Richard Wagner
Lohengrin
Act II
Translated by Abigail Dyer © Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved.
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Contents
Act II, Scene 1
The Castle. Upstage, the Knights’ chambers. To the left, the ladies’ chambers. To the right, the steps of the church. Night. The Castle's windows are lit brightly from within and joyful music streams from them. Friedrich and Ortrud are on the Church steps, dressed in dark, humble clothing. Ortrud sits with her arms on her knees, glaring at the bright windows. Friedrich looks darkly at the ground. A long, sullen silence.
The Castle's windows are lit brightly from within
FRIEDRICH (rises quickly)
Collect yourself, accomplice to my shame. The break of dawn must find us far away.
ORTRUD(without moving)
I cannot go. I stand dazzled and dazed
By our enemy’s glorious celebration.
I’ll conjure up a deadly poisonous plan
To end their joy and our humiliation.
FRIEDRICH(darkly, approaches Ortrud)
You horrifying hag! Why can’t I cut your ties that bind me? Why not go and leave you behind? And run away somewhere, somewhere my wounded conscience mends itself again!
Because of you I’ve lost both my honor and my fame!
No more shall praise adorn me--
Shame is my hero’s wage!
I’m looked at with suspicion,
My sword is broke in twain,
In spite of my contrition,
I’ve marred my father’s name!
Where I may wander now
I’m lost and gone astray.
I can’t look myself in the eye now--
Even the robbers look away!
Because of you I’ve lost, I’ve lost
My honor and my fame!
No more shall praise adorn me--
Shame is my hero’s wage!
I’m looked at with suspicion,
My sword is broke in twain,
In spite of my contrition,
I’ve marred my father’s name!
(nearly in tears)
Oh, if I’d died that hour
I would be spared this pain!
My fame, my good name and my honor
Are gone because of you!
Because of you! Because of you!
He collapses, overcome with pain. Music is heard from within.
ORTRUD(still not moving, as Friedrich picks himself up)
What makes you hurl these accusations and complaints?
FRIEDRICH (violent gesture towards Ortrud)
Even my sword is lost to me or I would strike you dead!
ORTRUD Peaceable Count of Telramund, why don’t you trust me more?
FRIEDRICH Trust you? Wasn’t it your witness, your narration that wove the web of lies against the pure one? You said you saw her in the woods--it was a lie!--and from your savage castle there, you witnessed her commit the awful crime? With your own eyes, how Elsa grabbed her brother and drowned him in the pond? You pulled the strings of my proud heart with your visions and lies of how from Radbod’s ancient kingly line a new awakening would flourish in Brabant? And so persuaded me that Elsa was not worthy of my hand, and you instead to marry, since you’re the last of Radbod’s heirs?
ORTRUD Ha! Such insults and such spite! I saw it all, just as I testified!
FRIEDRICH And what of me, my honorable name, the thing that I have worked for all my life, made through your shameful lying, an accomplice?
ORTRUD Who lied?
FRIEDRICH You lied, and through his courts of law, God heard and caused my downfall!
ORTRUD God?
FRIEDRICH Appalling! The way you say that word with terrible timbre!
ORTRUD Ha! Do you call your cowardice God?
FRIEDRICH Ortrud!
ORTRUD Was that a threat? Threaten a woman? You? Oh, coward!
Had you threatened him so forcefully, he who caused your unjust disgrace,
You could have traded triumph for your shame.
Ha! Who knows how to face this foe sees that he’s weaker than a babe.
FRIEDRICH The weaker he, that only proves he got from God his strength!
ORTRUD God his strength? Ha ha! Fight him with force and I will show you well what weakling of a god defends your foe!
FRIEDRICH You savage sorceress! What subtle new enchantment do you work upon my spirit?
ORTRUD(points to the Castle where the lights have gone out)
The revelers tuck themselves in downy beds.
Come here and sit by me,
The time has come for me to shine the light of prophecy.
During the following, Friedrich comes closer and closer to Ortrud, as if drawn by an unholy power, and listens to her with close attention.
What’s the name of this knight,
The one a swan delivered to our land?
What would you give me if I told you,
This man at arms,
If he is forced to reveal just who and what he is
All of his power vanishes?
FRIEDRICH Ha! Now I understand his game!
ORTRUD Now think! No one here has to power to wrest his little secret from him except the one whom he forbade ever to ask to ever ask him for the same.
FRIEDRICH So we’ll bring Elsa to a state where she cannot let the question go?
ORTRUD Ha! You catch on quickly and well!
FRIEDRICH But how are we to do it?
ORTRUD How? By choosing not to run away from here. So sharpen up your wits. Justly awaken her suspicion. Speak up, charge him with sorcery! He used it to mislead the law!
FRIEDRICH Ha! Lies and magic tricks!
ORTRUD If not, we’ll take him down by use of force!
FRIEDRICH Use force?!
ORTRUD It’s not for nothing I’m well practiced in the darkest art forms. Now listen well to what I tell you: He gained his strength through magic arts. If you should cut the smallest limb clean off of him, he must reveal to all assembled who he is!
FRIEDRICH Another lie!
ORTRUD Oh, if you’d had the sense to chop his finger off, just one tip of one little finger, you could have had him in your power!
FRIEDRICH Appalling! Ha! What new lies do you tell me? Through God I got my punishment. Now through your tricks, should I betray the law, when sorcery took my good name from me?
But could I really beat the guy who licked me?
Get back my honor and my name?
Destroy the boy whose magic tricked me
And win my honor back again?
Oh wife, who stands in darkness at my side,
If you speak false to me then woe betide you!
ORTRUD Ha, now you’re raving.
Quiet and discretely,
We’ll taste the fruit
Of vengeance served up sweetly.
Friedrich slowly returns to Ortrud’s side and sits next to her on the steps.
ORTRUD AND FRIEDRICH The dreadful dark spirit of vengeance
Be conjured from my wild breast!
You who are lost in sweetest slumber,
Know, the unholy knows no rest!
You who are lost in sweetest slumber,
Know, the unholy knows no rest!
Act II, Scene 2
Elsa appears on the balcony in a white gown. She rests against the rail with her head on her hand. Friedrich and Ortrud are across from her, seated on the church steps.
ELSA You, gentle breeze of evening,
Bore witness to my pain,
See how I've ceased my grieving,
How I’ve found joy again.
‘Twas you guided him to me
You set him on his path
And bore him safely through the
Dark ocean’s watery wrath.
So long I bid you whisper
To dry my tears of woe.
This eve, I bid you hither
To cool my love-hot glow.
I love him.
ORTRUD It’s Elsa!
FRIEDRICH Elsa!
ORTRUD She’ll curse the evil hour when she crossed my treacherous path!
Get back! She mustn’t find you in this place.
Leave her to me. The hero’s yours to take.
Friedrich disappears, Up. Ortrud, still sitting in the same position, calls out plaintively.
Elsa!
ELSA Who’s there?
ORTRUD Elsa! Are you pretending not to know?
Pretending not to hear the suffering
Of one whom you have brought so low?
ELSA Ortrud! It’s you! What keeps you here, unhappy wife?
ORTRUD Unhappy wife--how apt the insult that you hurl me!
I lived in peaceful isolation, a quiet castle in the woods.
What have I ever done to you?
Friendless, engulfed in lamentations,
The last of Radbod’s ancient line,
What have I ever done to you?
ELSA Am I the source of your complaint?
Am I the one who caused you pain?
ORTRUD Are you so envious of my womanly joy
At being married to the man
Whose hand you turned away?
ELSA Almighty God, what can she mean?
ORTRUD He must have lost his mind, poor darling,
To charge you with that monstrous crime.
Now he is dressed in ash and sackcloth,
He’s damned to penitence and shame.
ELSA Almighty God!
ORTRUD Ah, but you’re happy!
This small unpleasantness is done now
And life has blessed you with a loving mate.
You must continue having fun now
And send me to my deadly fate
So that my deep, distressing pleas
Won’t dampen your festivities.
ELSA I’d not be worthy You to worship,
Oh Lord, who’s blessed me bounteously,
If I ignore my neighbor’s hardship
When she is begging at my feet!
Oh, never! Ortrud, friend and kin,
I’ll get the door and let you in!
Elsa hurries back inside the ladies’ chambers. Ortrud springs up from the steps with wild enthusiasm.
ORTRUD Ye broken idols, help me take reprisals
Against the wretches here who scorn your names!
Grant strength and power to your own disciple!
Destroy those who blaspheme and cause you shame!
Wodan, almighty, answer me!
Freia, most gracious, hear my plea!
Favor my every dirty ploy
And grant me, in my vengeance, joy!
ELSA(from Off)
Ortrud, where are you?
Elsa enters and two maids appear at the entrance to the ladies’ chamber carrying lights.
ORTRUD (humbly throws herself at Elsa’s feet)
Groveling here before you!
ELSA (jumps back in alarm at the sight of Ortrud)
Dear God! Oh, how it hurts to now see
The pride of Radbod’s ancient race--
To see you cower here before me
Broken with shame and in disgrace!
Rise up and stop your piteous pleading.
I see the pain I’ve brought to you.
If you despise me, I forgive you
And hope that you forgive me, too.
ORTRUD Oh thanks and praise for such compassion!
ELSA Tomorrow when I’m wed and shriven
I’ll ask the groom to grant grace and pardon,
That Friedrich, too, might be forgiven!
ORTRUD You smother me with too much kindness.
ELSA Tomorrow morning let me see
You dressed and jeweled in your finest!
To church you will accompany me.
There we will find the man who saved my life
And I’ll become his wedded wife.
ORTRUD So you have granted me permission
To join you on your wedding day.
I’ll only go on one condition:
That I not go as a beggar maid.
Ortrud draws ever closer to Elsa.
The only power I can wield now
Is one that no law can restrain.
With it, I’ll endeavor to shield you,
Protect you from regret and pain.
ELSA What do you--?
ORTRUD Heed my urgent warning!
Don’t blindly trust in any man!
To save regret tomorrow morning,
I’ll read the future in your hand!
ELSA The future?
ORTRUD If you only knew what
Powerful magic brought him here,
You’d start to wonder when he’ll use that
Same magic power to disappear.
ELSA (horrified, turns away from Ortrud, then full of pity and compassion, turns back)
You’ve led a life of deprivation.
A trusting heart, you’ve never known.
Pure love has naught to do with noble station.
We come to that through faith alone.
Come stay with me.
Come and you’ll learn to
Accept the gift of faithful love.
Learn of a faith that you can turn to.
Accept this gift from God above.
ORTRUD (to herself)
Ha! This preaching pride, I’ll turn it into
A sword to smite her faithful love!
And then the prideful one will learn who
Is stronger than her god above.
Accompanied by Elsa, Ortrud, with feigned hesitation, enters the ladies’ chambers. The maids follow them in and shut the doors.
FRIEDRICH(steps downstage)
See unholy doubt creep into that house!
Fulfill, oh wife, the plan your mind fomented.
I lack the will to try to hold you back.
This evil that left me dishonored and tormented,
Fall now on him who started the attack!
There’s just one thing that keeps me here today:
The thief who stole my honor, I’ll make him pay!
Act II, Scene 3
Friedrich looks for a hiding place and finds it under one of the church buttresses.
Dawn slowly breaks. The morning fanfare is heard. Castle servants go about their business. As they disperse, Brabantian soldiers enter and assemble.
MEN We heard the herald’s morning call
And wait for him to appear.
Perhaps the knight who stunned us all
Will work another wonder here.
The Herald emerges from the palace onto a balcony, accompanied by four trumpeters who play a fanfare. Men face Up expectantly.
HERALD To royal proclamations be attuned:
There’s one among you who’s been proved a fraud.
Henceforth be banished, Friedrich Telramund,
For false denunciations before God.
Who lends him aid, whoever comforts him,
The law decrees, will share his punishment.
MEN Our God justly destroyed him.
The King has had him banned.
Good men must all avoid him.
May he be ever damned.
The trumpet call redirects their attention back to the Herald.
HERALD In further news, the King declares it right
That he invest the good and wondrous knight,
Whom Elsa as her wedded husband takes,
With lands and titles to Brabant’s estates.
But do not call him “Duke.” Instead he wants
The title of “Protector of Brabant.”
MEN Praise be our Lady’s love,
God sent him to our land.
We're faithful vassals of
The Protector of Brabant!
God sent him to our land,
Praise him, Protector of Brabant!
HERALD Attend the words our hero bid me say:
This morning, join him on his wedding day.
Tomorrow, though, bring battle armaments
And join your liege lord’s royal regiments.
Your lord himself will cut his honeymoon short
To lead you to the battle that will soon start.
Herald and trumpeters exit into Palace.
MEN Don’t hesitate to fight --
Our liege lord leads us on.
Who battles at his side,
Will Glory smile upon.
God sent him to our land
To glorify Brabant!
God sent, God sent him to Brabant!
As the crowd moves Upstage with excitement, four of Friedrich’s former liegemen step Down.
FIRST NOBLE What’s this? He means to take our land and riches!
SECOND NOBLE To fight a foe who never laid us siege?
THIRD NOBLE A clever ploy, and what a scandal this is!
FOURTH NOBLE Who’ll fight him, now that he’s our lord and liege?
FRIEDRICH (has appeared among them, unnoticed)
I!
FOUR NOBLES Ha! Who are you?
Friedrich removes his hood. They recognize him and jump back in horror.
Friedrich? Can this be? You dare show your face for all to see?
FRIEDRICH Quite soon I will do something far more daring.
Before your eyes, expose a treason glaring!
The man who wrongfully ordered you to war,
I charge him with deceiving God our Lord!
FOUR NOBLES What madness! How deranged!
What do you plan?
You’ll lose your life--you’ll lose--
If you accuse that man!
They push Friedrich out of view to hide him once again in the shadows of the Church. Four Pages enter onto the ladies’ chamber balcony, come down the stairs and stand in front of the palace. The crowd notices them and presses forward towards them.
FOUR PAGES Make way! Make way! Our Lady Elsa comes before our God in Church to wed.
Act II, Scene 4
As the chorus sings a procession of beautifully dressed ladies makes its way from the ladies’ chambers to the church steps, awaiting Elsa.
CHORUS Her every step be blessed
This sweet, long-suffering bride.
Her anguish be redressed
May God be at her side.
The crowd has pushed together but make a clear path again as Elsa appears, beautifully gowned and jeweled, and she processes slowly towards the church.
She glows with angel brightness!
May God his blessing grant!
God save her virtuous rightness!
Praise Elsa of Brabant!
Ortrud, who had been hidden behind the last of the women in the procession behind Elsa, rushes forward and places herself on the same step as Elsa, forcing Elsa to move one step down.
ORTRUD Step back, Elsa! Not one more second longer
I’ll trail behind you like some lowly thing!
Instead, I should take precedence before you
And you should bow before me, groveling.
ELSA My God, is this not strange? There’s no accounting for the sudden change!
Pages push Ortrud Center.
CHORUS What does she want? Get back!
ORTRUD Because I once crumpled in pain and anguish,
Ever after, must I scrape and bow to you?
In silence will my rage no longer languish!
I’ll take revenge! I’ll take what I am due!
ELSA How did I let myself e’er be deceived so?
You sought my help but set me up to fall!
How can you now claim precedence when we know
Your man stands condemned by God before us all?
ORTRUD (with apparent deep pain and wounded pride)
Until Deceit falsely condemned my Friedrich,
He’d been an honored man whose name was great.
A paragon of men, a hero by any metric,
He was adored and feared throughout the state.
Your nameless knight could put us all in danger!
What kind of reputation has this stranger?
CHORUS What does she propose?
She gossips! Clap her mouth closed!
ORTRUD Who is this man and is his lineage drawn back
Far enough so we know his noble race?
What kind of guy comes riding in on swan-back?
How long until he leaves you in disgrace?
His name you did not even dare to ask.
The clever man forbade you from the task!
CHORUS What? Is it true? Such accusations!
She slanders by insinuations!
ELSA You treacherous, gossiping shrew,
See if I answer well and true!
My hero is so pure and virtuous,
So clean of heart, so noble his ways
That she who doubts his name and purpose
Shall be accursed all her days!
CHORUS That’s right! That’s right!
ELSA Was it not God who made victorious
My future husband over yours?
I ask the crowd that's here before us,
Which of the two is right and pure?
CHORUS Just him! Just him! Your man alone!
ORTRUD Ha! How your knight in shining armor
Would turn to tarnished lumps of coal
If you knew how this nameless foreigner
Used magic power to achieve his goal!
If you won’t ask him if he’s so pure
Then we must all of us believe
That you yourself cannot be so sure
That he’s as noble as he seems!
WOMEN Help! Save her from this villainy!
Four trumpeters appear and announce the King’s arrival.
MEN Make way! Make way! The King draws near!
Act II, Scene 5
King, Lohengrin and Nobles enter from the palace with great ceremony but notice the fight and step Down.
CHORUS Hail, hail King Heinrich! Hail, Protector of Brabant!
KING What is this fight?
ELSA (agitatedly throws herself on Lohengrin’s breast)
My lord! Oh my protector!
LOHENGRIN What’s wrong?
KING Who dares come to a wedding to disturb it?
KING AND ATTENDANTS What’s this fight that we heard tell of?
LOHENGRIN (looks at Ortrud)
What is this? The unholy woman’s here?
ELSA My hero, rescue me from evil hands! Chide me if I have disobeyed your word! Aggrieved, she came to me and begged for mercy. I took her in, delivered her from shame. Now see how cruelly she repays my kindness. She chides me, says I trust in you too much.
LOHENGRIN (stares witheringly at Ortrud, who finds herself unable to move)
You fiendish, foul hag, get out of here! You’ll never win the day.
Elsa, my dear, could she have tainted your poor heart with poison?
Elsa, weeping, hides her face against his chest. He lifts her face up and gestures towards the church.
Come to the church and there, let your tears be joyful.
The procession resumes but is stopped by Friedrich, who appears on the church steps and steps Down. The ladies and pages in the procession recognize him and step back in horror.
You fiendish, foul hag, get out of here!
FRIEDRICH Oh Sire, victims of deception, stop this farce!
KING AND MEN What does he want? The outcast! Leave--you’re banished!
FRIEDRICH Oh, hear me out!
KING Get out! Leave, you are banished!
MEN Get out! Behold, a dead man walks!
FRIEDRICH Listen! You’ve judged me dreadfully and wrong!
KING Get out!
MEN Leave! You’re banished!
FRIEDRICH God’s holy Court has been betrayed, believe me! Through cunning sorcery you’ve been deceived!
MEN Guards! Seize the villain! Hear! He blasphemes God!
Men rush him from all sides.
KING Guards! Seize the villain!
FRIEDRICH(tries desperately to be heard; eyes fixed on Lohengrin)
Against this man standing before me
I bring a charge of sorcery!
This gets the crowd’s attention.
May all the glory he has won here
Be scattered to the winds by God!
How wrongfully you made the judgement
That took my honor and my name.
If you’d but asked one question of him
Our trial would not have been the same.
The question will not be denied me
So I will ask him here and now
His name and noble title
To come announce before the crowd!
Crowd looks shocked.
Who is he, who came swimming out here,
His boat pulled in by a wild swan?
His magic beast alone makes too clear,
This knight is nothing but a con!
He must address the charge I’ve laid…
But can he? If so, then strike me dead!
If not, you’ll see there's no mistake--
He’s not as noble as he said!
Crowd looks expectantly at Lohengrin.
KING AND CHORUS What weighty charges! How will he contest them?
LOHENGRIN You rid yourself of fame and honor
Yet say we must believe your tales?
With evil doubters, I don’t bother.
Against them, innocence prevails.
FRIEDRICH If he considers me unworthy,
I ask Your Royal Majesty,
Are you so lowly that this person
To answer you would not agree?
LOHENGRIN Even the king, I’d not reply to,
Nor all his princes and his chiefs.
They wouldn’t doubt; they can’t be lied to
Because they witnessed my good deed.
There’s only one I owe an explanation.
Elsa!
Lohengrin stops, worried, when he notices Elsa fighting an inner battle with herself.
Elsa--she looks so pale and shaken!
In wild speculation she indulges!
Is her heart twisted by a lying snake?
Oh Heaven, send protection to engulf her.
Evil must not corrupt her pure estate.
ORTRUD AND FRIEDRICH May she indulge in wildest suspicion,
Be plagued with doubt, her heart’s resolve be weak.
He who accuses me will learn contrition.
She’ll show her doubt; she’ll cause his just defeat.
KING AND MEN What kind of secret must he guard so closely?
If it’s revealed, what damage would it do?
We’ll shield him from the dangerous and lowly
For by his deeds, his noble worth he’s proved.
ELSA(to herself, oblivious of her surroundings)
That which he hides might cause him great disaster.
Each one of us heard the words from his mouth.
I’d be ungrateful to my lord and master
Betraying him with questions here and now….
I’ll keep his secret safe forever after
But doubt and fear will plague me till I find out!
KING My hero, face the false deceiver boldly.
To let him off would be unjust, unholy.
MEN(gathering around Lohengrin)
We stand with you and have no qualms about it.
We saw the deed you did and that’s enough.
Give us your hand! Your honor stands undoubted.
What’s in a name when you have the right stuff?
LOHENGRIN You heroes won’t regret the faith you’ve shown here
Even though my name and title can’t be known here.
While Lohengrin, Up in a circle of Men, shakes each Man’s hand in turn, Friedrich has come Down unnoticed and positioned himself next to Elsa, who is still lost in worried thought.
FRIEDRICH Believe me, I’ve got a proven method to put your doubt to rest.
ELSA Away from me!
FRIEDRICH Give me a chance to cut from him a finger--cut just the tip off--and I swear to you,
All he concealed, you’ll see with your own eyes.
He’ll pledge his love and never leave your side.
ELSA I never would!
FRIEDRICH Tonight I’ll be nearby.
Just call! I’ll do the deed. It’s cut and dried.
LOHENGRIN (steps Down)
Elsa! What are you doing there?
(to Ortrud and Friedrich)
Away from her, you wretches!
Now flee this place and never bother her again!
Elsa, arise, my love. Our happiness lies in your hands, and all our wedded bliss.
Will fear and doubt not let you be
Until you ask these things of me?
ELSA (deeply confused, agitated and ashamed)
My hero, all my life is yours!
My knight, in whom I melt away,
No doubt will plague me anymore.
Faithful my love will stay.
She sinks against his breast.
LOHENGRIN Praise you, Elsa! Now before God, we’ll wed.
Lohengrin leads Elsa to the King, and behind him, they process into the Church.
MEN See he’s sent by God to us!
Praise you, Elsa of Brabant!
Your every step be blessed,
Your pain, God has redressed!
Praise your virtuous rightness!
Praise Elsa of Brabant!
As the King, Lohengrin and Elsa reach the top step, Elsa turns to Lohengrin, who takes her in his arms. Still in his embrace, Elsa looks worriedly Down Right and sees Ortrud, her arm raised as if proclaiming victory. Frightened, Elsa turns her face away and processes with Lohengrin and the King into the Church.
ACT II CURTAIN