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Translation of Libretto from French to English |
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Throughout this movie, "The Church Scene" is almost always being rehearsed. It is the scene in which the devastated Marguerite has gone to church to seek comfort in prayer, only to be followed by Mephistopheles and his chorus of demons. The demons taunt Marguerite initially by calling out her name while remaining in hiding. After Maria (Jane Seymour) is rescued from the Phantom's lair, she attends a performance of Faust. During "The Church Scene," Maria keeps hearing the Phantom call her name. It is in such a direct contrast to the "Trio Finale" used in the 1990 movie/miniseries with Charles Dance. In this one, they are not looking eye to eye, no arias are exchanged between them. While I think it shows Maria's state of mind in many ways, I wonder if it is also shows a bit on the Phantom's state of mind as well. It is a gloomy world of damnation. I imagine his Don Juan Triumphant having the same sound and mood based on Christine's descriptions in Leroux, but I digress. Below is the libretto of "The Church Scene" in French and English. To the upper right is a YouTube video of "The Church Scene" from a real operatic production, since ironically there is no complete performance of "The Church Scene" in this particular PoTO movie. It stars Diana Soviero as Marguerite and Pierre Thau as Mephistopheles. There is also a piece that precedes this scene, which is played throughout the movie beginning with the opening credits. It is not included in this video, but is present at YouTube here To be honest, this page is too gloomy and depressing for me. I'm going back to the Phuzzy Phantom Moment page to rest and recoup. |
| Libretto in English
| Libretto in French |
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Lord, deign to allow Thy humble servant to kneel before Thee! Mephistopheles: No, you shall not pray! Strike fear into her! Evil spirits, hasten hither all! Voices of Invisible Demons: Marguerite! Marguerite: Who calls me? Voices: Marguerite! Marguerite: I feel ready to faint... I think I'm going to die! Kind God! Merciful God! Is the hour of retribution come already? Mephistopheles: Remember the past when, sheltering your happiness beneath the wings of angels, you came to church, singing His praises to worship the Lord! When you would stammer an innocent prayer in a timid voice, and when you carried in your heart your mother's kisses and God both at once! Listen to that shrieking! It is hell that summons you! It is hell that follows you! It is everlasting remorse, it is everlasting anguish in everlasting night! Marguerite: Oh God, what voice is that that speaks to me in the shadows? Almighty God What black veil descends upon me! Religious Choir: When the day of the Lord dawneth, His Cross shall shine in the heavens, and the universe will topple. Marguerite: Alas, alas, that pious chant is even more terrible! Mephistopheles: No! God will pardon you no more! Heaven holds no further dawn for you! No! No! Religious Choir: What will I say then to the Lord? Where shall I find a protector, when the innocent are not free from fear? Marguerite: Alas, that singing smothers and weighs me down! I am in a ring of iron! Mephistopheles: Farewell, nights of love and days filled with delight! For you, misfortune! For you hell! Marguerite with Religious Choir: Lord, receive the prayers of the wretched in heart! May a ray of Thy light descend upon them! Mephistopheles: Marguerite! be thou damned! Hell for you! (Mephistopheles vanishes) Marguerite (crying out as she falls unconscious to the floor): Ah! |
Seigneur, daignez permettre à votre humble servant de s'agenouiller devant vous! Mephistopheles: Non! tu ne prieras pas! Frappez-la d'épouvante! Esprits du mal, accourez tous! Voices of Invisible Demons: Marguerite! Marguerite: Qui m'appelle? Voices: Marguerite! Marguerite: Je chancelle... je meurs! Dieu bon! Dieu clément! Est-ce déjà l'heure châtiment? Mephistopheles: Souviens-toi du passé, quand sous l'aile des anges arbritant ton bonheur tu venais dans son temple, enchantant ses louanges adorer le Seigneur! Lorsque tu bégayais une chaste prière d'une timide voix, et portais dans ton couer les baisers de ta mère et Dieu tout à la fois! Ecoute ces clameurs! c'est l'enfer qui t'appelle! C'est l'enfer qui te suit! C'est l'éternel remords, l'angoisse éternelle dans l'éternelle nuit! Marguerite: Dieu! quelle est cette voix qui me parle dans l'ombre? Dieu tout-puissant! Quel voile sombre sur moi descend! Religious Choir: Quand du Seigne ur le jour luira, sa croix au ciel resplendira, et l'univers s'écroulera. Marguerite: Hélas! hélas! Ce chant pieux est plus terrible encore! Mephistopheles: Non! Pour toi Dieu n'a plus de pardon! Pour toi le ciel n'a plus d'aurore! Non! Non! Religious Choir: Que dirai-je alors au Seigneur? Où trouverai-je un protecteur, quand l'innocent n'est pas sans peur? Marguerite: Ah! ce chant m'étouffe et m'oppresse! Je suis dans un cercle de fer! Mephistopheles: Adieu les nuits d'amour et les jours pleins d'ivresse! A toi malheur, à toi l'enfer! Marguerite with Religious Choir: Seigneur, accueillez la prière des coeurs malheureux! Qu'un rayon de votre lumière descende sur eux! Mephistopheles: Marguerite! sois maudite! A toi l'enfer! (Mephistopheles vanishes) Marguerite (crying out as she falls unconscious to the floor): Ah! |
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