The Mapleson Cylinders - Program Notes

The Mapleson Cylinders - Program Notes

Libretti

Gounod: FAUST [Includes RealAudio Selections]

Band 5

Act III: Final episode: "Il t'aime" ...to end of act

Fritzi Scheff (s), Marguerite

Thomas Salignac (t), Faust

Marcel Journet (bs), Méphistophélès

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra--Luigi Mancinelli

February 4, 1903

[Glackens 62. "Feb 14"; this is the only Faust performance on February 14 during the Mapleson years, and the speed matches Band 6, q.v. ]

Both these cylinders cover the same material--Marguerite's speech at the window (heard, unbeknownst to her, by Faust and Méphistophélès) and the end of the Garden Scene. The first one does not quite reach the final chord.

[original]

MARGUERITE

[Toutes les voix de la nature
semblent me répéter en choeur:]
"Il t'aime! Il t'aime!"
Ah, qu'il est doux de vivre!
Le ciel me sourit, l'air m'enivre,
l'air m'enivre!
Est-ce de plaisir et d'amour
que la feuille tremble et palpite?
Demain, demain!
Ah! presse ton retour,
cher bien-aimé! Viens! Viens!

FAUST (rushing to the window and grasping her hand)
Marguerite!

MARGUERITE
Ah!

MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS
Hein! (Marguerite, overcome, allows her head to fall on Faust's shoulder. Méphistophélès opens the door of the garden and departs, laughing derisively. The curtain falls.)

[translation]

MARGUERITE

All nature's sounds
repeat in chorus together,
"He loves thee! He loves thee!"
Ah, how sweet is life to me!
The heavens smile, another world it seems,
another world it seems.
Is it from the very ecstasy of love
that the leaves tremble?
Tomorrow, tomorrow,
haste thee to return,
oh dear one! Yes, come! come!

FAUST (rushing to the window and grasping her hand)
Marguerite!

MARGUERITE
Ah!

MÉPHISTOPHÉLÈS
Ho! ho! (Marguerite, overcome, allows her head to fall on Faust's shoulder. Méphistophélès opens the door of the garden and departs, laughing derisively. The curtain falls.)