WALLACE, W.V.: Lurline (Lewis, Silver, Soar, Maxwell, Victorian Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Bonynge) 8.660293-94 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.660293-94 William Vincent Wallace (1812-1865) Lurline A Grand Legendary Opera in three acts Libaretto by Edward Fitzball (1792-1873) New Performing Edition by Richard Bonynge Rupert (a young Nobleman) - Keith Lewis, Tenor Guilhelm (his friend) - Paul Ferris, Tenor Rhineberg (the River King) - David Soar, Bass-baritone The Baron Truenfels - Donald Maxwell, Baritone Zelieck (a Gnome) - Roderick Earle, Bass Lurline (Nymph of the Rhine) - Sally Silver, Soprano Ghiva (the Baron’s daughter) - Fiona Janes, Mezzo-soprano Liba (a Spirit of the Rhine) - Bernadette Cullen, Mezzo-soprano ACT I ZELIECK Magic power Track 1 - Overture Had sealed my eyes in sleep. SCENE I. - Moonlight. A Cavern on the Rhine. RHINEBERG Where is Lurline? Rhineberg enters In vain I sought her; in her coral cave She sleeps not; RECITATIVE While her sluggish maidens sleep, Track 2 - All is silent, save the murmur She wanders out into the starry night Of the lone waves. Alone! (striking him) Slave, And the nightingale, From their shells of opal Who in sadness to the moonbeam, Waken those slumberers. Telleth her love-lorn tale. In yonder blue serene, the stars above ZELIECK Hold sentinel. From the crystal-deep Wake! wake! wake! The weary fisherman to his home is gone, The King commandeth. And sinks with nature Off your dreamy slumbers shake, Into tranquil sleep. Track 4 - Wake! wake! ARIA. RHINEBERG Track 3 - Idle spirit, wildly dreaming, Wake! Wake! In thy cavern dost thou lie, Idle dreams forsake, &c., &c. 'Mid thy slumber, little deeming Of thy master's watchful eye. NYMPHS Hark! 'hark! hark! Zelieck! wake! Thy master calls thee, The King advanceth: Dwarfish traitor, quit thy rest; Off those dreamy slumbers shake, Up, sluggard, up! Thy master calls thee. Look forth! In your shells of rainbow opal Look forth! Naiad sisters, wake! Or be with fiends possest. As King Rhineberg points his staff, the Gnome utters a cry [Nymphs appear.] Of dismay. CHORUS ZELIECK Nymphs, Liba, and Gnome. The master. King of the Rhine, welcome! Welcome to thy silvery home! RHINEBERG In the halls of liquid crystal Yes, thy master, crouching slave. Where the water lilies bloom; [Gnome rapidly enaerges from a bed of floating lilies, Where the music of the billow, and crouches at the King's feet.] Lulls thee on thy wavy pillow, King of the Rhine, ZELIECK Welcome home! Have mercy, master. RHlNEBERG (impatiently) RHINEBERG (striking him) Track 5 - Where is Lurline? Thus I smite thee, slave, For thy neglect of duty. ZELIECK (pointing) Behold her, master! [Lurline is discovered playing on a harp.] ⓟ & © 2010 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Page 1 of 16 WALLACE, W.V.: Lurline (Lewis, Silver, Soar, Maxwell, Victorian Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Bonynge) 8.660293-94 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.660293-94 LIBA Nay, speak not all I know, Thus ever at the midnight hour, Thy shame, and my woe; Steals she from-her coral bower— Tell me when you saw him first, Sitting on yonder rock alone, May he be accursed. [Bitterly. She tells the stars her grief unknown. LURLINE (agitated) LURLINE (touching the harp) No! ah! no! Ah, Rupert, thee I love. RHINEBERG (angrily) RHINEBERG I bid you tell your tale of love, Hush! ‘tis her voice! She strikes the lyre. LURLINE (imploringly) Retire! Father! I will. Retire! ROMANCE [Nymphs retire; listening.] Track 8 - When the night winds sweep the wave, And the white surge forms a grave; THE SPELL When the moon withdraws her beam, LURLINE When the stars no longer gleam, Track 6 - Flow on, flow on, oh, silver Rhine, Then my wild chords pierce the gale, Convey to him these sighs of mine; And distract the mariner's sail; Ye rocks, that wildly spread around, On the barque plunges, through billow and gloom, Let Echo's note his name resound, To the Lurlei-Berg whirlpool, its wreck and its tomb. Yet when 'tis calm, And breathe from earth to sky And Naiads' charm My lone and secret sigh Is hushed and silent as the deep, Waft echo, waft above, And the mariner, pale Oh, Rupert, thee I love, As his own white sail, Lies fathoms down lies in his quiet sleep, RHINEBERG (troubled) Oh, then I weep, I weep. She loves a child of earth- Father, thou art King of the Rhine, To her 'tis death. The wealth of the vessel wreck is thine; Liba, Gnome, Chorus Yet thy daughter laments, when her task is done, Ah! hear the spell! And envies the corpse she gazeth on; To mortal ear, 'tis death The blue sky fades from her troubled sight, While around float the shades of her victims white, ARIA (2nd verse) The tempest yells, which rends the air, LURLINE Is calm to the cry of this heart's despair. Ye flowers, that strew the crystal tide, Lo, as I sat on yonder frowning cliff, With perfume tempt him to my side; Weaving wild music as only Naiads know, Ye nymphs that dwell beneath the wave, High o'er the wave, borne in an airy skiff, Transport him to my coral cave. A youthful knight gaz'd on me from below. Ah, Rupert, thee I love. His beauty's power this heart could not withstand, The trembling harp fell tuneless from my hands No.3A Since that sad hour I've felt each joy decay, RHINEBERG (troubled) As perfume quits the flower Track 7 - What does she say? As the wind dies away. She loves Count RUPERT! Curses on this bitter day. No.5A Lurline! [Calling.] RHINEBERG LURLINE Track 9 - How can the slime of earth ensnare My father! The children of the wave and air Come and see him [Music. She hurries forward, and falls at the King's feet.] In his hours of revelry, Among his wild mates drinking, RHINEBERG On spoil and plunder thinking, Oh, Lurline, my child. [Raising her.] Then shalt you know How worthless is his love for thee, LURLINE The spell that binds thy being My dearest father! [Embracing him.] Shall broken be. RHINEBERG [Music. He takes her by the hand. She ascends to earth.] Lo! this love of thine, This human love, thy nature hath defiled, As half has robbed ye of this heart of mine. ⓟ & © 2010 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Page 2 of 16 WALLACE, W.V.: Lurline (Lewis, Silver, Soar, Maxwell, Victorian Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Bonynge) 8.660293-94 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.660293-94 CHORUS BARON Track 10 - Sail sail, sail on the midnight gale, Oh, heart’s of adamant! The moonlight falling round; While the sprays of the wave, DUET Wash over our pearly cave With soft and soothing sound, &c, &c. GHIVA Track 12 - Oh, Rupert, haughty Rupert, tell, TABLEAU. SCENE CLOSES. When other lips resound thy praise, Why mute are thine, as with a spell? SCENE 2 Why do you turn from me your gaze? Ghiva's apartment. Ghiva richly attired, with her attendants. BARON GHIVA The secret of that little heart, Track 11 - Bring me the mirror. Those words of woe too well impart. I am handsome, truly. Ah, why this despair, though Rupert thee disdain, Armies of suitors sigh for thee in vain LADIES Guilhelm adores thee! That cannot be denied. GHIVA (scornfully) GHIVA (making steps before the glass) Guilhelm! no, my sire, I dance divinely! The Count wins Ghiva's heart, Not his esquire. LADIES. Proud one! by thee this bosom torn, That's certain. For love's revenge might life suffice, I'd pay it back with scorn, GHIVA And freeze thee with one look of ice. Yet made no conquest at the ball, alas! [curtseys, and exits] A-way, away, too flattering glass! Like all the rest thou'rt false BARON (taking Ghiva's hand.) The honour of thy hand, if he refuse, CHORUS Rupert has only one thing left to choose. No, no! Fetch my gun! I'll shoot him. GHIVA GHIVA (eagerly) I’m ugly. Do, yes do! CHORUS BARON Ah, no! He sails for Hades, or he weds with you. GHIVA ENSEMBLE Yes, yes. No, no, no. Oh soft affection to thy rest (embracing) [Enter Baron, hastily] Thou clingest like the woodbine wild An oak-tree firm as father's breast, BARON Like woodbine sweet, his gentle child. What ails my darling? [Enter Page, giving a letter to Ghiva.] GHIVA BARON Nothing, nothing. Track 13 - Ah! what's that, a note? [Ladies retire a little] GHIVA For me! for me! (Snatching it) BARON And from Rupert. Whence this cloud on my Ghiva's brow? BARON GHIVA A declaration? I'm weary of the dance. GHIVA BARON Yes! a request to throw himself at my feet You! the belle on every side admir'd. before he leaves the castle. Count RUPERT, too, so rich, so handsome. BARON GHIVA Ah! think how rich he is, and let him not despair. More than once, to-night, I hoped he would GHIVA Declare his love. Ah! how provoking, I tremble! Oh, soft emotion! Still remained he silent. ⓟ & © 2010 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Page 3 of 16 WALLACE, W.V.: Lurline (Lewis, Silver, Soar, Maxwell, Victorian Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Bonynge) 8.660293-94 http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.660293-94 BARON RUPERT She trembles! Oh, sweet emotion, Decline? Decline! Let the noble Count approach. BOTH [Enter Count Rupert, richly dressed.] Yes! CONCERTED TRIO RUPERT (kneeling) BARON Ah, dare I hope my suit to gain, Track 14 - I see by the grey of the sky I come not then to plead in vain.