Corydon and Miranda 3/3

Corydon and Miranda - William Boyce
A Pastoral Interlude from Clive's "The Rehearsal" (1750)
Libretto by 'A Gentleman of Bath'

Recitative:

Corydon -

Away, away, nor ever see me more,
Unless thou can'st my murdered friend restore.
Remember all thy fierceness, all thy pride,
When poor Philander loved, despaired, and died.
That mercy he received, vain nymph, from you;
That mercy I return: adieu! adieu!

[Exit Corydon]

Marcella -

He's gone, he's gone! the wild inhuman swain.
God of my joys and demon of my pain!
His cruelty has fixed the fatal dart;
It tears, it rives my bleeding heart.

Air:

Marcella -

Rise, tempests, rise, cloud the skies!
Ye surges why are you at rest?
Are there no storms but in my breast?
Collect, ye winds, each plague that's dire,
And let the world in pain expire!
Down, down ye towers of state!
Vain tools of the great
To atoms fall! nor let the mighty ruin cease
'Till it has crushed me into peace.

But O, take heed, take heed,
Lest my dear charmer bleed.
Hear, O ye winds, my cries!
Now listen to my sighs!
Ye gentle zephyrs fan his breast,
While pleasing dreams attend his rest.
Ye feathered songsters all prepare,
With grateful notes, to soothe his ear.

No, no, let him die, let him die!
Rain vengeance from the sky!
In pangs of passion let him be,
In endless pangs - like me!

Chorus:

Joy were no joy, and pleasure vain,
Were there not intervals of pain.
The captive who has felt a chain
Is doubly blest when free,
'Tis clouds that make the sun more bright,
'Tis darkness that sets off the light,
'Tis sorrow gives to joy its height
By Heaven's most kind decree.

Marcella: Julia Gooding
Corydon: Joseph Cornwell

Peter Holman
Opera Restor'd

Category:

Music

Tags:

• William
• Boyce
• Baroque
• Opera
• Corydon
• Miranda
• Marcella
• Air
• Rage
• Aria
• Julia
• Gooding