Venus and Adonis

Responsief blok lib/tran/syn

Venus and Adonis Libretto

OVERTURE (Maestoso, Allegro, Tempo Primo)

THE PROLOGUEThe curtain is drawn where is discovered Cupid with a bow

THE PROLOGUEin one hand and an arrow in the other and arrows by his side and

THE PROLOGUEaround him Shepherds and Shepherdesses.

THE PROLOGUECUPID'S ENTRY. (Vivace)

[Cupid bows and sings:]

THE PROLOGUEBehold my arrows and my bow

THE PROLOGUEAnd I desire my art to show:

THE PROLOGUENo one bosom shall be found

THE PROLOGUEEre I have done, without a wound,

THE PROLOGUEBut it would be the greatest art

THE PROLOGUETo shoot myself into your heart;

THE PROLOGUEThither with both my wings I move,

THE PROLOGUEPray entertain the God of Love.

SHEPHERDESSCome, Shepherds all, let's sing and play,

SHEPHERDESSBe willing, lovesome, fond and gay.

SHEPHERDShe who those soft hours misuses

SHEPHERDAnd a begging Swain refuses

SHEPHERDWhen she would the time recover

SHEPHERDMay she have a feeble lover.

SHEPHERDESSThe best of the Celestial Pow'rs

SHEPHERDESSIs come to give us happy hours.

SHEPHERDESS2nd SHEPHERD

SHEPHERDESSOh, let him not from hence remove

SHEPHERDESSTill ev'ry bosom's full of love.

CUPIDCourtiers, there is no faith in you,

CUPIDYou change as often as you can:

CUPIDYour women they continue true

CUPIDBut till they see another man.

SHEPHERDCupid hast thou many found

SHEPHERDLong in the same fetters bound?

CUPIDAt court I find constant and true

CUPIDOnly an aged lord or two

SHEPHERDWho do their Empire longest hold

CUPIDThe foolish ugly and the old ...

CUPIDIn these sweet groves love is not taught

CUPIDBeauty and pleasure is not bought;

CUPIDTo warm desires the women nature moves

CUPIDAnd ev'ry youthful swain by nature loves ...

CHORUSIn these sweet groves [etc.]

CHORUS[While this Chorus is singing a Shepherd and Shepherdess

CHORUSdance to it.]

CUPIDLovers to the close shades retire,

CUPIDDo what your kindest thoughts inspire.

[Exeunt omnes. The Curtain closes.]

SYSTEMFIRST ACT

CUPIDTHE ACT TUNE. (Lento)

CUPIDThe Curtain opens and discovers Venus and Adonis sitting

together upon a Couch, embracing one another.

ADONISVenus!

VENUSAdonis!

ADONISVenus, when shall I taste soft delights

ADONISAnd on thy bosom lie?

ADONISLet's seek the shadiest covert of this grove

ADONISAnd never, never disappoint expecting love.

VENUSAdonis, thy delightful youth

VENUSIs full of beauty and of truth.

VENUSWith thee the Queen of Love employs

VENUSThe hours design'd for softer joys.

ADONISMy Venus still has something new

ADONISWhich forces lovers to be true.

VENUSMe my lovely youth shall find

VENUSAlways tender, ever kind.

[They rise from the Couch when they hear the Music.]

VENUSHark, hark, the rural music sounds,

VENUSHark, hark the hunters, hark, hark the hounds!

VENUSThey summon to the chase, haste haste away.

ADONISAdonis will not hunt today.

ADONISI have already caught the noblest prey.

VENUSNo, my shepherd, haste away,

VENUSAbsence kindles new desire,

VENUSI would not have my lover tire ...

VENUSMy shepherd, will you know the art

VENUSBy which I keep a conquer'd heart?

VENUSI seldom vex a lover's ears

VENUSWith business or with jealous fears.

I give him freely all delights

VENUSWith pleasant days and easy nights.

Yet there is a sort of men

ADONISWho delight in heavy chains

ADONISUpon whom ill-usage gains

ADONISAnd they never love till then.

VENUSThose are fools of mighty leisure

VENUSWise men love the easiest pleasure.

VENUSI give you freely all delights

VENUSWith pleasant days and easy nights.

ADONISAdonis will not hunt today.

VENUSNo, my shepherd, haste away.

VENUSEnter Huntsmen to Adonis, and sing this Chorus.

HUNTSMENCome follow, follow, follow,

HUNTSMENCome follow to the noblest game.

HUNTSMENHere the spritely youth may purchase fame.

HUNTSMANA mighty boar our spear and darts defies,

HUNTSMANHe foams and rages, see, see, he wounds

HUNTSMANThe stoutest of our Cretan hounds,

HUNTSMANHe roars like thunder and he lightens from his eyes.

ADONISYou who the slothful joys of city hate

ADONISAnd, early up, for rougher pleasures wait,

ADONISNext the delight which heav'nly beauty yields

ADONISNothing, oh nothing is so sweet

ADONISAs for our huntsmen, that do meet

ADONISWith able coursers and good hounds to range the fields.

HUNTSMENLachne has fastened first but she is old;

HUNTSMENBring hither Ladon, he is strong and bold,

HUNTSMENHeigh Lachne, heigh Melampus; oh, they bleed,

HUNTSMENYour spears, your spears, Adonis thou shalt lead.

[Exeunt singing. Entry: A dance by a Huntsman. The Curtain

HUNTSMENcloses.]

SYSTEMSECOND ACT

HUNTSMENTHE ACT TUNE. (Allegretto)

HUNTSMENThe Curtain opens and Venus and Cupid are seen standing

HUNTSMENwith Little Cupids round about them.

CUPIDYou place with such delightful care

CUPIDThe fetters which your lovers wear;

CUPIDNone can be weary to obey

CUPIDWhen you their eager wishes bless,

[Cupid points to the little Cupids]

CUPIDThe crowding Joys each other press

CUPIDAnd round you smiling Cupids play.

VENUSFlattering boy, hast thou been reading

VENUSThy lessons and refined arts

VENUSBy which thou may'st set ableeding

VENUSA-thousand, thousand tender hearts?

CUPIDYes, but mother, teach me to destroy

CUPIDAll such as scorn your wanton boy.

VENUSFit well your arrows when you strike

VENUSAnd choose for all what each may like.

VENUSBut make some love, they know not why,

VENUSAnd for the ugly and ill-humour'd die;

VENUSSuch as scorn Love's fire,

VENUSForce them to admire.

[The little Cupids repeat their lesson after Cupid.]

CUPIDThe insolent, the arrogant,

CUPIDThe M-E-R-: Mer; C-E: Ce; N-A: Na; R-Y: Ry;

CUPIDThe mercenary, the vain and silly.

CUPIDThe jealous and uneasy, all such as tease ye ...

CUPIDChoose for the formal fool

CUPIDWho scorns Love's mighty school,

CUPIDOne that delights in secret glances

CUPIDAnd a great reader of romances.

CUPIDFor him that's faithless, wild and gay,

CUPIDWho with Love's pain does only play,

CUPIDTake some affected, wanton she,

CUPIDAs faithless and as wild as he.

VENUSBut, Cupid, how shall I make Adonis constant still?

CUPIDUse him very ill ...

[Venus laughs]

CUPIDTo play, my Loves, to play;

CUPIDVenus makes it holiday.

CUPIDA DANCE OF CUPIDS. (Allegro Leggiero)

After the dance the little Cupids piay together at hide and

CUPIDseek and hot cockles till Cupid frightens them off the stage with a

CUPIDVizard Mask, and then they come on again, peeping, when Cupid

CUPIDcalls the Graces.

VENUSCall, call the Graces.

CUPIDCome, all ye Graces! 'Tis your duty

CUPIDTo keep the Magazine of Beauty.

[Enter the Graces]

GRACESMortals below, Cupids above,

GRACESSing the praises of the Queen of Love.

GRACESThe world for that bright Beauty dies;

GRACESSing the triumphs of her conqu'ring eyes.

Hark, ev'n Nature sighs. This joyful night

GRACESShe will beget desire and yield delight.

GRACESTHE GRACES' DANCE. (L'istesso tempo)

GRACESGAVATT. (Allegro)

GRACESSARABRAND FOR THE GRACES. (Lento)

GRACESA GROUND. (Maestoso)

GRACESWhile the Graces dance, the Cupids dress Venus, one combing

GRACESher head, another ties a bracelet of pearls round her waist etc.

GRACESAfter the dances the Curtain closes upon them.

SYSTEMTHIRD ACT

GRACESTHE ACT TUNE. (Sostenuto)

GRACESThe Curtain opens and discovers Venus standing in a

GRACESmelancholy posture. A mourning Cupid goes across the stage

GRACESand shakes an arrow at her.

Adonis, uncall'd-for sighs

From my sad bosom rise,

VENUSAnd grief has the dominion of my eyes.

VENUSA mourning Love passed by me now that sung

VENUSOf tombs and urns and ev'ry mournful thing:

VENUSReturn, Adonis, 'tis for thee I grieve.

[Venus leans against the side of the stage and weeps.

VENUSAdonis is led in wounded.]

I come, as fast as Death will give me leave.

ADONISBehold the wound made by th' Aedalian boar;

ADONISFaithful Adonis now must be no more.

VENUSAh, blood and warm life his rosy cheeks forsake.

VENUSAlas, Death's sleep thou art too young to take.

VENUSMy groans shall reach the heav'ns; oh, pow'rs above

VENUSTake pity on the wretched Queen of Love!

ADONISOh, I could well endure the pointed dart,

ADONISDid it not make the best of lovers part.

VENUSYe cruel gods, why should not I

VENUSHave the great privilege to die?

ADONISLove, mighty Love, does my kind bosom fire;

ADONISShall I for want of vital heat expire?

ADONISNo, no, warm life returns, and Death's afraid

ADONISThis heart (Love's faithful kingdom) to invade.

VENUSNo, the grim Monster gains the day;

VENUSWith thy warm blood life steals away.

ADONISI see fate calls; let me on your soft bosom lie.

ADONISThere I did wish to live, and there I beg to die.

[Adonis dies.]

VENUSAh, Adonis my love, ah, Adonis ...

VENUSWith solemn pomp let mourning Cupids bear

VENUSMy soft Adonis through the yielding air ...

He shall adorn the heav'ns, here I will weep

Till I am fall'n into as cold a sleep.

OMNESMourn for thy servant, mighty God of Love,

Weep for your huntsman, oh forsaken grove.

OMNESMourn, Echo, mourn, thou shalt no more repeat

His tender sighs and vows when he did meet

OMNESWith the wretched Queen of Love

OMNESIn this forsaken grove.