The Bohemian Girl Michael William Balfe Characters Arline, daughter of Count Arnheim soprano Thaddeus, a proscribed Pole tenor Count Arnheim, governor of Presburg baritone [2] Queen of the Gypsies contralto [3] Devilshoof, chief of the Gypsies bass Florestein, nephew of the Count tenor Buda, Arline’s attendant soprano [4] Captain of the Guard bass [5] An Officer tenor [4] Gypsies, huntsmen, guests, etc. The scene is laid in Presburg and environs. Arline Queen of the Gypsies Thaddeus Devilshoof Count Arnheim Florestein THE BOHEMIAN GIRL (At the end of the chorus, Count Arnheim and Florestein enter from chateau, followed by various neighboring nobles, pages, huntsmen, etc., and his Act One child, Arline, attended by Buda, etc.) 1 Overture 3 Count The chateau and grounds of Count Arnheim, on the A soldier’s life Danube, near Presburg. On one side, the principal Has seen of strife entrance to the castle; opposite is a statue of the In all its forms so much, Emperor, above which a party is employed raising That no gentler theme the Austrian flag. The world will deem A soldier’s heart can touch; (On the rising of the curtain, the retainers of Count Arnheim are discovered preparing for the chase.) A soldier’s life Has seen of strife 2 Chorus In all its forms so much, Up with the banner, and down with the slave That no gentler theme Who shall dare to dispute the right, The world will deem Wherever its folds in their glory wave, A soldier’s heart can touch, Of the Austrian Eagle’s flight, a soldier’s heart, a soldier’s heart can touch; of the Austrian Eagle’s flight, The world will deem no gentler theme of the Austrian Eagle’s flight. a soldier’s heart, a soldier’s heart can touch, a soldier’s heart can touch. (After they have fixed the flag, they all come forward.) Chorus of Hunters Away to the hill and glen, Chorus away to the hill and glen, Its pinion flies Where the hunter’s belted men Free in the skies, With bugles shake the air! As that of the airy king, Thro’ danger fleets (The Count, after bowing to his friends, sees Arline, As heart that beats and takes her in his arms.) Beneath his plumed wing. Its pinion flies, yes, Count Free in the skies, yes, Ah; who can tell, save he who feels As that of the airy king, yes, The care a parent’s love reveals, Thro’ danger fleets How dear, fond thing, thou art As heart that beats To this lone, widow’d heart, to this lone heart! Beneath his plumed wing, Ah, who can tell the care, the care a parent’s love beneath his plumed wing, reveals, beneath his plumed wing. How dear, fond thing, thou art To this lone, widow’d heart! Now the foeman lies low, and the battle-field’s won, We may honor in peace what in war we have done. / Hunters and Nobles The stirring chase, the festive board, | Away to the hill and glen, The varied charms which each afford, | Where the hunter’s belted men Shall day and night, shall day and night beguile, | With bugles shake the air! shall day and night, shall day and night beguile, | with bugles shake the air, the air! shall day and night, shall day and night beguile, | Hail to the Lord of our soil, shall day and night beguile, beguile. | hail, hail to our Lord, | hail, hail to our Lord, Page 2 | hail, hail to our Lord, hail, hail! Where friends but seldom dwell; | Count Yet, hard as are such ills to bear, | Away to the hills, And deeply tho’ they smart, | away to the hills, Their pangs are light to those who are | Away to the glen, The orphans of the heart! | Away, away to the hills, | away, away to the hills, ‘Tis sad to leave our Fatherland, | Away to the hills, away to the hills, And friends we there lov’d well, \ Where bugles shake the air! To wander on a stranger strand, Where friends but seldom dwell; Hunters and Nobles where friends, where friends, Away to the hill and glen, where friends but seldom dwell, but seldom dwell. Where the hunter’s belted men With bugles shake the air! Oh! if there were one gentle eye with bugles shake the air, the air! To weep when I might grieve, Away, away One bosom to receive the sigh Now to the hill and glen away, away! Which sorrow oft will heave; | One heart the ways of life to cheer, Count Tho’ rugged, tho’ rugged they might be, Away to the hills, No language, no language can express, how dear away to the hills, That heart would be to me, would be to me! away to the glen, O Heav’n, O Heav’n! away, away, away! ‘Tis sad to leave our Fatherland, (During this, a retainer brings down a rifle to And friends we there lov’d well, Florestein, who puts it away from him. Count To wander on a stranger strand, Arnheim exit in chateau. Nobles and hunters ascend Where friends but seldom dwell; rocks and exeunt. Arline petitions Buda to let her Yet, hard as are such ills to bear, accompany them, and goes off by a footpath, at side And deeply tho’ they smart, of rocks, with her and Florestein.) Their pangs are light to those who are The orphans of the heart! (Enter Thaddeus, breathless and exhausted, in a state of great alarm.) ‘Tis hard to leave our Fatherland ... And friends we there loved well, Thaddeus: To wander on a stranger strand, A guard of Austrian soldiers are on my track, and I Where friends but seldom dwell, can no longer elude their vigilance. An exile from my where friends but seldom dwell, wretched country, now a prey to the inveterate where friends but seldom dwell, invader, my only hope is in some friendly shelter. where friends but seldom dwell, where friends, (Sees the statue of the Emperor.) Ah! that tells me I where friends but seldom dwell! am here on the very threshold of our enemies! (At the end of song, a troop of Gipsies, headed by 4 Thaddeus Devilshoof, their leader, suddenly appear and are Without friends, and without a home, about to seize and rob Thaddeus, but presuming by my country, too! yes, I’m exil’d from thee; his dress that he is a soldier, they stop and examine what fate, what fate awaits me here, now! him.) Pity, Heaven! oh calm my despair. ‘Tis sad to leave our Fatherland, And friends we there lov’d well, To wander on a stranger strand, Page 3 [In the Kreuz edition, the following chorus is (In a moment they strip the soldier’s dress off reinserted into act two.] Thaddeus, and as they are putting a Gipsy’s frock, etc., over him, a roll of parchment, with seal 5 Chorus of Gypsies, with Devilshoof attached, falls at the feet of Devilshoof, who seizes it.) In the Gipsy’s life you read The life that all would like to lead, Devilshoof: In the Gipsy’s life you read What’s this? The life that all would like to lead, Sometimes underroof, and sometimes thrown Thaddeus: Where the wild wolf makes his lair, My commission! It is the only thing I possess on where the wolf makes his lair, earth, and I will never part with it. where the wolf makes his lair; (He snatches it, conceals it in his bosom, and has just For he who’s no home to call his own, time to mix himself with the Gypsies, when a body of Will find, will find a home somewhere, the Emperor’s soldiers enter in pursuit.) For he who’s no home to call his own, Will find a home somewhere, Officer: (scrutinizing Gypsies) will find a hom, find a home somewhere, Have you seen anyone pass this way ... any stranger? For he who’s no home, no home to call his own, Will find a home somewhere, ah! ah! Devilshoof: No one ... stay ... yes, a young Polish soldier ran by Thaddeus: (aside) just now, and passed up those rocks. The sight of these wanderers has inspired me with a project. Officer: (to Devilshoof) That’s he ... thanks, friend! Forward! Your manner and habit please me. I should like to join your band. I am young, strong, and have, I hope, (Exeunt soldiers up rocks.) plenty of courage. 6 Devilshoof Devilshoof: Comrade, your hand, Who are you? We understand, we understand Each other in a breath. Thaddeus: (shaking his hand) One without money, without home, and without This grasp secures hope. Its owner yours In life, in life, and until death, Devilshoof: This grasp secures You’re just the fellow for us, then! Its owner yours In life, and until death, Gipsy: (who is on the lookout on rock) This grasp secures Soldiers are coming this way. Its owner yours In life, and until death, Thaddeus: In life, in life, and until death, Tis I they are in search of. yes, until death. Devilshoof: Indeed! then they’ll be cunning if they find you. Page 4 Thaddeus Devilshoof The scenes and days to me That is a thing Which seem’d so blest to be, In which, in which we never deal! No time can e’er restore, no time can e’er restore; Gypsies The scenes and days, the days to me In the Gipsy’s life you read Which seem’d so blest, so blest to be, The life that all would like to lead, No time can e’er restore, that all would lead, that all would lead.