Christopher Purves bass - Chandos

CHAN 3121 BOOK.qxd 12/9/06 4:19 pm Page 130
Don’t let him touch her.
This goes too far!
(He separates them and kneels.)
I beg you, now pronounce your sentence.
This wicked man shows no repentance,
his evil-doing knows no end.
Together with his feathered friend
he tried to steal the fair Pamina,
until I foiled their misdemeanour.
I saw them with my very eyes!
Sarastro
And you deserve a worthy prize,
your faithful service we applaud.
Monostatos
You are too generous, my Lord!
Sarastro
And seventy lashes are your reward.
Monostatos (kneeling)
Oh Sir, you give me more than I’ve deserved.
Sarastro
Enough! The law must be observed!
(Monostatos is led away.)
Attendants
We worship Sarastro, we praise and revere him.
Thus evil is punished, thus sinners must fear him.
Recitative
Sarastro
Now take them to our sanctuary;
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their strength and courage must be tried.
Cover their heads and lead them hence
for they must first be purified.
(Two attendants bring on a kind of sack, and cover
the heads of the two strangers.)
Attendants
With virtue and with righteousness
we will achieve our noble plan
to sanctify the state of man,
to make the earth a holy place
and glorify the human race.
COMPACT DISC TWO
Act II
No. 9 March
Dialogue
Sarastro
My brothers who serve the great gods Isis and
Osiris, Tamino has approached us in search of
the goals to which we all aspire. It is our duty to
help him. Such is his worth that Pamina has
been chosen to be by his side. That is why I took
her from her mother, a woman who hopes to use
her magic to destroy our temple. Tamino will
help us defend ourselves against her.
First Priest
But will Tamino be equal to the ordeal? What if
he were to die?
2
Sarastro
That is for the Gods to decide.
Second Priest
He is a prince…
Sarastro
More than that, he is a man. Shall we admit
him? Let us take our decision. (music)
Sarastro
I thank you all in the name of mankind. You
must teach him and his companion to know
their duty and to respect the might of the Gods.
No. 10 Aria
Sarastro
O Isis and Osiris, arm them
with strength and joy as they proceed.
Let not despair nor danger harm them,
grant them the courage to succeed.
Priests
Grant them the courage to succeed.
Sarastro
Let them achieve the goal they cherish,
but should it be their fate to perish,
welcome their spirits to your embrace,
let them assume their rightful place.
Priests
Let them assume their rightful place.
(Sarastro leaves first, followed by the others.)
(Night, thunder rolls in the distance. The stage is
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transformed into a short courtyard of the temple,
where the ruins of collapsed pillars and pyramids
are visible, along with some thorn bushes. On both
sides there are tall ancient Egyptian doors, which
suggest the presence of buildings on both sides.
Tamino and Papageno are led in by the speaker
and the other priest; they remove their sacks; then
the priests leave.)
Dialogue
Tamino
Where do you think we are?
Papageno
How should I know? It’s flipping pitch black.
(thunder)
Oh, God!
First Priest
Strangers, why are you here?
Tamino
I come in search of friendship and love.
Second Priest
Are you prepared to risk your life for these ideals?
Tamino
I’m not afraid to die.
Second Priest
And you? Are you prepared to fight for wisdom
and truth?
Papageno
Hey, fighting, ah well, fighting is not really my