Richard Wagner
Tannhäuser
Act III
Translated by Abigail Dyer © Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved.
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Contents
Act III, Scene 1
‘Wagner, Tannhäuser, Act 3’
Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836-1904)
Picaryl
The curtain rises on the valley below Wartburg Castle as in Act I, scene 3. Evening is coming. Elisabeth lies prostrate at the shrine of the Virgin Mary on the small outcropping, Left. Wolfram enters Right from the first path and stops when he sees Elisabeth.
WOLFRAM I knew I’d find her here in prayer and silence
As I so often find her
When, alone, from the woods I roam
Into the valley yonder.
Afflicted by his mortal injury
And wracked with deepest pain and misery,
For him unceasingly she prays:
O sacred love, your power is great!
She waits for the arrival of the pilgrims.
It’s autumn now; from Rome they’ll soon return.
Will he be with the pardoned when they come?
This is her question, what she prays for.
Ye heavenly host, grant her this favour!
But should he not come back again,
Oh, send her help, relieve her pain,
Oh, send her help, relieve her pain!
(from Off: the older pilgrims come from the far distance slowly closer)
CHORUS OF PILGRIMS With joyful eyes, O my homeland, I see you.
Beloved meadows, I joyfully greet you.
Now I hang up my walking stick,
For I've completed my pilgrimage!
ELISABETH That is their song!
WOLFRAM The pilgrims’ song.
ELISABETH They’re here! They’re coming home!
WOLFRAM This is the chanting pious of those
Who sought salvation’s grace and found it.
ELISABETH O heaven, show me now my task,
That I may worthily fulfil it!
WOLFRAM O heaven, strengthen now her heart
For this, her life’s deciding moment!
(The pilgrims enter Down Right and cross slowly through the valley. Elisabeth searches feverishly among them for Tannhäuser.)
CHORUS Through penitence I’m reconciled
With Him, my Savior meek and mild
Who crowned my sin with blessings great,
To whom my song I dedicate!
Salvation’s grace is the penitent given;
He’ll live one day in the wonder of heaven.
Of hell and death he’s not afraid.
For this, I praise God all my days!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah for evermore, for evermore!
(pilgrims gradually exit Up Left)
ELISABETH (pained but composed)
No, he has not returned!
CHORUS With joyful eyes, O my homeland, I see you.
Beloved meadows, I joyfully greet you.
Now I hang up my walking stick....
Act III, Scene 2
ELISABETH (sinks to her knees with great solemnity)
Almighty Virgin, maid angelic,
Most blessed, hear my cry of pain.
Down in the dust, oh, let me perish.
Oh, lift me from this earthly plane,
Oh, lift me from this earthly plane.
Grant I may come, angelic, chaste,
Into your pure and blessed domain;
Grant I may come, angelic, chaste,
Into your pure and blessed domain.
If ever in my foolish yearning
I turned my heart away from you,
If I was gripped by wishes worldly,
If sinful longing in me grew,
I struggled so to mortify it,
To strike it dead or purify it.
If every sin I can’t atone for
Then by your grace my soul receive,
By your grace my soul receive
So I may humbly adore you
And worthily unto you cleave;
There I will beg you, righteous maid:
Spare you his soul and grant him grace;
There I will beg you, righteous maid:
Spare you his soul and grant him grace!
(remains a while in prayer until she sees Wolfram approach. With a gesture, she asks him not to speak with her.)
WOLFRAM Elisabeth, won't you let me escort you?
(With gestures, she thanks him with all her heart for his steadfast, faithful love but tells him that her fate lies in heaven where she must fulfil her duty, and that it is his duty to let her go there and not to follow. Elisabeth exits.)
Act III, Scene 3
WOLFRAM (watches her go, sits at the base of a hill, Right, and plays his harp)
Like death's dark shadow, evening falls upon us
And wraps the vale in dark and sombre garments;
The soul that yearns to heaven to steal away
Still fears the flight through darkness it must take.
Then I see you, O shining star, O vision.
Your gentle glow illuminates the distance.
You part the shroud of evening with your light
And lead us out of the valley of night.
O you, my lovely evening star,
Fondly I greet you from afar,
My heart, which ne’er betrayed her trust,
Greets her as she shimmers over us,
As she departs this earthly veil
To be transformed into an angel;
As she departs this earthly veil
To be transformed into an angel.
(eyes heavenward, continues to play his harp)
ACT III, Scene 4
Night has come. Tannhäuser enters in ragged pilgrim’s clothing. His face is pale and disfigured. He takes exhausted steps, supported by his walking stick.
TANNHÄUSER: I hear a harp string sound.
It rings so sadly,
From her it can’t have come!
WOLFRAM Who are you, pilgrim?
Why do you wander lonely?
TANNHÄUSER Who am I? But I know you full well.
Wolfram, that’s you,
(derisively)
the skilled and expert singer!
WOLFRAM (startled)
Heinrich! You?
What brings you here into this valley? Talk!
Dare you come unforgiven?
Dare set foot upon this land?
Dare show your face here?
TANNHÄUSER Be without care, my kindly singer!
You I don't seek and not your kindred, either.
(with eery lewdness)
I seek someone to show the way unto me,
The way that once with wondrous ease I found.
WOLFRAM Which way is that?
TANNHÄUSER The way to Venusberg!
WOLFRAM Degenerate! Do not profane my ear!
There you would travel?
TANNHÄUSER Know you then the way?
WOLFRAM Maniac! Terror grips me when you speak!
Where were you?
Did you not go to Rome?
TANNHÄUSER Speak not of Rome!
WOLFRAM You missed the Holy Service?
TANNHÄUSER Speak not of that!
WOLFRAM You did not go? Tell me, I beg of you!
TANNHÄUSER (as if remembering, with painful fury)
Yes, I did go to Rome.
WOLFRAM So talk! So tell me!
Unhappy man, I’m seized with deepest sympathy for you!
TANNHÄUSER (moved and astonished, observes Wolfram for a long time)
What say you, Wolfram?
Then are you not my foe?
WOLFRAM Ne’er was I that…
Not when I thought you pious.
How went your pilgrimage to Rome?
TANNHÄUSER Alright, I’ll tell.
You, Wolfram, you should know what happened.
(Exhausted, he sits against the base of the hill. Wolfram moves to sit at his side.)
Away from me! The place I rest my body bears my curse!
(Wolfram remains standing a short distance from Tannhäuser.)
So hear, Wolfram, my words!
With deep contrition
As no penitent has felt before,
I sought the way to Rome.
An angel it was, ah!,
Who showed to me the wickedness of my transgression.
For her I made my pilgrim’s journey
To find the grace I’d been denied,
To ease the angel’s tears of mercy
That for this sinner she once cried!
Around me pilgrims bore their burdens heavy.
The weightiest of them seemed all too light
So when their feet stepped on the meadow gently,
My naked soles sought every thorn and spike.
When water from the well their mouths replenished,
I sucked the burning sunlight's blazes bright.
The pious sent their spoken prayers to heaven;
I shed my blood His name to glorify.
When in the hostel, weary, they lay resting,
I put my limbs to bed in snow and ice.
I closed my eyes to nature’s wondrous beauty
And blindly did my pilgrim’s holy duty.
Thus shamed and thus abased I made my journey
To ease my angel’s gentle tears of mercy!
I got to Rome in all her holy glory
And lay in supplication at her doorstep.
At break of day, cathedral bells were ringing
As, from above, sweet anthems floated toward us.
The voices rose so joyful in their singing,
Of mercy mild they made a promise for us.
Then I saw him who speaks for God in person.
Before him in the dust they all bowed down.
He pardoned many thousands, offered mercy
As joyfully they rose up from the ground.
Then I approached,
My head bowed down in deference,
Chastised myself and beat my breast in penance
For the delight I took in base desire,
For longing that no penance yet has quelled.
For salvation from this blinding fire,
Him I implored amid my pain and guilt.
And he whom I implored spoke thus:
“Did you indulge in lust and pride?
Have you the fiery hell-flames fanned?
Did you in Venusberg reside?
Then for eternity, you’re damned!
Just as the staff here in my hand
Never again will grow green leaves,
So from hell's red-hot burning brand
Salvation's flowering you'll ne'er see.”
I sank as if destroyed by his pronouncement.
I fell into a faint. When I awoke
The square was empty and I was alone
As distant hymns of grace around me sounded.
Disgusted, the songs I did despise!
The hymns of grace were naught but dirty lies
That cut my soul with sharp and icy blows,
So stumbling, horrified, I rose to go!
From there I went to find that lavish nest
Where comfort I'll find on her burning breast!
(with harrowing rapture)
I'll come back, Venus, to your kingdom,
Back to your palace deep in earth.
I’ll gather up my sins and bring them
To meet your charms’ eternal mirth!
WOLFRAM Oh, stop, oh, stop your madness!
TANNHÄUSER Ah! I’ll no more seek grace and mercy!
To find you I’ve not far to roam!
You heard how humankind has cursed me:
Now, gentle goddess, guide me home!
(Darkest night. Light fog gradually fills the stage.)
WOLFRAM (horrified)
It’s madness! Ah, maniac, whom do you call?
TANNHÄUSER Ha! Feel you not the gentle breezes?
And smell you not perfume that pleases?
Hear you not voices resounding?
Those are the dancing nymphs ‘round us crowding!
They bring, they bring, they bring, they bring delight and bliss!
WOLFRAM Stay here! Stop now or else you’ll fall,
You’ll fall into the fiery pit!
Ah! Wicked magic now appears!
The hellhounds gallop wildly near!
(The fog begins to glow in a rosy light.)
TANNHÄUSER Enchantment fills me with its sweet fire!
The rosy dawn is rolling in!
Yes, this is love’s enchanted empire!
To Venusberg, we’ve broken in!
(A chaotic whirl of dancing figures can be seen. Venus appears, bathed in bright, rosy light, lying on her couch.)
VENUS Hello again, unfaithful man!
So, from the faithful were you banned?
And did you meet with such disgraces
That you’ve come back to my embraces?
TANNHÄUSER Dame Venus, merciful and mighty!
I’m drawn, I’m drawn into your arms!
WOLFRAM Magic of Hades, get behind me!
The chaste and pure one do not harm!
VENUS If you’ve come back to me, my treasure,
Then I’ll forgive your naughty deed.
You’ll move back into my dome of pleasure
And never will I let you leave!
TANNHÄUSER (pulls himself wildly, decisively away from Wolfram)
I’ve lost all hope of my salvation;
Now let the charms of hell replace them!
WOLFRAM Almighty, guide him, I beseech!
Heinrich, Heinrich, one word can set you free, redeemed!
VENUS (with increasing fear)
Oh, come! Oh, come! Forever now be mine!
TANNHÄUSER (to Wolfram)
Get back! Away from me!
WOLFRAM (struggles with Tannhäuser)
You, sinner, may yet find salvation!
VENUS Oh, come! Come, oh, come!
TANNHÄUSER No, Wolfram! No! I have to leave!
WOLFRAM Your angel kneels in supplication.
Soon in the next world she will be.
TANNHÄUSER: Stop it!
VENUS Come, oh, come! To me! To me!
WOLFRAM Elisabeth!
(Tannhäuser, who has just pulled himself free, remains rooted to the spot.)
TANNHÄUSER Elisabeth!
CHORUS (Off)
Her holy soul has slipped its bond,
The body of the martyred one!
WOLFRAM Your angel pleads before the throne of God.
Her prayer is heard!
Heinrich, you are redeemed!
VENUS No! I have lost him!
(She sinks and disappears. The fog vanishes completely. It is dawn. From Wartburg comes Elisabeth’s funeral procession carrying torches.
The older pilgrims lead the procession, followed by the Singers, who bear the open coffin in which Elisabeth’s body may be seen. The Landgrave, knights and nobles follow the coffin.)
CHORUS Hers be the angel’s blessed wage;
Heavenly joy, her just reward.
WOLFRAM Say, can you hear their song?
TANNHÄUSER I hear it!
CHORUS Blessed be the pure one who now unites
With all the rest of the host of the heavens!
(Here, Wolfram gestures to the Singers. Moved, they recognize Tannhäuser and put the coffin down.)
Blessed be the sinner for whom she cried,
For whom she begged that grace be given.
(Tannhäuser, accompanied by Wolfram to the coffin, bends his body over Elisabeth’s and slowly sinks down.)
TANNHÄUSER
Blessed Saint Elisabeth, pray for my soul!
(He dies. All extinguish their torches and lay them down. Morning light illuminates the scene.)
YOUNG PILGRIMS Saved! Saved! By mercy’s wonder saved!
Redemption to the world He gave!
It happened in night’s holy hour
When God displayed His wondrous power:
A barren staff in priestly hands
By God was crowned with fresh green leaves!
Thus sinners who in hell did land
By this same power are redeemed!
Proclaim aloud in every place
That by this wonder he found grace!
High above all the world is God
And godly mercy is no lark!
SINGERS, LANDGRAVE, KNIGHTS, OLDER PILGRIMS By godly grace, her petition's accepted.
He enters now the repose of the blessed!
YOUNGER PILGRIMS Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
FINAL CURTAIN