Thu 23 Jun programme - London Symphony Orchestra

Me thought a serpent ate my heart away,
And you sat smiling at his cruel prey.
Lysander! What, removed? Lysander! Lord!
What, out of hearing? Gone? No sound, no word?
Alack, where are you? Speak, an if you hear.
Speak of all loves! I swoon almost with fear.
No? Then I well perceive you are not nigh:
Either death or you I’ll find immediately.
6 Intermezzo
(Hermia seeks Lysander, and loses herself in the wood.)
Narrator (Puck)
What hempen homespuns have we swagg’ring here,
So near the cradle of the Fairy Queen?
What, a play toward? I’ll be an auditor;
An actor too perhaps, if I see cause.
On the ground
Sleep sound.
I’ll apply
To your eye,
Gentle lover, remedy.
When thou wak’st
Thou tak’st
True delight
In the sight
Of thy former lady’s eye:
And the country proverb known,
That every man should take his own.
In your waking shall be shown:
Jack shall have Jill;
Naught shall go ill;
The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well.
8 Libretto
7 Nocturne
(Instrumental)
8 Andante
Narrator (Oberon)
May all to Athens back again repair,
And think no more of this night’s accidents
But as fierce vexation of a dream,
But first I will release the Fairy Queen.
Be, as thou wast wont to be;
See, as thou wast wont to see:
Dian’s bud o’er Cupid’s flower
Hath such force and blessed power.
Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen!
Narrator (Oberon / Titania)
Titania, music call;…
Music, ho, music!
Such as charmeth sleep!
Sound, music!
And will tomorrow midnight solemnly
Dance in Duke Theseus’ house triumphantly
And bless it to all fair prosperity.
There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be
Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.
Narrator (Oberon)
Then my Queen, in silence sad
Trip we after night’s shade.
We the globe can compass soon,
Swifter than the wand’ring moon.
Narrator
Enter Theseus and all his Train.
Narrator (Theseus)
Go, bid the huntsmen
Wake the lovers with their horns.
Thu 23 June 2011.indd 8 6/20/2011 11:50:03 AM