Tannhäuser (1978) - full transcript
Draw near the stand!
Approach the land,
where, in the arms
of glowing love,
let blissful warmth
content your desires!
Draw near the strand!
Approach the land!
Tell me, beloved,
of what are you thinking?
Too much! Too much!
Oh, that I now might awake!
Tell me what ails you.
In dreams, it was as if I heard
a sound long stranger to my ears
as if I heard the joyful peal of bells!
Oh, tell me! How long is it since I heard them?
What is it holds you in thrall?
Where are you straying?
The time I have sojourned here
I cannot measure.
Days, moons - mean nothing to me any more,
for I no longer see the sun,
nor the friendly stars of heaven;
I see no more the blades of grass,
which, turning freshly green,
bring the new summer in;
the nightingale that foretells me the spring,
I hear no more.
Shall I never hear it, never behold it more?
Ha! What do I hear?
What foolish complaining?
Are you so soon wearied of the sweet wonder
my love devises for you?
Or what?
Can you so greatly regret being a god?
Have you so soon forgot how once
you suffered,
whilst now you delight in pleasure here?
Come, my Singer,
up and grasp your lyre!
Celebrate love,
which you extol so marvellously in song,
that you won the goddess of love herself for yours!
Celebrate love, for its highest
prize has become yours!
Let your praises ring out!
Let the marvel your might created for me,
fortunate as I am, be extolled!
May the sweet delight, sprung from your favour,
raise my song up in a loud cry of jubilation!
My heart yearned,
oh my senses thirsted
after pleasure, after delicious gratification:
that which once you rendered to gods alone
you graciously bestowed upon me, a mortal.
But mortal, oh, I have remained
and your loving is too huge for me.
Though a god may incessantly savour enjoyment,
I am subject to change:
not pleasure alone lies close to my heart
in the midst of joy I crave after pain.
From your kingdom I must fly .
Oh, queen, oh godess
let me go away!
What do I hear?
Whither has that inspiration flown,
which once prompted songs of delight alone from you?
Beloved, with what do you reproach me?
What is it? Wherein has my love proved wanting
Beloved, with what do you reproach me?
Thanks be to your favour!
May your loving be extolled!
Fortunate forever the man who
has tarried with you!
Forever envied he who, with ardent passion,
has shared the godlike glow in your embrace!
Entrancing are the marvels of your kingdom,
I breathe the magic of all pleasure here;
no country on the broad earth offers the like,
what they possess you can easily spare.
But amid these rosy perfumes
I long for the woodland breezes,
for the clear blue of our skies,
for the fresh green of our meadows,
for the sweet song of our little birds,
for the dear sound of our bells.
From your kingdom I must fly
O queen,
goddess,
let me go!
Faithless man! Alas! What is that you say?
You dare scorn my love?
You praise it, yet would fly from it?
Are you surfeited with my charms?
Oh lovely goddess, do not be angry with me!
Are you surfeited with my charms?
Your overwhelming charm it is I flee from.
Woe to you, traitor!
Hypocrite! Ungrateful man!
I will not let you go!
You may not go from me!
Never was my love greater, never truer,
than now, when I must fly from you for ever!
Come, beloved, see yonder grotto,
filled with rosy fragrance gently wafting!
That abode of sweetest delight would offer
enchantment even to a god.
Lulled on the downiest of cushions
let every hurt fly from your limbs,
let coolness fan your burning brow,
blissful ardour swell heart.
Come, sweet love, come, follow me!
Come!
Draw near the strand!
From the pleasant distance, sweet sound usage
my arm to enfold you in closest embrace:
from my lips, my gaze, you sip nectar divine,
the reward of love sparkles for you:
a feast of delight shall arise from our union.
Let us joyfully celebrate the festival of love!
You must not dedicate a timid offering to it
revel in union with the goddess of love!
Say, sweet friend,
tell me, my beloved
would you fly?
For you alone my song shall ever ring out!
Your praise alone be loudly sung by me!
Your lovely fascination is the fount of all beauty,
and every sweet wonder stems from you.
The glow you shed in my heart
blazes bright as flame for you alone!
Yes, against the whole eorld, then, untiring,
for henceforth your bold champion I will be!
Yet, I must go from hence to the world of earth;
if I remain with you, I can only be a slave.
For freedom, then, I long,
for freedom, freedom, do I thirst;
for struggle and strife I will stand,
though it be, too, for destruction and death:
from your kingdom, therefore, I must fly -
Oh queen,
goddess, let me go!
Begone, madman, begone!
Go! Traitor, see, I am not stopping you!
Fly! I set you free!
Begone hence!
Deluded mortal,
let that which you long for be your lot!
Begone! Begone!
Fly hence to frigid men,
before whose timid, cheerless fancy
we gods of delight have escaped
deep into the warm womb of earth.
Begone, deluded mortal,
eek your salvation,
seek your salvation - and find it never!
Beg those for pardon now, whom once,
when victorious,
in exultant mood
you derided and scorned;
in those quarters you disdained,
cry out now for favour!
Let your infamy shine forth, then!
Their derision, then will be your utter shame!
Banished, accursed, oh, how well I see you
approach me already, your head bowed down to earth:
"Oh, if only you might find her again,
she who once smiled upon you!
Oh, that the portals of her delight
might once more open for you!"
On the threshold, see there -
he lies now, stretched full length,
there where once delight engulfed him!
Imploring, he begs for pity, not for love!
Back! Be off, beggar!
To heroes alone, to menials never,
does my kingdom open!
No! My pride will spare you the complaining;
ever again to appear before you would degrade me!
He who parts from you today, oh goddess,
will never return to you again!
I carry death and the grave here in my heart,
through repentance and atonement
I will find myself repose!
Repose will never be your lot,
neither will you find peace!
Come again to me, if, some time,
you should seek your salvation!
Goddess of pleasure and delight, no!
Oh, not in you shall I
find peace and repose!
My salvation lies in Mary!
Dame Holda's come out of the mountain
to roam through field and meadow;
my ear caught a sound there so sweet,
m'eye longed to behold.
There I dreamt many a sweet dream,
and my eyes had scarcely opened when
there the sun shone warm.
May, May had come!
Now I gaily play my pipe.
May is here, the lovely May!
To Thee do I journey,
Lord Jesus Christ,
for Thou art the pilgrims' hope!
Praise be to thee, Virgin sweet and pure.
Grant that our pilgrimage may prove propitious!
Alas, the burden of my sins weighs me down.
I can endure it no longer;
I will know neither sleep nor rest therefore
and gladly choose toil and vexation.
At the sublime feast of clemency and grace
I will atone for my sins in humility;
blessed is he who truly belives:
he shall be saved through penitence and repentance.
God speed! God speed to Rome!
Pray for my poor soul!
Glory be to Thee, Almighty God!
Great are the marvels of Thy grace.
To Thee do I journey,
Lord Jesus Christ,
for Thou art the pilgrims' hope!
Praise be to thee, Virgin sweet and pure.
Grant that our pilgrimage may prove propitious!
Alas, the burden of my sins weighs me down,
I can endure it no longer;
I will know neither sleep nor rest therefore
and gladly choose toil and vexation.
At the sublime feast of clemency and grace,
I will atone for my sins in humility;
blessed is he who truly belives.
Who is that man yonder, sunk in fervent prayer?
A penitent surely.
By his garb a knight
It is he!
Henry! Henry! Do I see alright?
Is it really you?
Have you returned to the circle
you forsook in haughty arrogance?
Say, what does your return signify for us?
Tell us what!
Reconciliation?
Or does it betoken renewed strife?
Do you approach us as friend or foe?
As foe?
Oh, do not ask!
Is this the bearing of arrogance?
Be welcome, you valiant Singer,
who have been, oh, so long absent from our midst!
Welcome, if you call us friends!
Welcome! We greet you!
Welcome, if you come in peace!
Welcome! Welcome!
We greet you!
Be welcome then to me as well!
Tell us - where have you tarried so long?
I have journeyed in far-distant realms -
there where I never found response nor rest.
Do not ask! I did not come hither to contend with you.
Be reconciled with me and let me go on further!
Not so! You have become one of us once more.
You may not go away.
Let me be! Delay avails me naught,
and never can I stop to rest!
My way bids me only hasten onward,
and never may I cast a backward glance!
We will not let you go.
Stay with us!
Let me be! Delay avails me naught,
and never can I stop to rest!
My way bids me only hasten onward,
and never may I cast a backward glance!
and never may I cast a backward glance!
Oh, stay! You shall tarry with us,
we will not let you go from us!
you have sought us out, why hurry away
after so short a reunion?
Away, away from here!
Stay, stay by us!
Stay by Elizabeth!
Elizabeth!
Oh heavenly powers,
do you cry out that sweet name to me?
You shall not rebuke me as enemy,
for that I have spoken it!
Do you permit me, sir,
to be herald of his good fortune to him?
Tell him of the spell he has wrought,
and God grant him virtue,
that he may undo it aright.
When you strove with us in blithe song,
sometimes victorious against our lays,
anon defeated through our art,
one prize there was that you alone succided in winning.
Was it by magic or by oure might
that you achieved the miracle
or captivating the most virtuous of maids
by your singing filled with joy and sorrow?
For, when, in haughtiness, you left us,
her heart closed to our song;
we saw her cheeks grow pale,
she ever shunned our circle.
Oh, return, you valiant Singer,
let not your song be far from ours.
Let her no longer be absent from our festivals,
let her star shine on us once more
Be one of us, Henry, return to us!
Have one with dissension and strife!
Let our lays ring out in unison,
and brothers let us call ourselves from henceforth.
To her! To her! oh, lead me to her!
Ha, how I recognize it again,
the lovely world that I renounced!
The heavens look down upon me,
the meadows sparkle, richly-decked!
The spring, the spring
with a thousand lovely sounds
has entered into my soul, rejoicing!
In sweet impetuous urgency
my heart cries aloud:
To her, to her!
Lead me to her!
He, whom we had lost, is remaining!
A miracle has brought him hither!
Glory be to the sweet power
that has charmed his arrogance away!
Now may the high-born lady's ear
once more harken to our lays!
In joyous animated tones
the song goes up from every breast!
Approach the land,
where, in the arms
of glowing love,
let blissful warmth
content your desires!
Draw near the strand!
Approach the land!
Tell me, beloved,
of what are you thinking?
Too much! Too much!
Oh, that I now might awake!
Tell me what ails you.
In dreams, it was as if I heard
a sound long stranger to my ears
as if I heard the joyful peal of bells!
Oh, tell me! How long is it since I heard them?
What is it holds you in thrall?
Where are you straying?
The time I have sojourned here
I cannot measure.
Days, moons - mean nothing to me any more,
for I no longer see the sun,
nor the friendly stars of heaven;
I see no more the blades of grass,
which, turning freshly green,
bring the new summer in;
the nightingale that foretells me the spring,
I hear no more.
Shall I never hear it, never behold it more?
Ha! What do I hear?
What foolish complaining?
Are you so soon wearied of the sweet wonder
my love devises for you?
Or what?
Can you so greatly regret being a god?
Have you so soon forgot how once
you suffered,
whilst now you delight in pleasure here?
Come, my Singer,
up and grasp your lyre!
Celebrate love,
which you extol so marvellously in song,
that you won the goddess of love herself for yours!
Celebrate love, for its highest
prize has become yours!
Let your praises ring out!
Let the marvel your might created for me,
fortunate as I am, be extolled!
May the sweet delight, sprung from your favour,
raise my song up in a loud cry of jubilation!
My heart yearned,
oh my senses thirsted
after pleasure, after delicious gratification:
that which once you rendered to gods alone
you graciously bestowed upon me, a mortal.
But mortal, oh, I have remained
and your loving is too huge for me.
Though a god may incessantly savour enjoyment,
I am subject to change:
not pleasure alone lies close to my heart
in the midst of joy I crave after pain.
From your kingdom I must fly .
Oh, queen, oh godess
let me go away!
What do I hear?
Whither has that inspiration flown,
which once prompted songs of delight alone from you?
Beloved, with what do you reproach me?
What is it? Wherein has my love proved wanting
Beloved, with what do you reproach me?
Thanks be to your favour!
May your loving be extolled!
Fortunate forever the man who
has tarried with you!
Forever envied he who, with ardent passion,
has shared the godlike glow in your embrace!
Entrancing are the marvels of your kingdom,
I breathe the magic of all pleasure here;
no country on the broad earth offers the like,
what they possess you can easily spare.
But amid these rosy perfumes
I long for the woodland breezes,
for the clear blue of our skies,
for the fresh green of our meadows,
for the sweet song of our little birds,
for the dear sound of our bells.
From your kingdom I must fly
O queen,
goddess,
let me go!
Faithless man! Alas! What is that you say?
You dare scorn my love?
You praise it, yet would fly from it?
Are you surfeited with my charms?
Oh lovely goddess, do not be angry with me!
Are you surfeited with my charms?
Your overwhelming charm it is I flee from.
Woe to you, traitor!
Hypocrite! Ungrateful man!
I will not let you go!
You may not go from me!
Never was my love greater, never truer,
than now, when I must fly from you for ever!
Come, beloved, see yonder grotto,
filled with rosy fragrance gently wafting!
That abode of sweetest delight would offer
enchantment even to a god.
Lulled on the downiest of cushions
let every hurt fly from your limbs,
let coolness fan your burning brow,
blissful ardour swell heart.
Come, sweet love, come, follow me!
Come!
Draw near the strand!
From the pleasant distance, sweet sound usage
my arm to enfold you in closest embrace:
from my lips, my gaze, you sip nectar divine,
the reward of love sparkles for you:
a feast of delight shall arise from our union.
Let us joyfully celebrate the festival of love!
You must not dedicate a timid offering to it
revel in union with the goddess of love!
Say, sweet friend,
tell me, my beloved
would you fly?
For you alone my song shall ever ring out!
Your praise alone be loudly sung by me!
Your lovely fascination is the fount of all beauty,
and every sweet wonder stems from you.
The glow you shed in my heart
blazes bright as flame for you alone!
Yes, against the whole eorld, then, untiring,
for henceforth your bold champion I will be!
Yet, I must go from hence to the world of earth;
if I remain with you, I can only be a slave.
For freedom, then, I long,
for freedom, freedom, do I thirst;
for struggle and strife I will stand,
though it be, too, for destruction and death:
from your kingdom, therefore, I must fly -
Oh queen,
goddess, let me go!
Begone, madman, begone!
Go! Traitor, see, I am not stopping you!
Fly! I set you free!
Begone hence!
Deluded mortal,
let that which you long for be your lot!
Begone! Begone!
Fly hence to frigid men,
before whose timid, cheerless fancy
we gods of delight have escaped
deep into the warm womb of earth.
Begone, deluded mortal,
eek your salvation,
seek your salvation - and find it never!
Beg those for pardon now, whom once,
when victorious,
in exultant mood
you derided and scorned;
in those quarters you disdained,
cry out now for favour!
Let your infamy shine forth, then!
Their derision, then will be your utter shame!
Banished, accursed, oh, how well I see you
approach me already, your head bowed down to earth:
"Oh, if only you might find her again,
she who once smiled upon you!
Oh, that the portals of her delight
might once more open for you!"
On the threshold, see there -
he lies now, stretched full length,
there where once delight engulfed him!
Imploring, he begs for pity, not for love!
Back! Be off, beggar!
To heroes alone, to menials never,
does my kingdom open!
No! My pride will spare you the complaining;
ever again to appear before you would degrade me!
He who parts from you today, oh goddess,
will never return to you again!
I carry death and the grave here in my heart,
through repentance and atonement
I will find myself repose!
Repose will never be your lot,
neither will you find peace!
Come again to me, if, some time,
you should seek your salvation!
Goddess of pleasure and delight, no!
Oh, not in you shall I
find peace and repose!
My salvation lies in Mary!
Dame Holda's come out of the mountain
to roam through field and meadow;
my ear caught a sound there so sweet,
m'eye longed to behold.
There I dreamt many a sweet dream,
and my eyes had scarcely opened when
there the sun shone warm.
May, May had come!
Now I gaily play my pipe.
May is here, the lovely May!
To Thee do I journey,
Lord Jesus Christ,
for Thou art the pilgrims' hope!
Praise be to thee, Virgin sweet and pure.
Grant that our pilgrimage may prove propitious!
Alas, the burden of my sins weighs me down.
I can endure it no longer;
I will know neither sleep nor rest therefore
and gladly choose toil and vexation.
At the sublime feast of clemency and grace
I will atone for my sins in humility;
blessed is he who truly belives:
he shall be saved through penitence and repentance.
God speed! God speed to Rome!
Pray for my poor soul!
Glory be to Thee, Almighty God!
Great are the marvels of Thy grace.
To Thee do I journey,
Lord Jesus Christ,
for Thou art the pilgrims' hope!
Praise be to thee, Virgin sweet and pure.
Grant that our pilgrimage may prove propitious!
Alas, the burden of my sins weighs me down,
I can endure it no longer;
I will know neither sleep nor rest therefore
and gladly choose toil and vexation.
At the sublime feast of clemency and grace,
I will atone for my sins in humility;
blessed is he who truly belives.
Who is that man yonder, sunk in fervent prayer?
A penitent surely.
By his garb a knight
It is he!
Henry! Henry! Do I see alright?
Is it really you?
Have you returned to the circle
you forsook in haughty arrogance?
Say, what does your return signify for us?
Tell us what!
Reconciliation?
Or does it betoken renewed strife?
Do you approach us as friend or foe?
As foe?
Oh, do not ask!
Is this the bearing of arrogance?
Be welcome, you valiant Singer,
who have been, oh, so long absent from our midst!
Welcome, if you call us friends!
Welcome! We greet you!
Welcome, if you come in peace!
Welcome! Welcome!
We greet you!
Be welcome then to me as well!
Tell us - where have you tarried so long?
I have journeyed in far-distant realms -
there where I never found response nor rest.
Do not ask! I did not come hither to contend with you.
Be reconciled with me and let me go on further!
Not so! You have become one of us once more.
You may not go away.
Let me be! Delay avails me naught,
and never can I stop to rest!
My way bids me only hasten onward,
and never may I cast a backward glance!
We will not let you go.
Stay with us!
Let me be! Delay avails me naught,
and never can I stop to rest!
My way bids me only hasten onward,
and never may I cast a backward glance!
and never may I cast a backward glance!
Oh, stay! You shall tarry with us,
we will not let you go from us!
you have sought us out, why hurry away
after so short a reunion?
Away, away from here!
Stay, stay by us!
Stay by Elizabeth!
Elizabeth!
Oh heavenly powers,
do you cry out that sweet name to me?
You shall not rebuke me as enemy,
for that I have spoken it!
Do you permit me, sir,
to be herald of his good fortune to him?
Tell him of the spell he has wrought,
and God grant him virtue,
that he may undo it aright.
When you strove with us in blithe song,
sometimes victorious against our lays,
anon defeated through our art,
one prize there was that you alone succided in winning.
Was it by magic or by oure might
that you achieved the miracle
or captivating the most virtuous of maids
by your singing filled with joy and sorrow?
For, when, in haughtiness, you left us,
her heart closed to our song;
we saw her cheeks grow pale,
she ever shunned our circle.
Oh, return, you valiant Singer,
let not your song be far from ours.
Let her no longer be absent from our festivals,
let her star shine on us once more
Be one of us, Henry, return to us!
Have one with dissension and strife!
Let our lays ring out in unison,
and brothers let us call ourselves from henceforth.
To her! To her! oh, lead me to her!
Ha, how I recognize it again,
the lovely world that I renounced!
The heavens look down upon me,
the meadows sparkle, richly-decked!
The spring, the spring
with a thousand lovely sounds
has entered into my soul, rejoicing!
In sweet impetuous urgency
my heart cries aloud:
To her, to her!
Lead me to her!
He, whom we had lost, is remaining!
A miracle has brought him hither!
Glory be to the sweet power
that has charmed his arrogance away!
Now may the high-born lady's ear
once more harken to our lays!
In joyous animated tones
the song goes up from every breast!