“Un ballo in maschera” by Giuseppe Verdi libretto (English)

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

ACT THREE

Scene One

The library of Renato’s house
(On the mantel, at one side, two bronze vases.
Opposite, bookshelves, on the rear wall, a magnificent,
full-length portrait of Riccardo. In the centre, a table.
Renato and Amelia enter. Renato lays down his sword
and closes the door.)

RENATO
For such an offence, tears are useless,
being powerless to efface it or excuse it.
Now all prayers are in vain;
Blood must flow, and you shall die.

AMELIA
But if the guilt, my guilt,
lies only in the fact which accuses me?

RENATO
Silence, adulterous woman.

AMELIA
Great God!

RENATO
Ask Him rather for mercy.

AMELIA
Does a single suspicion suffice for you?
And you want to kill me?
You insult me, no longer feeling
justice nor pity?

RENATO
Blood must flow, and you shall die.

AMELIA
For a moment, it is true, I loved him,
but I did not disgrace your name.
God knows this, that in my breast
no unworthy passion ever burned.

RENATO (taking up his sword)
You have finished; it is now too late –
blood must flow, and you shall die.

AMELIA
Ah! You would kill me! So be it, then.
One grace I pray –

RENATO
Not from me.
Address your prayers to Heaven.

AMELIA (kneeling)
Only one word more to you.
Hear me out, it will be the last time.
I shall die, but first, in kindness,
ah, let me at least
clasp to my breast
my only child.
And if to your wife
you deny this last favour,
do not refuse the prayer
of a mother’s heart.
I shall die, but let his kisses
console this body,
now that the end has come

to my brief life.
Once she is dead by his father’s hand
let him touch with his hand
these eyes of a mother
whom he will never see again.

RENATO
(without looking at her, pointing towards the door)
Arise; there is your son,
I permit you to see him. In the darkness
and the silence, there,
hide your blushes and my shame.
(Amelia goes out.)
It is not she, nor her breast
that I must strike.
Another’s blood must wash away the sin!
(gazing at the portrait)
Your blood!
and my dagger,
avenger of my tears,
shall draw it from your traitor’s heart!
You it was who stained that soul;
which was the joy of my own,
who inspired my trust, then loathsomely
poisoned all life for me.
Traitor, who in such a way regarded
the faith of your dearest friend!
Oh sweetness, lost; O memory
of a heavenly embrace,
when Amelia, in her pure beauty,
lay on my breast, in the warmth of love!
all is finished – now only hate
and death live in my widowed heart!
Oh, sweetness lost, oh, hope of love!
(Samuel and Tom enter, greeting him coolly.)

RENATO
We are alone. Listen to me, I know your plans in full.
You are determined to kill Riccardo.

TOM
You are dreaming.

RENATO (showing them papers on the table)
Here is the proof!

SAMUEL
And now you will reveal the plot to his lordship?

RENATO
No, I want
a part of it

TOM
You are joking.

RENATO
And not just words;
now, with facts, I shall quiet your suspicions,
I am yours, in me you will have a tireless comrade
in this bloody work;
my son shall be my warrant.
Kill him if I fail you.

TOM
Such a change
is scarcely credible.

RENATO
You must not try to know the cause,
I am yours, by the life of my only son!

SAMUEL and TOM (talking together)
He is not lying. No, he is not lying.

RENATO
You hesitate.
SAM and TOM
No more.

RENATO, SAMUEL and TOM
The shame of each, then, the shame of it all,
single that vengeance in our hearts
which shall fall on that damnable head,
tremendous, unappeasable in its fury.
The shame of each, etc.

RENATO
I ask only one thing of you.

SAMUEL
And that is?

RENATO
That I may be the one to kill him.

SAMUEL
No, Renato: he took the home
of my forefathers from me; that right is mine.

TOM
And to me, whose brother he killed,
who have been devoured by the anguish
of revenge, ceaselessly, for ten years,
what part would you give?

RENATO
Silence. Only by lot can we decide.
(He takes a vase from the mantel and places it on the
table. Samuel writes their names on three pieces of
paper and puts them into the vase.)
Who is coming?
(Amelia enters.)
You?

AMELIA
Oscar has come,
bringing an invitation from his lordship.

RENATO
From him!
Let him wait. Stay here. You must,
since it seems Heaven has sent you.

AMELIA (to herself)
What sadness comes over me, what sorrow!
What a flash of terror!

RENATO (indicating his wife to the two men)
She knows nothing – have no fear,
on the contrary, she will bring us luck,
(to Amelia, leading her to the table)
There are three names in this vase.
Your hand must choose one.

AMELIA
But why?

RENATO
Obey – ask no questions.

AMELIA (to herself)
There is no doubt – a fierce destiny
will have me partner in a murder.
(With trembling hand, she draws a slip from the vase
and gives it to her husband, who passes it to Samuel.)

RENATO
Who, then, is the chosen one?

SAMUEL
Renato.

RENATO
My name! O just fate,
vengeance is granted to me!

AMELIA (to herself)
Ah! You seek his lordship’s death!
The cruel words did not speak false.
Their daggers, already bared,
flash above his head.
Ah! you seek his lordship’s death:
Their daggers already flash!

RENATO, SAMUEL and TOM
The grief of America shall be paid for
by the traitor whose glory it was.
Let him who has struck fall stricken,
such is his just reward!

RENATO (at the door)
Let the messenger enter.

OSCAR (to Amelia, as he enters)
My lord requests
your presence, with your husband,
at a masked ball
this evening.

AMELIA
I cannot come.

RENATO
Will his lordship be there too?

OSCAR
Of course.

SAMUEL and TOM (to each other)
Oh fate!

RENATO
(to the Page, while watching his companions)
Such an invitation
is precious, I know.

OSCAR
It will be a magnificent
masked ball.

RENATO
Splendid!
(indicating to Amelia)
She will come with me.

AMELIA (to herself)
Great God!

SAMUEL and TOM (aside)
We too shall go, if such a masquerade
will hasten the moment of our revenge.

OSCAR
Ah! what brilliance, what music
will fill the mansion
where the flower of our youth
will gather together,
the blossoms so fair
of our beautiful city.

AMELIA (to herself)
And it was I, wretched one,
who drew the pitiless sheet
from the evil urn
for my husband in his fury:
The sheet where death is written
for the noblest of all men.

RENATO (to himself)
My mind depicts him there,
lifeless among the dancers,
staining the floor
with his blood
the doer of evil will die,
he shall have no pity from us.

SAMUEL and TOM (to each other)
A revenge in masquerade –
it couldn’t be better,
in the press of the ball,

our plan will not fail;
It will be a funeral dance,
attended by pale beauties.

AMELIA (to herself)
If only I could warn him –
without betraying my husband!

OSCAR
You will be Queen of the ball.

AMELIA (to herself)
Perhaps Ulrica can do it.

SAMUEL and TOM (to Renato)
What costume shall I wear?

RENATO
Blue the domino, with a red sash tied in a knot at the
left.

SAMUEL and TOM
And what will our password be?

RENATO (sottovoce)
Death!

AMELIA (to herself)
If only I could warn him!

OSCAR
You will be Queen!

RENATO, SAMUEL and TOM
Death!

Scene Two

A luxurious room in Riccardo’s home
(A table with writing materials; to the rear, a great
curtain separating the study from the ballroom.)

RICCARDO (alone)
Perhaps she has reached home
and is safe at last. Honour
and duty have destroyed the abyss
between us. Ah yes, Renato
will return to England – and his wife
with him. Let the great ocean divide us,
with no farewell – and let the heart keep silent.
(He writes; and as he is about to sign the document, he
lets the pen fall.)
I still hesitate? But O heaven, must I not?
(He signs and puts the document in his shirt-front.)
Ah, I have signed my sacrifice!
But if I must lose you
forever, light of my life,
my love will reach you
wherever you may be,
once the memory of you
is locked inside my heart,
and now what dark misgivings
assail my heart,
with the fatal desire
to see you once again –
as if this were the last hour
of our love?
(dance music from within)
Ah! She is there – I could see her once more –
could speak to her again –
but no: for now everything has torn me from her.
(Oscar enters, with a letter in his hand.)

OSCAR
An unknown lady gave me this letter.
“It is for his lordship,” she said, “take it to him
secretly.”

RICCARDO
It says that during the ball
someone will attempt to kill me.
But if I don’t go then
they will think me a coward. This, no: no one
must even suspect it. Go – get ready,
immediately, to attend the ball with me.
(Oscar goes out.)
Yes, to see you again, Amelia.
As I look upon your beauty,
once again my heart
will burn with love.

Scene Three

A spacious, richly hung ballroom
(As the curtain opens, a crowd of guests is seen. Most
are wearing masks, some in costume, while others are
in evening dress, without masks. Some are seeking
friends, others trying to escape discovery, some
greeting, others pursuing. The whole scene glows with
richness and gaiety.)

CHORUS
Love and the dance go on
in these joyous halls,
while life is only
a fleeting dream.

O night of precious moments,
of romance and of song,
why dost thou not halt thy flight,
to repose on the wave of pleasure?
(Samuel, Tom and their men, dressed in blue dominos
and red sashes, put in their appearance. Renato, in a
similar costume, comes slowly forward.)

SAMUEL (pointing to Tom)
There is another of our men.
(then, approaching Renato, sottovoce)
Death!

RENATO (bitterly)
Yes, death!
But he will not come.

SAMUEL and TOM
What do you mean?

RENATO
It’s useless to wait.

SAMUEL and TOM
Useless? Why?

RENATO
He is elsewhere.

SAMUEL
Oh deceiving fate!

TOM
He will escape us forever!

RENATO
Speak softly; someone is watching us.

SAMUEL
Who is it?

RENATO
The man to the left, in the short domino.
(They separate in the crowd, but Oscar, masked, follows
Renato.)

OSCAR
I shall not leave you,
you disguise yourself badly.

RENATO (avoiding him)
Away with you!

OSCAR
You are Renato.

RENATO (pulling off Oscar’s mask)
And you are Oscar.

OSCAR
How rude!

RENATO
Good enough – but is it right for you to steal down
to the ball while is lordship is asleep?

OSCAR
He is here –

RENATO
What! Where is he?

OSCAR
I’ve told you –

RENATO
Well – which is he?

OSCAR
I won’t tell!

RENATO
A fine thing!

OSCAR
Find him yourself.

RENATO
Come, now!

OSCAR
You want to play the same trick on him?

RENATO
Calm yourself; can’t you tell me at least how he’s
dressed?

OSCAR
You want to know
how he is dressed,
while that is a thing

he doesn’t want known.
Oscar knows,
but will not tell,
Tra-la-la-la!
My heart is aflame,
in a tumult of love,
but I still know how
secrets are kept.
Neither rank nor beauty
can make me tell –
Tra –la-la-la,
la, la, la!
(Oscar and Renato are separated by maskers and
groups of dancers.)

CHORUS
Love and the dance go on, etc.

RENATO
(catching up with him)
I know that you know who his friends are.

OSCAR
You want to ask him something,
or joke with him?

RENATO
Precisely.

OSCAR
And then to betray the person who told you?

RENATO
You offend me.
Believe me, I know all I need to know.

OSCAR
It’s quite important to you?

RENATO
There are urgent matters
which I must discuss with him. It will be
your fault if I don’t succeed.

OSCAR
Well, then!

RENATO
If you tell me, it’s a favour to him.

OSCAR (rapidly coming closer)
He is wearing a black cape, with a pink ribbon on his
chest.

RENATO
One word more.

OSCAR (moving off into the crowd)
I have said more than enough.

CHORUS
Love and the dance, etc.
(The dancers move about. Renato sights one of his men
across the room and leaves. Shortly, the movement of
the dance brings Riccardo to the fore, he is dressed in a
black costume with a pink ribbon. He is lost in thought.
Behind him is Amelia, in a white costume.)

AMELIA
(softly, in an altered, unrecognisable voice)
Ah! Why are you here? Go away –

RICCARDO
It was you who sent the letter?

AMELIA
Here you are surrounded by death.

RICCARDO
I am not frightened.

AMELIA
Go, go, or you will fall here,
stabbed to death!

RICCARDO
Tell me your name.

AMELIA
Great God! I cannot

RICCARDO
Then why do you weep – plead, so frightened?
Why do you feel such concern for my life?

AMELIA
For your life, I would sacrifice my own!

RICCARDO
You cannot hide yourself: you are that angel, Amelia!

AMELIA (desperately)
I love you, yes, I love you, and in tears
I fall at your feet,
here where an unknown dagger
of vengeance is thirsting for your blood.
If you stay here,
tomorrow you will be dead.
Save yourself – go – leave me,
fly from those that hate you.

RICCARDO
As long as you love me, Amelia,
I care nothing for my fate!

AMELIA
Fly!

RICCARDO
I have nothing to save you in my soul,
and the rest of the world is forgotten.

AMELIA
Save yourself!

RICCARDO
Nor am I afraid of death –

AMELIA
Go!

RICCARDO
Because even stronger than death –

AMELIA
Ah! Save yourself!

RICCARDO
Is the breath of your love
which intoxicates me.
Because even stronger than death
is the breath of your love
which intoxicates me.

AMELIA
Tomorrow you will be dead
if you stay here.
Save yourself, leave me, fly,
fly from those that hate you!
Then you insist on seeing me
die of anguish and shame?

RICCARDO
I want to save you.
Tomorrow, with Renato, you will go –

AMELIA
Where?

RICCARDO
To your native land.

AMELIA
To England?

RICCARDO
My heart is breaking – but you will leave – farewell!

AMELIA
Riccardo!

RICCARDO
My heart is breaking – I leave you, Amelia!

AMELIA
Riccardo!

RICCARDO
Once more, farewell!

AMELIA
Alas!

RICCARDO
For the last time! Farewell!

AMELIA
Farewell!

RENATO
(unobserved, he throws himself between and stabs
Riccardo)
And this is my farewell to you!

RICCARDO
Ah!

AMELIA
Help!

OSCAR (running to Riccardo’s side)
Oh heaven! He is murdered!
(Ladies, officers and guards rushing from all sides.)

SOME GUESTS
Who did it?

OTHERS
Where is the villain?

OSCAR (indicating Renato)
There he is!
(All surround him and tear off his mask.)

ALL
Renato! Ah! Death, infamy
our swords upon him,
our avenging swords!
Death to the traitor!
Death, death to the traitor!
Death, infamy to the traitor!

RICCARDO
No, no – leave him.
(to Renato)
You must listen to me,
She is pure: in the arms of death,
while God hears my words, I swear it.
I, who loved your wife,
respected her purity.
(He gives him the document.)
Advanced to a new post,
you were to leave with her –
I loved her, but would not have
either her heart or your name offended!

AMELIA
Oh, what remorse of love
devours my heart,

between the guilty, bloodied one
and his victim, who lies dying!

OSCAR
O boundless grief!
O dreadful tragedy!
His brow is already moist
with the sweat of death!

RENATO
Heaven! What have I done! And what
awaits me, accursed man, on earth!
What thirst for vengeance and for blood
was inspired by my tragic error!

RICCARDO
My thanks to all; I still am ruler here,
any my pardon absolves everyone.

ALL except RICCARDO
Spare us, merciful God,
so great and generous a heart!
To us wretched ones on earth,
He is a ray of Thy heavenly love!
He is dying –

RICCARDO
Farewell, forever, my children –
farewell – beloved America –

ALL
He is dying!

RICCARDO
Farewell, forever, my children – ah –
Ah! I am dying! My children, forever – farewell!

ALL
Night of horror, night of horror!

END

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