... Puts out
the light ... Makes a gesture of fury ... Approaches the
bed ... Stops ... Raises the drapes and stands for a
long time contemplating the sleeping Desdemona... He
gives her a kiss... another kiss... and
another one. Desdemona awakens.)

DESDEMONA
Who’s there?
(raising herself)
Othello?

OTHELLO
Ay! ...
Have you prayed tonight?

DESDEMONA
I prayed...

OTHELLO
If you bethink yourself
of any crime
unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace,
solicit for it straight.

DESDEMONA
What mean you?

OTHELLO
Be brief!
I would not kill your spirit.

DESDEMONA
Talk you of killing?

OTHELLO
I do.

DESDEMONA
Then God have mercy on me!

OTHELLO
Amen.

DESDEMONA
And you have mercy too!

OTHELLO
Think on your sins.

DESDEMONA
My sin is love.

OTHELLO
For that you die!

DESDEMONA
Because I love you you would kill me?

OTHELLO
Cassio is your love!

DESDEMONA
No! By my life and soul!

OTHELLO
That handkerchief which I gave you
you gave to him.

DESDEMONA
It is not true!

OTHELLO
I saw it in his hand.

DESDEMONA
I am not guilty!

OTHELLO
Confess!

DESDEMONA
I swear it!

OTHELLO
Take heed of perjury...
Think that you are on your deathbed.

DESDEMONA
But not to die.

OTHELLO
To die presently.

DESDEMONA
God help me!
I do not love Cassio...
Send for him hither... let him speak.

OTHELLO
His mouth is stopped for ever.

DESDEMONA
What!... is he dead?

OTHELLO
Dead.

DESDEMONA,
I am undone, and he betrayed!

OTHELLO
And you dare to weep for him?

DESDEMONA
Othello, do not kill me...

OTHELLO
You strive in vain.

DESDEMONA
Let me live...
... longer, let me live longer,
let me live!

OTHELLO
Down, fall, down, fall,
strumpet!

DESDEMONA
Mercy!

OTHELLO
Die!!

DESDEMONA
Let me live tonight...

OTHELLO
No!

DESDEMONA
One hour...

OTHELLO
No!

DESDEMONA
An instant.

OTHELLO
No!

DESDEMONA
But while I say one prayer.

OTHELLO
It is too late!
(He smothers her.)

DESDEMONA
Ah! ...
(A knocking is heard at the door on the right.)

OTHELLO
(contemplating the inert form of Desdemona)
As quiet as the grave.
(further knocking at the door)

EMILIA (without)
Unlock the door!

OTHELLO (starting)
Who is there? Who knocks?

EMILIA (knocking again)
O, good my lord, I do beseech
that I may speak with you...
Unlock the door!

OTHELLO (opening the door)
Emilia! What’s the matter?

EMILIA (entering)
Yonder’s foul murder done!
Cassio has killed Roderigo!

OTHELLO
And Cassio?

EMILIA
Lives.

OTHELLO
Cassio lives!!

DESDEMONA (from the bed)
Falsely...
falsely killed...

EMILIA (running towards the bed)
What cry is that?...
O horror!

DESDEMONA
A guiltless death I die...

EMILIA
Great God! Who did this deed?

DESDEMONA
Nobody... I myself...
Commend me to my lord...
A guiltless death I die...
Farewell...
(dies)

OTHELLO
O liar!
’Twas I that killed her.

EMILIA
Murderer!

OTHELLO
She was Cassio’s whore.
Ask Iago else.

EMILIA
Iago?

OTHELLO
Iago.

EMILIA
O dolt! And you believed him?

OTHELLO (about to strike Emilia)
Dare you deny it?

EMILIA
I fear you not.

OTHELLO (seizing her)
Take care!

EMILIA
Ho there! Help, ho! Help!
(freeing herself she runs toward the door, crying out)
Othello has killed Desdemona!
(Lodovico, Cassio and Iago enter, followed later by
Montano and some armed men.)

CASSIO, IAGO, LODOVICO
What cries are these!
(seeing Desdemona)
O horror, horror!

EMILIA (to Iago)
Iago, disprove this vile murderer.
Did you believe Desdemona was false?
Speak!

IAGO
Such I believed her.

OTHELLO
That handkerchief that I had given her
she gave to Cassio.

EMILIA
O heavenly powers!

IAGO (to Emilia)
Hold your tongue!

EMILIA
No, I will tell all!

IAGO
Hold your tongue!

EMILIA
No!
This man from my hand
the handkerchief did wrench
by use of force.

CASSIO
And in my lodging I found the handkerchief.

MONTANO (entering and pointing to Iago)
Roderigo as he died revealed to me
the devilish machinations of this man.

OTHELLO (to Iago)
Ah! Vindicate yourself!

IAGO (fleeing)
No!

LODOVICO
Stop!

MONTANO
After him!
(Several leave to pursue Iago.)

CASSIO, LODOVICO
Seize him!

OTHELLO
(with a bound, reaching and grasping his sword)
And has the heaven no more thunder bolts?

LODOVICO
Give me the sword!

OTHELLO
Would you dare?
Let no one fear me
though he see me armed.

Here is my journey’s end ...
Oh! Glory!
Othello’s day is done.
(Letting his sword fall to the ground, he goes to the bed
and gazes at Desdemona.)
And thou... how pale thou art!
And weary, and mute, and beautiful,
pious creature, born ‘neath an evil star.
Cold, even like thy chastity,
and gathered into heaven.
Desdemona! Desdemona!
Ah!... Dead! Dead! Dead!
(furtively producing a dagger from his robe)
I have another weapon!
(stabs himself)

CASSIO
Ah, stop!

LODOVICO, MONTANO
O bloody period!

OTHELLO
Before I killed thee, wife, I kissed thee thus.
Now dying... in the shadow where I lie...
a kiss... another kiss...
ah!... another kiss...
(dies)

© 1978 Decca Music Group Limited.

libretto by Avril Bardoni

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