Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni

Cast:  SANTUZZA, a peasant girl (soprano or mezzo-soprano)  TURIDDU, a young peasant (tenor)  LUCIA, his mother (contralto)  ALFIO, a carter (baritone)  LOLA, his wife (mezzo-soprano)  CHORUS: villagers  Place: A village in Sicily  Time: About 1880, on Easter Sunday Prelude  Siciliana  TURIDDU  behind the curtain  O Lola, white and red as the cherry  In your nightdress white as milk,  When you appear at the window you smile;  Happy he who gave you your first kiss!  The mark of blood is over your door,  But I care not if I am killed;  If through you I die and go to Paradise,  It will not be Paradise for me unless you are there.  Ah!  ONE AND ONLY ACT  A square in the village. In the background right, a church with a door. On the left, the inn and Mother Lucia's house. At first the stage is empty. Dawn is breaking. Introductory Chorus  Chorus  CHORUS  from within  Ah!  WOMEN  from within  The orange trees lilt he green groves  Scent the air,  The larks sing  Through the flowering myrtles;  Now is the time  For everyone to murmur  The tender song  Which quickens the heart.  The women enter.  MEN  from within  Across the fields  Amid the golden corn  The sound of your shuttles  Reaches us  In our fatigue.  Lightening our labour.  We think of you,  Sweet rays of sunshine.  We hasten to you  As a bird flies  To his mate's call.  The men enter.  WOMEN  Now cease  Your rustic tasks;  The blessed *** is gladdened  By the Saviour;  Now is the time  For everyone to murmur  The tender song  Which quickens the heart.  MEN  Across the fields, etc.  WOMEN  The orange trees in the green groves, etc.  The chorus crosses the stage and goes out.  Scene  Santuzza and Lucia  SANTUZZA  entering  Tell me, mother Lucia …  LUCIA  surprised  You? What do you want?  SANTUZZA  Where is Turiddu?  LUCIA  Have you come here  To look for my son?  SANTUZZA  I beg you to forgive me.  I only want to know where I can find him.  LUCIA  I do not know.  Don't bother me!  SANTUZZA  Mother Lucia, in tears I implore you,  Be merciful as Our Lord was to Magdalene  And tell me where Turiddu is …  LUCIA  He went to Francolonte  For the wine.  SANTUZZA  No! He was seen  In the village late last night.  LUCIA  What are you saying?  He's not returned home!  turning towards the door of her house  Come in!  SANTUZZA  desperately  I cannot enter your house!  I have been damned!  LUCIA  What then do you know  Of my son?  SANTUZZA  What a thorn I have in my heart!  Scene with Alfio and Chorus  Alfio, Chorus and the above  ALFIO  The horses' hooves thunder,  The harness bells jingle,  The whip cracks. Get along!  Let the wind blow cold,  Rain or snow fall,  What care I?  CHORUS  O a carter's life  Is a fine life,  Going from place to place!  ALFIO  The whip cracks!  At home, awaiting me,  Is Lola, who loves me and comforts me  And is ever true.  The horses' hooves thunder,  The harness bells jingle,  It's Easter, and here I am!  CHORUS  O a carter's life, etc.  ALFIO  Get along! The whip cracks!  Here I am!  O a carter's life, etc.  It's Easter, and here I am!  Scene and Prayer  LUCIA  You are lucky, friend Alfio,  To be always so gay!  ALFIO  Mother Lucia,  Do you still have some  Of that vintage wine?  LUCIA  I know I haven't:  Turiddu has gone  To get some.  ALFIO  But he's still here!  I saw him this morning  Near my house.  LUCIA  surprised  What?  SANTUZZA  quickly to Lucia  Hush!  From the church is heard the Alleluja.  ALFIO  I'm going;  You women go to church.  exit  CHORUS  inside the church  Regina coeli laetare.  Alleluja!  Quia quem meruisti portare.  Alleluja!  Resurrexit sicut dixit.  Alleluja!  SANTUZZA, LUCIA and CHORUS  in the square  Let us rejoice  That Our Lord is not dead,  And in glory  Has opened the tomb!  Let us rejoice  That Our Lord is risen again  And today is gone up  Into the glory of Heaven!  CHORUS  inside the church  Alleluja!  All enter the church except Santuzza and Lucia.  Romance and Scene  Lucia and Santuzza  LUCIA  Why did you signal me  To be silent?  SANTUZZA  O mother, you know  That before he went for a soldier  Turiddu had sworn  Eternal faith to Lola.  On his return, he found her married,  And sought with a new love  To quell the flame  Which burned in his heart:  He loved me, I loved him.  But she, envious of my only delight  And forgetful of her husband,  Burned with jealousy …  She stole him from me …  And I am left disgraced;  Lola and Turiddu are lovers,  And I am left to weep.  LUCIA  Lord have mercy!  What is this you've come to tell me  On this holy day?  SANTUZZA  l am condemned!  O mother, go  And pray to God  And pray for me too!  When Turiddu comes,  I will plead with him  Once again.  LUCIA  going towards the church  Holy Mary,  Have mercy upon her!  exit  Scene  Santuzza and Turiddu  TURIDDU  entering  You here, Santuzza?  SANTUZZA  I was waiting here for you.  TURIDDU  It is Easter;  Aren't you going to church?  SANTUZZA  I cannot.  I must speak to you …  TURIDDU  I was looking for my mother.  SANTUZZA  I must speak to you …  TURIDDU  Not here! not here!  SANTUZZA  Where have you been?  TURIDDU  What do you mean?  At Francofonte!  SANTUZZA  No, its not true!  TURIDDU  Santuzza, believe me …  SANTUZZA  No, do not lie;  I saw you returning  Down the road …  And this morning at dawn  You were seen  Near Lola's door.  TURIDDU  Ha! You were spying on me!  SANTUZZA  No, I swear it.  Alfio, her husband,  Was telling us  Just now.  TURIDDU  Is this the way you return  The love I bear you?  Do you want me killed?  SANTUZZA  Oh, do not say such things …  TURIDDU  Leave me then, leave me;  In vain you try,  With your pleas for pity,  To lessen my scorn.  SANTUZZA  Then you love her?  TURIDDU  No.  SANTUZZA  Lola is  Far more lovely.  TURIDDU  Be quiet, I do not love her.  SANTUZZA  You do love her …  A curse upon her!  TURIDDU  Santuzza!  SANTUZZA  That wicked woman  Stole you from me!  TURIDDU  Take care, Santuzza.  I am not the slave  Of this mad  Jealousy of yours!  SANTUZZA  Beat me, insult me,  I love you and forgive you;  But my anguish  Is too much to hear.  Lola's Refrain  Lola and the above  LOLA  off-stage  O flower of the iris,  The angels in their beauty  Stand a thousandfold in Heaven,  But only one there is  As handsome as he. Ah!  entering  O flower of the iris …  Oh! Turiddu … has Alfio been here?  TURIDDU  I've just come into the square.  I do not know …  LOLA  Perhaps he was kept  At the blacksmith's,  But he can't he long.  ironically  And you … are you listening  To the service from the square?  TURIDDU  Santuzza was telling me …  SANTUZZA  darkly  I was saying that today is Easter,  And the Lord sees everything!  LOLA  Aren't you coming to Mass?  SANTUZZA  Not I: only they can go  Who know they are free from sin.  LOLA  I thank the Lord  And kiss the ground.  SANTUZZA  ironically  Oh, you're so good, Lola!  TURIDDU  to Lola  Come, let us leave her!  Why do we stay here?  LOLA  ironically  Do stay here!  SANTUZZA  to Turiddu  Yes, stay, oh stay,  I've more to tell you!  LOLA  The Lord be with you;  I'm going.  goes into the church  Duet  Santuzza and Turiddu  TURIDDU  angrily  Ah, you see?  What have you said … ?  SANTUZZA  You wished it: then so be it.  TURIDDU  rushing forward  Ah! By Heaven!  SANTUZZA  Tear me to pieces!  TURIDDU  turning away  No!  SANTUZZA  holding him back  Turiddu, listen!  TURIDDU  Go away!  SANTUZZA  No, no. Turiddu,  Stay with me awhile.  Why do you seek  To fly from me?  TURIDDU  Why do you follow me  And spy on me  Without respite  To the very doors of the church?  SANTUZZA  Your own Santuzza  Weeps and pleads with you;  How could you  Drive her away like this?  TURIDDU  Go, I say.  Do not plague me;  Vain is your repentance  After what you have done.  SANTUZZA  threateningly  Take care!  TURIDDU  I do not heed your anger.  He throws her to the ground and flees into the church.  SANTUZZA  in a fury  May your Easter be cursed, you traitor!  She falls, overcome with anguish.  Alfio, entering, encounters Santuzza.  Duet  Santuzza and Alfio  SANTUZZA  Oh! The Lord has sent you,  Good Alfio.  ALFIO  How far on is the Mass?  SANTUZZA  It's nearly over ... but listen!  Lola has gone with Turiddu!  ALFIO  in surprise  What are you saying?  SANTUZZA  That while you go driving  In rain and wind  To earn your living.  Lola is adorning your head  In an ugly way!  ALFIO  What! In Heaven's name,  Santa, what are you saying?  SANTUZZA  The truth. Turiddu  Stole my honour,  And your wife  Has stolen him from me!  ALFIO  If you're lying,  I'll tear your heart out!  SANTUZZA  My lips are not in the habit  Of uttering lies!  It was the bitter truth  I told you, alas,  In my shame  And my sorrow.  ALFIO  Santuzza,  Then I am grateful to you.  SANTUZZA  I am vile  To have told you this.  ALFIO  It is they who are vile:  I will not forgive them;  I will have vengeance  Before the sun goes down.  I will have blood,  My rage shall know no bounds,  And all my love  Shall end in hate.  exeunt  Symphonic Intermezzo  The people come out of church.  Lucia crosses the stage and goes into her house.  Scene, Chorus and Toasts  Lola, Turiddu and Chorus  MEN  Let us go homewards,  Friends, to where  Our womenfolk await us!  Let us hasten  Without delay  Now that gladness  Has soothed our hearts.  WOMEN  Let us go homewards,  Friends, to where  Our husbands await us!  Let us hasten  Without delay  Now that gladness  Has soothed our hearts.  The chorus goes off.  TURIDDU  to Lola as she goes  Mistress Lola,  Are you going  Without a word of greeting?  LOLA  I must go home:  I have not seen Alfio!  TURIDDU  Don't give it a thought;  He'll be coming to the square.  to the chorus  Meanwhile, friends,  Come, let's drink together!  All come to the inn table and take winecups.  Hurrah for the sparkling wine  Bubbling in the glass,  Bringing happiness  Like a lover's smile!  Hurrah for friendly wine  That livens every thought  And banishes melancholy  In cheerful drinking!  CHORUS  Hurrah!  TURIDDU  to Lola  To your love!  He drinks.  LOLA  to Turiddu  To your good fortune!  She drinks.  TURIDDU  Drink up!  CHORUS, TURIDDU and LOLA  Hurrah! Drink up!  Continue the tournament!  CHORUS  Hurrah for the sparkling wine, etc.  enter Alfio  Finale  Alfio and the above  ALFIO  Greetings to you all!  CHORUS  Greetings, friend Alfio!  TURIDDU  Welcome!  You must drink with us:  fills a glass  Here, I've filled you a glass.  ALFIO  rejecting it  Thank you, but I cannot  Accept your wine.  It would turn to poison  Inside me.  TURIDDU  throwing the wine away  As you please!  LOLA  Alas! How will this end?  SOME WOMEN  to Lola  Mistress Lola,  This is no place for us.  All the women go out, taking Lola with them.  TURIDDU  Have you anything else to say to me?  ALFIO  I? Nothing!  TURIDDU  Then I'm at your service.  ALFIO  Right away?  TURIDDU  Right away!  Alfio and Turiddu embrace: Turiddu bites Alfio's right ear in challenge.  ALFIO  Friend Turiddu,  You bit my ear.  meaningly  I am sure  We understand each other!  TURIDDU  Friend Alfio,  I know that I have wronged you;  And I swear to you  By Heaven above  That I would cut my throat  Like a dog  Save that … if I do not live,  Poor Santa  Will be left deserted …  She who gave herself to me …  violently  But I can plant my knife  In your heart!  ALFIO  coldly  My friend,  Do as you please;  I'll wait for you outside,  Behind the orchard.  exit  Lucia and Turiddu  TURIDDU  Mother,  That wine is strong.  And in truth I've drunk  Too much of it today …  I must go out into the fields.  But give me first  Your blessing.  As you did that day  When I went off as a soldier…  And then … mother… listen …  If I should not return  You must be a mother  To Santuzza,  Whom I promised  To lead to the altar.  LUCIA  My son, what is this you're saying?  TURIDDU  Oh, nothing!  It is the wine within me speaking.  Pray to Heaven for me!  One kiss, mother …  One more kiss … farewell!  He embraces her and rushes out.  Lucia, Santuzza and Chorus  LUCIA  desperately, hurrying alter him  Turiddu. What do you mean'?  Turiddu! Turiddu! Ah!  enter Santuzza  Santuzza!  SANTUZZA  throwing her arms round Lucia's neck  Oh mother!  The scene fills with people.  A confused noise is heard from the distance.  A WOMAN  Turiddu has been killed!  They all scream.