Rake's progress Trio and Aria Persson Lehtipuu Glyndebourne 2010

Igor Stravinsky
The rake's progress

ACT I


First Scene

(The garden of the house of Truelove in the field on
a spring afternoon. On the right side of the house, a
fence with an iron gate. Anne and Tom sit together
under a pergola)

Trio

ANNE
The woods are green
and bird and beast at play
for all things keep
this festival of May.
With fragrant odours
and with notes of cheer,
the pious earth
observes the solemn year.

TOM
Now is the season
when the Cyprian Queen
with genial charm
translates our mortal scene,
when swains their nymphs
in fervent arms enfold
and with a kiss restore the Age of Gold.

ANNE, TOM
How sweet within the budding grove
How sweet beside the pliant stream
to walk, to love,
to lie, to dream.

(Truelove leaving the house and remains apart them)

TRUELOVE
Oh may a father's prudent fears
unfounded prove,
and ready vows and loving looks
be all they seem.
In youth we fancy
we are wise,
but time has shown, alas,
too often and too late,
we have not known the hearts
of others or our own.

ANNE
Love tells no lies.

ANNE, TOM
And in love's eyes
we see our future state,
ever happy, ever fair:
sorrow, hate, disdain, despair,
rule not there.
But love alone reigns o'er his own.

Recitative

TRUELOVE
(Truelove is about Ana)
Anne, my dear.

ANNE
Yes, father.

TRUELOVE
Your advice is needed in the kitchen.

(She enters the house)

Tom, I have news for you.
I have spoken on your behalf
to a good friend in the City,
and he offers you a position
in his counting house.

TOM
You are too generous, sir.
You must not think me ungrateful
if I do not immediately accept
what you propose,
but I have other prospects in view.

TRUELOVE
Your reluctance to seek employment
makes me uneasy.

TOM
Be assured,
your daughter shall not marry a poor man.

TRUELOVE
So he be honest,
she may take a poor husband, if she choose.
But I am resolved
she shall never marry a lazy one.

(Truelove enters the house)

TOM
The old fool!

Recitative
Here I stand, my constitution sound, my frame
not ill-favoured, my wit ready, my heart light.
I play the industrious apprentice in a copybook?
I submit to the drudge's yoke?
I slave through a lifetime to enrich others
and then be thrown away like a gnawed bone? Not I!
Have not grave doctors assured us that good works
are of no avail, for heaven predestines all?
In my fashion, I may profess myself of their party
and herewith entrust myself to Fortune.

Aria

Since it is not by merit
we rise or we fall,
but the favour of Fortune
that governs us all,
why should I labour
for what in the end
she will give me for nothing
if she be my friend?
While if she be not,
why, the wealth I might gain
for a time by my toil
would at last be in vain.
Till I die then, of fever,
or by lightning am struck,
let me live by my wits
and trust to my luck.
My life lies before me,
the world is so wide:
come, wishes, be horses
this beggar shall ride.

With:
Clive Bayley (Trulove)
Miah Persson (Anne Trulove)
Topi Lehtipuu (Tom Rakewell)

The Glyndebourne Chorus
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladimir Jurowski (conductor)
John Cox (director)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Miah
• Persson