Christopher Purves bass - Chandos
Christopher Purves bass - Chandos
Christopher Purves bass - Chandos
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CHAN 3121 BOOK.qxd 12/9/06 4:19 pm Page 118<br />
each day I’d catch a hundred more.<br />
and soon I would fulfil my dream,<br />
a thousand girls in my harem…<br />
If I achieved my heart’s desire,<br />
I’d hang my nets up and retire.<br />
A thousand maidens might be fun,<br />
but I’d have to set my heart on one.<br />
I’d choose the girl I liked the best<br />
and take her home to share my nest.<br />
We’d bill and coo, we’d hug and kiss,<br />
and ev’ry night I’d play her this…<br />
I’d hold her close, the pretty thing,<br />
and she would sleep beneath my wing.<br />
Dialogue<br />
Tamino (takes him by the hand )<br />
Hey there! Who are you?<br />
Papageno<br />
Who am I, I’m a man like yourself. More to the<br />
point, who are you?<br />
Tamino<br />
A man as well. And my father’s a king, the king<br />
of many lands…<br />
Papageno<br />
King? La…? Are you trying to tell me that<br />
beyond those mountains there are other lands?<br />
Tamino<br />
Hundreds. Look, just tell me where we are!<br />
Papageno<br />
Hm. I can’t. I just live here.<br />
118<br />
Tamino<br />
Then how do you live?<br />
Papageno<br />
I eat and drink like everyone.<br />
Tamino<br />
But how do you pay for it?<br />
Papageno<br />
I catch birds, yeah, for the Queen of the Night,<br />
and her ladies bring me food and drink in return.<br />
Tamino (aside)<br />
This has to be the same Queen of the Night my<br />
father told me about. Perhaps he’s one of her<br />
familiar spirits.<br />
Papageno (aside)<br />
What’s he looking at me like that for?…<br />
Oh,<br />
(aloud )<br />
just you stay where you are.<br />
I’ve got superhuman strength when I’m roused…<br />
Tamino<br />
So it was you who rescued me from the snake?<br />
Papageno<br />
Snake? Is it dead?<br />
Tamino<br />
How did you do it? You’re not armed…<br />
Papageno<br />
Hm? Ah, well, the secret’s… in the wrist action…<br />
of the wrist.<br />
Three Ladies<br />
Papageno!<br />
Papageno<br />
Here you are my beauties – here are your birds.<br />
First Lady<br />
Thank you. But you don’t deserve any wine<br />
today… only water.<br />
Second Lady<br />
And instead of bread, this stone.<br />
Third Lady<br />
And instead of meat – you can stop your mouth<br />
with this padlock!<br />
First Lady<br />
The Queen has decided to punish you…<br />
Second Lady<br />
…for telling lies…<br />
Third Lady<br />
…and for claiming as your own brave acts<br />
performed by others.<br />
First Lady<br />
Did you kill the serpent?<br />
Papageno<br />
Mm! Mm!<br />
Three Ladies<br />
No! We did!<br />
119<br />
4<br />
Third Lady (to Tamino)<br />
Young man, her radiant Highness has sent you<br />
this portrait of her daughter. If you are moved<br />
by her beauty, then fame, fortune and honour<br />
will be yours.<br />
(Tamino, from the moment he took the portrait,<br />
has had eyes for nothing else.)<br />
No. 3 Aria<br />
Tamino<br />
Such loveliness beyond compare;<br />
I’ve never seen a face so fair.<br />
It fills me with such happiness,<br />
my heart beats faster in my breast.<br />
In vain I fight with this desire,<br />
this pain, this unfamiliar fire;<br />
What is this fire consuming me?<br />
I know I feel the pain of love,<br />
I know it; it is love.<br />
Oh, if only she were near me,<br />
If I could speak so she could hear me,<br />
I’d tell her, tell her what I feel…<br />
I’d say to her… I would not speak,<br />
I’d simply hold her,<br />
and in these loving arms enfold her,<br />
and she’d be mine for evermore.<br />
(He starts to leave.)<br />
Dialogue<br />
First Lady<br />
Arm yourself with might and modesty! Our<br />
Queen…
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