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Subject Area: Music
Topic: Opera and Liberty

Scene III - Giuseppe Verdi, Aida by Antonio Ghislanzoni, music by Giuseppe Verdi [1871]

Edition used:

Aida by Antonio Ghislanzoni, music by Giuseppe Verdi, edited with an introduction by W.J. Henderson (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1911).

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


Scene III

The stage is divided into two floors.—The upper floor represents the temple of Vulcan resplendent with gold and light; the lower floor is a vault.—Long arcades vanishing in the gloom.—Colossal statues of Osiris, with crossed hands, support the pillars of the vault.

Rhadames is discovered at the foot of the steps by which he has descended into the vault.—Above two priests are letting down the stone that closes it.

rhadames

  • The fatal stone has now descended
  • Upon my tomb. No more the light
  • Shall I behold—no more behold Aïda—
  • Aïda, where art thou? Mayest thou ever
  • Happily live, my wretched fate never
  • Hearing! Ah, what groan was that? A phantom!
  • A vision! No, the form is human—
  • Heavens! Aïda!

aïda

Yes, I—

rhadames

Thou—in this tomb!

aïda

  • My heart presaged thy condemnation.
  • And to thy tomb’s dread portal,
  • I crept, unseen by mortal.
  • And here, afar from every human eye,
  • In thy dear arms, I’ll die.

rhadames

  • To die! So pure and lovely!
  • And through the yearning of thy heart
  • In the flower of youth to part
  • With life full-sated.
  • Thou whom for love the Heavens created,
  • And to destroy thee I was fated!
  • No, thou shalt not die.
  • Thou treasure, too high!
  • Thou art too lovely!

aïda

  • (In ecstasy.)
  • Seest thou where Death’s bright angel
  • With heavenly radiance shining,
  • Would bring us to eternal joys,
  • On golden wings, above
  • Now heaven’s gates are opening wide,
  • There we’ll cease from all repining,
  • There only joy and peace abide,
  • And an immortal love.
  • [Singing and dancing of the priestesses in the temple above.]

aïda

That sad chanting!

rhadames

’Tis the sacred dance of the priesthood.

aïda

And our death chant sounding!

rhadames

  • (Trying to push back the stone over the vault.)
  • Ah, could my utmost pains
  • Remove this fatal stone!

aïda

  • In vain, for all is over,
  • No hope on earth remains.

rhadames

  • (With sad resignation.)
  • Ah, truly, truly!
  • (Approaches Aïda and supports her.)

AÏDA AND RHADAMES

  • O earth, farewell, farewell, thou vale of sorrow!
  • Dream of delight that vanisheth in woe,
  • Opens the sky on a glorious to-morrow
  • That in its brightness eternal shall glow.
  • [Aïda falls gently from Rhadames’ arms.—Amneris appears dressed in mourning in the temple, and throws herself on the stone that closes the vault.]

amneris

  • In peace may’st thou rest, my adored one, my love,
  • And Isis relenting, await thee above!

end of the opera