| anon / MOWBRAY MARRAS / GIACOMO PUCCINI |
OperaGlass |
Manon Lescaut
ACT IV
-- -- -- --
AMERICA
A vast plain on the borders of the territory of New Orleans.
The country is bare and undulating, the horizon is far distant, the
sky is overcast. Night falls.
Manon and Des Grieux advance slowly from the back; they are
poorly clad; they seem worn out with fatigue; Manon is very pale
and exhausted, she leans on Des Grieux, who supports her with
difficulty.
Des Grieux (advancing)
Lean all your weight on me, love,
O sweetheart sad and weary.
How tired you must be, love!
The road so long and dreary
We soon will leave behind us.
Manon
(with stifled voice)
Let's onward, still onward, love,
The air around us now grows darker,
Over the plain the wandering breeze is flying.
And daylight is dying!--
Let's onward, still onward-- [completely overcome.
No!-- [falls suddenly.
Des Grieux
(with a cry of anguish)
Manon!
Manon
(her voice grows fainter)
I cannot! Oh! forgive me!
I am only a woman...
But you, you are strong-- I faint!
Des Grieux (anxiously)
You suffer?
Manon (hastily)
Most cruel torture!
[Des Grieux, distressed at her sufferings, is deeply moved. Manon
with an effort exclaims
No! what said I?-- It is false,
I was jesting, believe me--
O love, take comfort!
I need rest for a moment--
Only a moment--
My heart's own treasure
Come close, come near me-- ah! come! [swoons.
Des Grieux
(with intense emotion)
Manon-- hear me, beloved--
You do not answer, my darling!
Look, dear, 'tis I am weeping--
Look, dear, 'tis I implore you,
My vigil here I'm keeping
Ah! love, I who adore you!--
[as he speaks his emotion becomes still more powerful.
Nay, answer me!-- Look up, dear!-- [pauses.
Silent!? Accurséd fate!-- [touches her forehead.
Her frame is racked with fever--
Manon
(rising suddenly, gazes at Des Grieux as if she did not recog-
nize him: Des Grieux stoops and raises her from the ground.
'Tis you, then, that are weeping?
And you that so implore me?
My heart your sigh is reaping!
Your tears fall softly o'er me!
Love, with your love, restore me!
A cruel thirst consumes me.
Oh! help me, dearest, help me.
Des Grieux
Oh! love, a thousand deaths
I would die to save you.
[runs up stage and scans the distant horizon, then returns
despondently.
There's nothing!-- nothing!
All arid waste land-- not a drop of water
O heartless heaven! O God,
To whom I ever as a child
Would raise my prayer,
Now protect her-- and defend her!
Manon
Yes-- help me, help me--
For you can save me!
Listen, I here will rest,
While you scan from afar the dim horizon,
And seek for shelter or a woodland hut,
Go swiftly onward, and then, with joyful accents,
All your glad tidings to me you'll convey.
[while Manon is speaking Des Grieux looks at her with the greatest
anxiety, he hesitates to leave her; he finds a resting place
for her and remains awhile undecided; finally he walks slowly,
and on reaching the background again, stops to gaze at Manon,
then with sudden resolve runs off.
Manon
(the sky darkens, Manon is well nigh distraught with terror
and fatigue)
Lonely-- forsaken-- and abandoned--
All my hope then is over.
And in the heart of this desert
I'm dying. O wretched helpless woman!
I sought this region as a peaceful haven.
Ah! through my fatal beauty
Torments afresh surround me--
They would have severed me from him;
How all my past does haunt me
With fearful pains of anguish,
And rises straight before my eyes to rend me.
New dangers come to threaten--
Only the tomb can release me from my burden.
No!-- let me not die-- dearest-- help me!
[Des Grieux enters hurriedly, Manon falls into his arms.
Manon (recovering)
Enfold me in your arms, love,
For the last time!
[with an effort, smiles and looks hopeful.
Do you bring back
Good tidings?
Des Grieux
(with the deepest grief)
Alas! I found nothing--
The horizon revealed me nothing--
In vain I peered into the distance--
Manon
I die! Dark shadows fall around.
Night's gloom on me is falling.
Des Grieux
Oh! what terrible frenzy
Overcomes and distracts you--
Rest, dear love, on my beating heart
'Till you revive once more.
Manon
(with infinite tenderness)
See, how my breath grows fainter--
I scarce can speak--
But, I would tell you how fondly I love you!
My dearest, my only treasure!
[sinks slowly to the ground, while Des Grieux endeavors to support
her.
Des Grieux
(touches her cheek, and in the greatest alarm exclaims)
The chill of death is on her!
God, my last hope is shattered!
Manon
(faintly)
My sweetest love, you're weeping!
For tears 'tis not the hour;
Let lips fond troth be keeping
With kiss that love shall-- dower!
Des Grieux
And I still live! (vehemently) Oh, horror!
Manon
Ah! rife be this moment,
With divinest caresses;
Amid passion and fervour
Let death o'ertake me--
Des Grieux
Supreme treasure and delight--
Thou flame of love eternal--
Manon
The flame is dying--
Speak, then, to me, love-- Alas! no more I hear you--
Draw near-- enfold me close-- let your lips cling, love--
Ah! thus-- Ah! thus-- you kiss me-- your touch thrills me!--
Des Grieux
I cannot live-- without you--
I too shall die--
Manon
(with a supreme effort, and in a solemn tone of command)
You shall not!
Farewell love! The night grows darker. I shudder--
So truly loving was your Manon!-- Remember!--
Tell me-- the radiant happy dreams of childhood--
To see the sunlight nevermore!
Des Grieux
Oh! Heaven!
Manon
Time will obliterate my faults--
But my love-- will never die. [dies.
Des Grieux, frantic with grief, bursts into convulsive sobs, and
falls senseless upon Manon's body.
END OF THE OPERA.
27 Nov 2005