Under GeminiAn Opera
Libretto byFrederick Turner
1
Dramatis PersonaeMajor Parts
MIKL
Ó
S: a Hungarian Jewish poetLAJOS: his uncleISTV
Á
N: a Hungarian Jewish violinistGYULA: a Hungarian literary magazine editorFANNI: MIKL
Ó
S' sweetheart and wifeFATHER S
Á
NDOR: a Hungarian Jewish intellectual and teacher, convert to Catholicism, now apriestJUDIT: a beautiful actress and photographer, briefly involved with MIKL
Ó
SNAHUM the PROPHET
Minor Parts and Chorus
RABBI, MIKL
Ó
S' sister AGICA, MIKL
Ó
S' stepmother ILKA, LIEUTENANT, SERGEANT,CAMP COMMANDANT, PEASANT, CONSTABLE, MOURNERS, antisemitic ARROWCROSS MEMBERS, STUDENTS, PARTYGOERS, OFFICIALS, PRISONERS, GUARDS,SOLDIERS
2
ACT IScene i
A Jewish funeral. The RABBI is speaking the words of the burial service as the body of JAKOB,the father of MIKL
Ó
S, is lowered into the grave. Also present are MIKL
Ó
S himself, LAJOS hisuncle, AGICA his sister, and ILKA his stepmother. MIKL
Ó
S, the surviving son, drops flowers inthe grave and then the first shovelful of soil. The other mourners are chanting a requiem, barelyaudible. The requiem begins with the Hebrew words of the Jewish burial ritual, and then burstsout in these words:
MOURNERS:The autumn mists drift chill above the grave,it's early, but already evening's come.In these dark skies the heavy torch-smoke weavesa silver-silver wreath of foggy leaves--and overhead the scared bird grieves and grieves!The soul's as terrified, as sadly drifting,as is the cold cloud with its weightless wingblown by the white-hot stars unwavering.The body in its pit rests silently,it lives the still fate of a clod of soil,it melts, the thirsty root sucks at its vein,and with a green flame it returns again,as law demands! horrible, horrible,that what was one world now spins into two!or is it wiser so? The corpse knows all.Protect, O Lord, the pathways of the soul.
As the ceremony comes to an end, LAJOS takes MIKL
Ó
S aside and speaks to him.
LAJOS:Mikl
ó
s. Are you ready for your journey?MIKL
Ó
S:Journey, uncle Lajos? But wasn't I
3
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