University of Virginia Library

Scene III.

—Bridal Procession. King, Princess Bertha, Conrad. Bridal Chorus. Afterwards Ianthe with Chorus of Elemental Spirits.
No. 17.—CHORUS.
Thro' the leaves runs a boding sigh,
The birds that but now were singing are hid,
And a lurid cloud looms low thro' the air
In menacing silence—what may it mean?

No. 18.—CHORUS OF ELEMENTAL SPIRITS (dispersedly).
(Spirits of Lightning.)
From the caves of air,
From the lightning's lair,
We are come, we are come,
To trouble this bridal.

(Spirits of Thunder.)
From the womb of each cloud,
Leaping, shouting loud,
We are come, we are come,
To trouble this bridal.

(Spirits of Hail.)
From the cloudlands of frost,
Ever tempest-tost,
We are come, we are come,
To trouble this bridal.

(Spirits of Tempest.)
From the zones of the earth,
Where fierce winds have birth,
We are come, we are come,
To trouble this bridal.

(All together.)
From fire, sea, earth, air,
From everywhere,
We are come, we are come,
To trouble this bridal.

No. 19.—Ianthe (Recit.)
Conrad, Conrad, from the arms of thy bride,
I call thee and claim thee!

Conrad
(Recit.)
What cry was that? From the clouds what cried?
My lips dare not name thee!

Bertha.
My lord, my lord, do the sprites that flame
In the storm enchant thee?

Conrad.
What cry was that? Who called my name?

Bertha.
Thy name!

Conrad.
Ianthe! Ianthe!

No. 20.—Ianthe (and Conrad) Duo.
Conrad, Conrad, I am here, I am here,
By thy side, at thine ear,
My love, I have found thee,
My arms are around thee,
With kisses I shame thee,
My own I proclaim thee,
My kisses shall dart
A sweet pang to thy heart,—
O come,—I have sighed for thee,
Lived for thee, died for thee,
O come!

Conrad.
My love, my love, art thou here, art thou here,
Pressing, so near?
Once more hast thou found me,
Thy arms are around me,
Thy kisses that shame me,
A traitor proclaim me,
Thy lips bid depart
A vain dream from my heart,
O take me, I sigh for thee,
Love thee, will die for thee.
I come!

Bertha.
My love, my lord! Alas! his looks are wild!

King.
What horror's this? Alas! my ill-starred child!

Ianthe.
My love, my lord! I claim thee undefiled!

Conrad.
Burst, my worn heart, with transport all too wild!

King., Bertha.
O day of grief! O woful, woful day
Of joy so deep, so rudely rent away!

Conrad., Ianthe.
O day of love! O blissful, blissful day
Of wrong removed, of sorrow past away!

Bridal Chorus.
O day of grief! O woful, woful day
Of joy so deep, so rudely rent away!

Chorus of Elemental Spirits.
O day of love! O blissful, blissful day
Of wrong removed, of sorrow past away!

No. 21.—Ianthe (Recit.)
Come, Conrad, come, what holds thee from my arms

Bertha., King.
Stay, Conrad, stay, what power of evil charms?

No. 22.—CHORUS.
O horror! O fear! with the might of a troop
He hath torn himself from us,
And spurs like a tempest the tempest to meet,
Where the thunders are direst!
O madness! O prince of all hearts, rush not so to thy doom!
Naught stays him. He stretches his hand to the lightning and leaps
In the midst of their earth-shaking fires—alas! he is gone—
Hurled down by the torrent or hurried aloft by the rage
Of the whirlwind that snatches the oaks from their station of pride.
He is gone—and our glory goes with him!
Great spirit, farewell!

No. 23.—Bertha.

SYMPHONIC INTERMEZZO.