“La forza del destino” by Giuseppe Verdi libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four

ACT THREE

Scene One

Italy, near the Town of Velletri
A forest. Pitch-dark night. Don Alvaro, in the uniform
of a Captain of the Spanish Royal Grenadiers, comes
forward slowly. Voices are heard off-stage.

CHORUS
Attend to the game, attend to the game...

FIRST VOICE
An ace to the right.

SECOND VOICE
I win.

FIRST VOICE
A three-spot on the right...
Five on the left.

SECOND VOICE
I lose.

DON ALVARO
Life itself is hell to the sorrowful.
I seek my death in vain!
Seville! Leonora!
Oh, the memory! Oh, night
when all I love was torn from me!
My sorrow shall have no end - it is written so.
My father sought to free his native land

from its foreign masters, and, by alliance
with the last of the Incas, he hoped
to win back his crown - but all in vain!
I was born in a prison; the desert
was my only school; I am alive today only because
my royal birth is known to none! My parents
dreamed of a throne; the axe awakened them!
Oh, when shall all my sorrows come to an end?
O you who dwell among the angels,
forever pure,
lovely and untouched now
by mortal sorrow -
do not forget
to look down on me,
who, exiled and nameless,
defying fate,
seek battle, like a wretched man,
hoping to find there death.
Leonora mine, help me,
take pity on my anguish!
Have pity on me!

DON CARLO (from without)
Betrayed!

CHORUS
He shall die!

DON ALVARO
What shouting!

DON CARLO
Help!

DON ALVARO
I am coming.

VOICES
He shall die! He shall die!
(Don Alvaro runs off towards where a sound of
swordplay is heard;some officers cross the stage in
disorder. Don Alvaro returns, with Don Carlo.)

DON ALVARO
They have fled! Are you wounded?

DON CARLO
No. I owe my life to you.

DON ALVARO
Who were they?

DON CARLO
Assassins.

DON ALVARO
Inside the camp?

DON CARLO
I'll tell you the truth; it was a quarrel over cards.

DON ALVARO
I see - off there to the right?

DON CARLO
Yes.

DON ALVARO
But how did you, so noble of bearing, come
to such a den of thieves?

DON CARLO
I'm new here.
I arrived with orders from the general
yesterday; without you I should now be dead.
Tell me to whom I owe my life?

DON ALVARO
To chance -

DON CARLO
First, I shall tell you my name.
(to himself)
He must not know the truth!
(to Don Alvaro)
Don Felix de Bornos, aide to the chief.

DON ALVARO
I am Don Federico Herreros,
captain of Grenadiers.

DON CARLO
The hero of our army!

DON ALVARO
Sir -

DON CARLO
I have longed for your friendship -
I ask it now, hopefully.

DON ALVARO
I shall be proud to have yours.
(They shake hands.)

DON ALVARO and DON CARLO
Friends in life and death
the world shall see us.
United in life and death,
men shall know us together.
(Shouts and trumpet blasts are heard off stage.)

CHORUS
To arms! To arms!

DON ALVARO and DON CARLO
Let us go! - to arms!

DON CARLO
Going to the field of honour with you,
I shall learn from you brave example.

DON ALVARO
And, as witness of your courage,
I shall admire your brave deeds.

CHORUS
To arms! To arms!
(They go out running.)

Scene Two

A house near Velletri
It is morning. A drawing-room in the villa of an officer
of the Spanish forces in Italy. The sound of fighting
nearby is heard from off-stage.
(An army surgeon and soldiers enter the room and run
to the window.)

SOLDIERS
The battle is raging!

SURGEON (looking through the spy-glass)
Bravo, those grenadiers!

SOLDIERS
Herreros is leading them...

SURGEON
My God, he has fallen wounded! -
His men are yielding!
His aide is rallying them -
leading them in a charge!
The enemy's on the run!
Our men have won!

VOICES (outside)
Glory to Spain!

OTHER VOICES
Long live Italy!

ALL
Victory is ours!

SURGEON
They're bringing the captain here.
(Don Alvaro, wounded and unconscious, is brought in
on a stretcher by four grenadiers. At his side is Don
Carlo, dusty and sorrowing. A soldier sets a valise down
on a table.)

DON CARLO
Gently - put him here - prepare my bed.

SURGEON
Silence!

DON CARLO
Is he in danger?

SURGEON
I am concerned because of his chest wound.

DON CARLO
Save him!

DON ALVARO (regaining consciousness)
Where am I?

DON CARLO
With your friend.

DON ALVARO
Let me die.

DON CARLO
Our care will save you. You will be rewarded
with the Order of Calatrava.

DON ALVARO
Of Calatrava! No, never -

DON CARLO (to himself)
What! You shudder at the name of Calatrava!

DON ALVARO
My friend...

SURGEON
If you speak -

DON ALVARO
One word only...

DON CARLO (to the surgeon)
Please, leave us for a moment.
(The surgeon withdraws. Alvaro beckons Don Carlo to
come closer.)

DON ALVARO
You must swear to me
in this solemn hour,
to carry out my wish.

DON CARLO
I swear, I swear.

DON ALVARO
Near my heart, look -

DON CARLO
A key!

DON ALVARO (pointing to the valise)
There you will find a package.
I entrust it to your honour. Within, there is a secret
which must die with me. Burn it when I am dead...

DON CARLO
I swear to do so.

DON ALVARO
Now I can die in peace.
I embrace you with all my heart.

DON CARLO
My friend, trust in heaven!

DON CARLO and DON ALVARO
Farewell, farewell, farewell.
(The surgeon and soldiers carry the wounded man into
the bedroom.)

DON CARLO
To die! What a tremendous thing!
A man of such courage and daring,
yet he will die! An extraordinary man!
But he shuddered at the name of Calatrava!
Does he perhaps know of our dishonour?
Heavens! What a thought! If he were the seducer?
And in my hands - alive!
But if I am wrong? This key will tell me.
(Impetuously he opens the valise and draws forth a
sealed package.)
Here are the papers! What am I doing?
(He stops.)
And the oath I swore?

To him I owe my life?
But I saved him, too!
And if he were the cursed Indian
who soiled my family's honour?
I shall break the seal. No one can see me here.
No? But I can see myself!
(suddenly throwing down the packet)
Fatal vessel of my destiny,
leave me now; you tempt me uselessly.
I came here to redeem my honour -
I shall not lose it with this new shame.
An oath is sacred to a man of honour;
these papers shall keep their secret safe.
May the evil thought which spurred me,
to an unworthy act be put away forever.
But if I might find some other proof?
Let us see.
(searching in the valise again)
Here is a portrait.
It has no seal - he did not speak of it -
I made no promise - let it be opened, then.
Heaven! Leonora!
Don Alvaro is the wounded man!
Now may he live! Then, by my hand, he shall die!
(The surgeon appears at the door.)

SURGEON
Good, news. He is saved.
(He goes out.)

DON CARLO
He is saved! He is saved! What joy!
Ah, he is saved! What great joy
I feel in my heart!

At last I shall wreak my vengeance
on the villain for his betrayal.
Leonora, where are you hidden?
Tell me - have you followed here
the man who reddened
your face with the blood of your father?
Ah, I should be wholly happy
if this sword of mine
might dispatch both in a single blow
down to the Lord of Hell!
(He goes out quickly.)

Scene Three

A military encampment near Velletri
Forward, left, a pedlar's shop to the right, another,
where food, drink and fruit are sold. Nearby, tents
tradesmen's huts, etc. It is night, the scene is deserted.
(A patrol enters cautiously on reconnaissance.)

CHORUS
Comrades, let us stop here
and explore the field.
There is no sound,
there is no light;
everyone is lost
in a sound sleep.
Comrades, let us move on,
and explore the field,
for soon comes the call
of reveille.

(Day breaks gradually. Don Alvaro enters, lost in
thought.)

DON ALVARO
To me it is not given
to know a moment of peace;
my soul is shattered by the cruel struggle.
I pray in vain to Heaven for peace and forgetfulness.
(Don Carlo enters.)

DON CARLO
Captain -

DON ALAVARO
Who calls me?
(recognising Carlo)
You, who gave me such good care?

DON CARLO
Is your wound fully healed now?

DON ALAVARO
Yes.

DON CARLO
You are strong?

DON ALVARO
As before.

DON CARLO
Could you fight a duel?

DON ALVARO
But with whom?

DON CARLO
You have no enemies?

DON ALVARO
We all have...
But I do not understand...

DON CARLO
No? You've had no message
from Don Alvaro, the Indian?

DON ALVARO
Betrayal!
Traitor! The secret, then, your oath, was broken?

DON CARLO
The papers were never opened -
the portrait told me.
Tremble, for I am Don Carlo di Vargas.

DON ALVARO
I am not disturbed
by threats.

DON CARLO
Come out with me. Soon one of us will die.

DON ALVARO
I am not afraid of death, but it grieves me
to fight with one who offered me his friendship.

DON CARLO
No, no, no, do not profane the name of friendship.

DON ALVARO
It was not I, but destiny, which killed your father;
nor did I seduce that lovely angel.
They both look down on us from Heaven,
they tell you in your heart that I am innocent.

DON CARLO
And she?

DON ALVARO
That fatal night
I fell, with a double mortal wound.
When I was well, I sought her for a year.
Alas, I found that Leonora was dead.

DON CARLO
You lie, you lie!
My sister was with one of our family.
I went to her, but it was too late.

DON ALVARO
And she -

DON CARLO
- Has fled.

DON ALVARO
And lives! She lives, thanks be to God!

DON CARLO
Yes, she lives.

DON ALAVARO
Don Carlo, my friend,
let the joy which moves me now

tell you that my soul
is incapable of baseness.
She lives! Great God, that angel...

DON CARLO
But soon she will die.
She lives, but soon she will die.

DON ALAVARO
No, let the hope of a marriage
seal the bond between us.
And she is still alive
let us look for her together.
I swear that a noble origin
makes me your equal,
and that my family's crest is resplendent,
is resplendent as the sun.

DON CARLO
Fool! Between us there gapes
a bloodied tomb.
How, can I greet as a brother
the man who took all from me?
Whether your origin is noble or base,
my duty is to kill you,
and, after you, the unworthy woman
who betrayed her flesh and blood.

DON ALVARO
What are you saying? What are you saying?

DON CARLO
She shall die.

DON ALVARO
Do not say it.

DON CARLO
I swear to God, she shall die.

DON ALVARO
First you shall die in mortal combat.

DON CARLO
Death! If I do not fall in my own blood
I shall find Leonora
and I shall kill her with this sword
still coloured with your blood.

DON ALVARO
Death! Yes! With my sword
I shall kill an assassin;
turn your thoughts to God;
your hour has come.

DON CARLO
To death! Let us go!
(They draw swords and duel furiously. A patrol comes
from the camp and endeavours to separate them.)

CHORUS
Halt! Stop!

DON CARLO (raging)
No. His life - or mine - now.

CHORUS
Go now, far from here.

DON ALVARO (to himself)
Perhaps...heaven will aid me now.

DON CARLO
He shall die!

CHORUS (to Don Carlo, who tries to break away)
Come!

DON CARLO (to Don Alvaro)
Murderer of my father!

DON ALVARO
Now what is left for me? Merciful God,
illumine Thou my thoughts.
To the cloister, the hermitage, the holy altars,
let forgetfulness and peace summon the warrior.
(He leaves. All gradually leave. The sun rises. Drums
and bugles sound reveille. Gradually the camp awakens
to action. Spanish and Italian soldiers of all arms come
out from the tents, cleaning their muskets, swords,
uniforms and other gear. Vivandieres go about selling
drinks, fruit, bread etc. Preziosilla, atop one of the huts,
is telling fortunes)

CHORUS
When the sound of fife and drum
deafens the very earth,
then we are glad, for war
is life and joy to the soldier.
A lively, adventurous life;
tomorrow, like yesterday, counts for nothing,

for every thought of ours
is centred on today.

PREZIOSILLA (to the women)
Come to the fortune-teller,
who has come from far away,
for she can read the message
of the dark, mysterious future.
(to the soldiers)
Come running, gather round her,
reach out your hands to her,
for she can tell if sweethearts
have been faithful to you.

CHORUS
Run/Let us run to the fortune-teller,
holding out our hands to her,
for she will tell if our sweethearts
have been faithful to you/us
Come on, come on, come on.

SOLDIERS
Here, girls, a swallow.
(The vivandières give them drinks.)

A SOLDIER
To our health!

ALL (drinking)
Our health!
(The attention of all is drawn to Trabuco, the pedlar,
who comes out from the stand at the left. He carries a
box of cheap trinkets.)

TRABUCO
Who wants to buy? My prices are cheap -
scissors and pins and wonderful soap.
I buy and sell whatever you want,
cash on the spot for all kinds of deals.

A SOLDIER
Here is a bracelet - what will you pay?

ANOTHER SOLDIER
Here is a necklace. I'll sell if you wish.

THIRD SOLDIER
Here are some ear-rings, what will you pay?

ALL (showing watches, rings, etc.)
We want to sell -

TRABUCO
It looks to me
like a lot of trash, a lot of trash.

ALL
Just like your rascally face.

TRABUCO
But let's make a deal - for every piece.
thirty pennies.

ALL
We're dealing with a thief!

TRABUCO
Hey. what tempers! Let's talk about it.
Maybe I can add a penny or two.
Let me have it, now or never!

ALL
First, right away,
give us the money, shiny and ringing.

TRABUCO
First the goods, here, that's the way.

ALL (giving him the objects)
Here you are.

TRABUCO (paying as he collects the trinkets)
Here you are. Good!

ALL (all driving him off)
To the devil with you.

TRABUCO (to himself, rejoicing)
What a deal! What a deal!
(loudly)
Who wants to buy? My prices are cheap -
(He goes to another part of the camp. Some peasants
enter, with children at their side, and begging.)

PEASANT WOMEN
Bread, bread, for charity's sake!
The war has destroyed
our homes, our fields. We are starving.
Give us bread, for mercy's sake.
(Several recruits enter, weeping.)

RECRUITS
Our poor mothers wept as we left them,
snatched away by cruel war.
They have torn us away from all we love,
our only wish is to go home again.

VIVANDIÈRES
(surrounding the recruits and giving them wine)
Weep no more, young men,
for your mothers and your sweethearts.
We shall love you like sisters,
and we know how to make you happy.
Don't be frightened - we're not devils.
Come now, dry your tears,
for now it's plain - it's useless
to think about the past.

PREZIOSILLA
(makes her way among the recruits; takes some by the
arm, and says to them jokingly:)
Shame on you! Shame on you! Come, be brave!
Handsome lads - have you gone mad?
If you blubber like babies
your comrades will laugh at you.
Take a look at what's around you,
I'll bet you I can guess -
you'll see lots of pretty faces
which will comfort you tomorrow.
Come now, courage, courage!

ALL
In war it's only gaiety
that can keep our hearts rejoicing;

hurrah, then, for this madness
which can flourish only here!
(The vivandières take the recruits impudently arm-in-
arm. Everyone joins in a rapid dance. In a few moments
the racket and confusion reach a high pitch. Fra
Melitone enters, is caught up in the whirl of the dance,
and finds himself cavorting in the arms of the
vivandières.. He finally extricates himself and starts to
preach.)

MELITONE
Ho! Ho! What's going on? What an uproar!
Fine goings on! And I'm in the midst.
I came from Spain to bandage wounds
and to salvage souls. And what do I find?
Is this a Christian camp,
or are you a lot of Turks?
Whoever saw such irreverent nonsense
on the Holy Sabbath? In this army
there are more bottles than battles!
And instead of sackcloth and ashes,
must we have Venus and Bacchus?
The earth has become a house of tears,
and every convent the haven of rascals!
The sanctuaries have become
the lair of cut-throats;
and Christ's temples
are a sorry sight indeed.
Everything's topsy-turvy, topsy-turvy -
and do you know why?
Pro peccata vestra, because of your sins.

SOLDIERS
Ah, Holy Brother!

MELITONE
You profane the Feast Days,
you steal, you curse...

ITALIAN SOLDIERS
Infamous friar!

SPANISH SOLDIERS
Go ahead, Reverend.

MELITONE
And all of you are of the same stamp -
heretics, the lot of you.
All of you, you are sewers of sin.
And as long as you
befoul the earth
the world will know no peace.

ITALIAN SOLDIERS (closing in)
Give it to him!

SPANISH SOLDIERS (defending him)
Run away, run away!

ITALIAN SOLDIERS
Give it to him, on the head!
(They try to beat him, but he gets away, still
preaching.)

PREZIOSILLA
(to the soldiers who run off after him)
Let him go.
Fighting with a monk! What brave sport!
They can't hear me? Then the drum must save him.

(She picks up the first drum to hand and, with several
drummers following, she starts to beat it. The soldiers
come running back to gather around her, followed by
the crowd.)

PREZIOSILLA and CHORUS
Rataplan, rataplan, the love of glory
burns brighter in the soldier;
rataplan, rataplan, the beat of the drum
promises victory in battle!
Rataplan, rataplan, the ranks are forming;
rataplan, and they're off to war!
Rataplan, rataplan, the enemy's flag
will soon be in retreat!
Rataplan, pim pum pum, and fight onward
when the foe turns his back and flees;
rataplan, your glorious wounds
will be rewarded by your triumph.
Rataplan, the glory of one's country
shines brighter for the soldier's courage!
Rataplan, rataplan, our victory
will conquer the hearts of all.
Rataplan, rataplan, rataplan!
(They run out.)

libretto by Dale McAdoo, 1954

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four