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Tanz der Vampire -
Libretto Translation
Book and Lyrics
by Michael Kunze. The usual translation disclaimer applies.
Second Act
1. Castle Hall
Later the same night. Sarah has left her room. She comes slowly down
the stairs leading to the hall of Count von Krolock's castle. On the walls
hangs the Count's ancestral portrait gallery. Sarah moves as if in a trance.
Out of nowhere, we hear vampires singing.
Vampires' Voices:
Shining eyes
Shining hair.
Sleepless from curiosity
And blind to the danger.
Blood-red lips and cheeks,
Skin soft as velvet.
Young, beautiful and female,
Pernicious and damned mortal!
The ancestors in the pictures on the walls come to life. They sing in
whispers…
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I feel lonely and sad
But I don't know what’s wrong with me.
On the other side of the hall, the dark figure of Count von Krolock
appears on the upper steps of the spiral staircase. Sarah doesn't see him.
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I have fantastic dreams
But when I wake up
Fear torments me.
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I lie in the dark and wait.
But what I'm waiting for isn't clear to me.
Count von Krolock:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I feel the irresistible temptation
Of a dark danger.
Ancestors:
Be prepared, Star Child…
Sarah:
I hear a voice calling me.
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
I can hear a voice.
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I feel the power of a magic
Which is invisible to me.
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I am so helpless and I wish
Someone would come to lead and protect me.
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I can't wait any longer,
I want to finally be a woman and free.
Ancestors:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I want to experience the forbidden
And the consequences do not matter to me.
Ancestors:
Be prepared, Star Child!
Sarah:
I hear a voice calling me.
Ancestors and Count von Krolock:
Be prepared, Star Child…
Sarah:
I feel a longing searching for me…
Count von Krolock:
To lose oneself is to free oneself,
You will recognize yourself in me.
What you dream of will become reality
Nothing and nobody can separate us.
Dive with me in the darkness!
Between the abyss and the light,
We'll burn doubts and forget time,
I'll wrap you in my shadow
And carry you far.
You are the miracle
That is reconciled with reality.
Sarah:
My heart is dynamite
And it's giving off sparks.
Count von Krolock and Sarah:
I have (you have) awoken to life!
Forever's gonna start tonight,
Forever's gonna start tonight.
Sarah:
I set out to lose my heart
Now I'm almost losing my mind.
Total eclipse,
A sea of emotion and not land.
Once I believed in the bright spell of love
Now it's shattering my world.
Total eclipse,
I'm falling, and nothing can hold me.
Ancestors and Count von Krolock:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I think I should flee from you
While I still can.
Ancestors and Count von Krolock:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
But when you call to me
I am ready to follow you blindly,
I would go to Hell itself with you.
Ancestors and Count von Krolock:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I would give my life
For a moment
When I completely belonged to you.
Ancestors and Count von Krolock:
Be prepared!
Sarah:
Sometimes in the night
I want to be how you want me to be
Even if it means destroying myself.
Ancestors and Count von Krolock:
Be prepared, Star Child…
Sarah:
I hear a voice calling me.
Ancestors and Count von Krolock:
Be prepared, Star Child…
Sarah:
I feel a longing searching for me.
Count von Krolock:
To lose oneself is to free oneself,
You will recognize yourself in me.
What you dream of will become reality
Nothing and nobody can separate us.
Dive with me in the darkness!
Between the abyss and the light,
We'll burn doubts and forget time,
I'll wrap you in my shadow
And carry you far.
Sarah (simultaneously):
To lose oneself is to free oneself,
You will recognize yourself in me.
What you dream of will become reality
Nothing and nobody can separate us.
Dive with me in the darkness!
Between the abyss and the light,
We'll burn doubts and forget time,
You'll wrap me in your shadow
And carry me far.
Count von Krolock:
You are the miracle
That is reconciled with reality.
Sarah:
My heart is dynamite
And it's giving off sparks.
Count von Krolock and Sarah:
I (you) have awoken to life!
Forever's gonna start tonight,
Forever's gonna start tonight!
Sarah:
I set out to lose my heart
Now I'm almost losing my mind.
Count von Krolock and Sarah:
Total eclipse,
A sea of emotion and no land.
Sarah:
Once I believed in the bright spell of love
Count von Krolock:
Now it's shattering your world
Count von Krolock and Sarah:
Total eclipse,
We're falling and nothing can hold us.
Total eclipse,
A sea of emotion and no land.
Sarah:
Total eclipse,
I think I'm losing my mind…
For a moment, Count von Krolock is tempted to bite Sarah's throat, but
he has second thoughts and pushes her away gently.
Count von Krolock:
No! It would be wrong
To lose your head.
We don't want to ruin the pleasure
Before the correct time.
With every hour of waiting
The desire becomes more aroused.
I will let you feel
That which makes you immortal
When we two dance
At the ball tomorrow night.
All the lights concentrate on Count von Krolock and Sarah, until he
suddenly exits.
2. Bedroom in Count von Krolock's Castle
On the barely-lit stage stands an enormous four-poster bed. Professor
Abronsius sleeps peacefully on one side of the bed, snoring. On the other side,
Alfred tosses and turns restlessly. An unreal voice comes out of nowhere.
Voice:
Follow me, trust the night!
Only it can save your soul.
Curse the day and its power
Lose the longing for all your chains.
Follow me, come, fell the night!
Reality is only what we believe it to be.
Flee from those what guards you
Don't let anyone steal your dreams.
Alfred suffers a nightmare, which materialises for the audience to see:
vampires come out from all over the room. They crawl over the roof of the bed,
creep out of corners, glide from the ceiling.
Vampires:
Over graves and ruins
Funeral bells will sound
And all the devils will rise up
And all the angels have to fall.
We are hungry for crime,
We long for blood,
We live only for our greed
And feed our brood with poison.
The world in daylight
Has never made anybody happy
So dive in the sea of nothing
Where it's always dark and cold
And when you are intoxicated by the darkness, then feel,
Feel the night.
Vampire Group 1:
Feel the night!
Vampire Group 2:
Dies irae, Kyrie. Libera me, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Deliver me, O Lord!]
Dies irae, Kyrie. Requiem da, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Remember me, O Lord!]
Dies irae, Kyrie. Libera me, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Deliver me, O Lord!]
Dies irae, Kyrie. Requiem da, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Remember me, O Lord!]
Dies irae, Kyrie. Libera me, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Deliver me, O Lord!]
Dies irae, Kyrie. Requiem da, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Remember me, O Lord!]
Exultate Kyrie! Pie Agne, Domine! [Rejoice,
Lord! Sacred lamb, O Lord!]
Dies irae, Kyrie! Sanctus, Sanctus exultate! [Day of wrath, Lord! Holy, holy, rejoice!]
Dies irae, Kyrie. Libera me, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Deliver me, O Lord!]
Dies irae, Kyrie. Requiem da, Domine! [Day
of wrath, Lord. Remember me, O Lord!]
Vampire Group 2 (simultaneously):
Feel the night,
And never let it pass.
Feel the night,
Close your eyes in order to see.
Feel the night!
Your destiny is sure to happen.
Feel the night!
And never let it pass.
Feel the night!
Feel the night!
Feel the night! Be free!
The following dance sequence depicts the initiation of Sarah's image.
An impressively acted adjutant of the Count courts her and carries her off.
Alfred is pulled into his nightmare. He wants to intervene, but he cannot reach
"Sarah."
Vampires:
Out of graves and ruins
The dead will rise again.
And all fears will come true
And all hope must die.
Our order is chaos
To change is to destroy.
We want to live for our greed
And belong to the predators.
The world in daylight
Has never made anybody happy.
So dive in the sea of nothing
Where it's always dark and cold.
And when you are intoxicated by the darkness, then feel,
Feel the night.
Vampire Group 1:
Feel the night.
Alfred reels back to bed and lies down again.
Vampire Group 2:
Carpe noctem, lamia! [Seize
the night, vampire!]
Decet diem exsecrari. [It
is right to curse the day.]
Sanguim suga, belua! [Suck
blood, monster!]
Debet pravum exsequari. [Wickedness
is destined to be punished]
Inquiem perpetuum dona nobis, Satanas [Give
us eternal restlessness, Satan]
Bestia diaboli, dona nobis damnationem. [Diabolical
beasts, give us damnation.]
Carpe noctem, lamia! [Seize
the night, witch!]
Decet diem exsecrari. [It
is right to curse the day.]
Sanguim suga, belua! [Suck
blood, monster!]
Debet pravum exsequari. [Wickedness
is destined to be punished]
Inquiem perpetuum dona nobis, Satanas [Give
us eternal restlessness, Satan]
Bestia diaboli, dona nobis damnationem. [Diabolical
beasts, give us damnation.]
Sanguim suga, belua! [Suck
blood, monster!]
Debet pravum exsequari. [Wickedness
is destined to be punished]
Carpe noctem, lamia! [Seize
the night, witch!]
Decet diem exsecrari. [It
is right to curse the day.]
Vampire Group 1 (simultaneously):
Feel the night,
And never let it pass.
Feel the night!
Close your eyes in order to see.
Feel the night!
Your destiny is sure to happen.
Feel the night
And never let it pass.
Vampire Group 1:
Feel the night
And never let it pass.
Feel the night!
Close your eyes in order to see.
Feel the night1
What you are certain of must happen.
Feel the night
And never let it pass.
All Vampires:
Follow me, trust the night!
Only it can save your soul.
Curse the day and its power.
Lose the longing for all your chains.
Follow me, come, feel the night!
Reality is only what we believe it to be.
Flee from those what guards you
Don't let anyone steal your dreams.
The vampires disappear. The music ends. A cock crows. The bedroom door
opens. A clock strikes. The scene changes.
Koukol shuffles into the room pushing a breakfast cart. He opens the
heavy curtains which cover the window. Light floods into the room. Alfred wakes
up. Dazed from his nightmare, he sits up without noticing Koukol. Professor
Abronsius is still asleep.
Alfred:
A bad dream. An awful dream.
Lucky that it's not real.
Good shall triumph! I don't doubt it.
Even if it's not yet clear to me,
How and what and who and where and when?
How and what and who and where and when?
He spoke of her,
So she must be here.
Today or never,
I will find her.
Everything will be alright.
Today is a perfect day,
On which one can do
Things which can usually only be successfully done by heroes.
On a day like today
One walks through fire.
One finds gold
And defeats monsters.
Alfred closes his eyes again and thinks of Sarah.
Alfred:
What discouraged me yesterday
Seems only half as difficult today.
Because, since I woke, I feel her closeness more and more.
Alfred looks at the breakfast tray. He imagines that Sarah is in the
room.
Alfred:
How did this breakfast get here?
Can it be, that Sarah brought it?
Someone came. Oh yes, I can hear…
When Alfred turns around and opens his eyes, Koukol is standing
directly in front of him.
Koukol:
Urggh.
Alfred (horrified):
Hah!
Koukol throws a scornful look at Alfred, spits and disappears.
Professor Abronsius has woken up. In a nightshirt, his tangled hair
beneath a nightcap, he sits up, stretches and scratches himself. He has
obviously slept very well. He gestures to Alfred to serve him breakfast.
Abronsius:
A soft bed, a quiet hostel,
Refresh the mind and limbs.
A small cup of tea, some gruel
And once again I am filled with
Logic, logic
And thirst for education.
Professor Abronsius slurps his tea. Alfred stands beside the bed and
spoons up his porridge, still standing.
Alfred:
Professor, he said " The object of your longing is nearer to you
than ever." Sarah must be here in the castle!
Abronsius:
Quite a cool fellow.
Alfred:
Who?
Abronsius:
The Count. He wants to pull our legs.
Alfred:
The Count?
Abronsius:
He almost gave away his real identity…
He called himself a night bird,
Useless during the day.
But the question still remains:
Where is his sarcophagus?
Alfred (spluttering with fear):
His sarcophagus?
Abronsius:
The coffin that he lies in during the day.
Alfred:
You mean…in a grave?
Abronsius:
Not in a grave, boy. A Count rests in a crypt. Every castle has one.
We'll have to search for it immediately.
Alfred:
Immediately?
Abronsius:
Of course immediately. The day is made for a search for a crypt.
Abronsius jumps up and leads Alfred in preparing for the trip.
Abronsius:
Everything will be alright
Today is a perfect day…
Alfred:
…On which one can do
Things which can usually only be successfully done by heroes.
Both:
On a day like today
One walks through fire.
One finds gold
And defeats monsters.
Blackout.
Background music continues to play during the scene change. The
cheerful sound of the melody becomes increasingly eerie as it mingles with a
dull echo in the castle vaults.
3. The Crypt
Koukol pushes a pine coffin into the crypt before Professor Abronsius
and Alfred enter on the footbridge above.
Abronsius:
On a day like this…
Alfred:
On a day like this…
Abronsius:
…Newton explained physics.
On a day like this…
Alfred:
On a day like this…
Abronsius:
Mozart wrote his Night Music.
Alfred:
On a day like this…
Abronsius:
…Columbus suddenly made a discovery.
Alfred:
And Icarus thought he could fly.
Abronsius:
And Daniel was in the pit!
Alfred:
If it was just a little lighter
In this cellar,
I would follow my duty,
Full of confidence.
If the crypt wasn't so repulsive,
And the smell not so hideous,
I would be unshakeable.
But as it is,
I give in: I'm afraid.
Abronsius:
Down there, waiting there,
Not to be overlooked,
Is the goal of our mission.
How I long
To go down there
With the aim of making an inspection.
Alfred:
What has to happen now?
Abronsius:
What has to happen now?
Abronsius and Alfred:
Action in accordance with instructions.
Alfred:
We should practice first and put it off!
Abronsius:
This is the hour.
Now or never!
They have reached the crypt. They look down from a balustrade. Two
magnificent coffins stand on pedestals. On the floor beside them is a rough
pine coffin.
Alfred:
Pst!
Abronsius:
Wonderful. We'll climb down there now.
Alfred:
Down there?
Abronsius:
Of course. Right away.
You first.
Alfred:
Me?
Abronsius:
Yes. Bag!
Alfred:
Bag.
Abronsius:
Down!
Alfred:
Down?
Abronsius:
Down!
Alfred climbs into the crypt. Professor Abronsius throws down the bag.
It lands on the stone floor with a
thud.
Abronsius:
Pst! Do you want the hunchback to hear us?!
Be quiet down there!
Watch out, I'm coming now!
Professor Abronsius prepares to jump down. Alfred gets ready to catch
him.
Abronsius:
What? No! No!!
In the attempt to jump, Professor Abronsius has become caught on the
railings.
Abronsius:
Ah! I'm stuck! Mm…aah. Help me, boy!
Alfred takes hold of Professor Abronsius' foot. He tries to pull the
Professor free. He only succeeds in pulling his shoe off. The background music plays and illustrates the panting
and groaning of the two of them. Eventually, Alfred give up. The background
music still plays.
Abronsius:
Oh no! This just won't do! You'll have to do it alone.
Alfred (panicking):
Alone?
Abronsius:
Yes. Don't make such a fuss! You have to drive the stake through his
heart.
Alfred:
Through his heart? No, Professor! Please….anything, but not that!
Abronsius:
Don't be a sissy! Open the coffin!
Alfred:
The coffin?!
Abronsius:
Think of Chagal's daughter! Take off the lid!
Alfred opens the first of the coffins, but with his eyes averted.
Abronsius:
Who's lying inside?
Alfred dares to look into the coffin.
Alfred:
His Excellence.
Abronsius:
Good. Now the other one.
Alfred lifts up the second coffin lid. He looks inside.
Abronsius:
Who is it?
Alfred:
The son.
Abronsius:
Go to the bag! Take out the hammer and a stake. Good! Go to the Count
first! Now put the stake in place…
Alfred (mechanically):
Between the sixth and seventh…
Abronsius:
Ribs. Right. Hurry up!
With closed eyes, Alfred holds the stake over the open coffin - but
with the point upwards.
Abronsius:
Not like that! Pay attention, you idiot! The other way round! Come on
now. One…two…three.
Alfred turns the stake around, lowers it and raises the hammer. But he
can't bring himself to hit it.
Abronsius:
Damn it! Three! Three!!!
Professor Abronsius gets worked up to no avail. Alfred lets the hammer
fall to the floor.
Alfred:
I…can't.
Abronsius:
Mutiny! Aren't you ashamed?
Alfred:
Yes, of course. But nevertheless, I can't do it!
Abronsius:
Being merciful! There's no sense in you. Come back up. I have to do
everything myself.
Relieved, Alfred throws the stake and hammer into the bag and climbs
nimbly up the wall, while the Professor mutters to himself.
Abronsius:
The young of today are wretched. No strength in their bones. Feeble and
soft. No longer able to get a grip on themselves when everything's at stake.
Come up and pull me back up.
Don't dawdle! Are you dreaming again or what? Do you think it's fun,
hanging here? At least help me up, you oaf.
In no time, Alfred has freed the Professor.
Abronsius:
About turn! March, march! You still have a lot to learn before you can
walk in my footsteps. That was a disgrace.
They both exit.
For a moment, it is quiet. Then we hear a noise from inside the pine
coffin. The lid moves and is pushed off from the inside. Chagal crawls out of
the coffin. He stretches. Then he knocks on the wood with his flat hand.
Chagal:
That's enough slumber!
As he hits the wood for a second time, this time with the boots, Magda
arises from the coffin, with tousled hair and looking sleepy.
Magda:
What is that thudding?
Chagal:
Have you forgotten about the ball? Time to get up.
Magda:
You're talking rubbish. It's only just midday. Look there! The sun!
Chagal:
What a shame! Then we will can have another kip together.
Giggling lasciviously, Chagal lips his lips.
Magda:
You should be ashamed of yourself, Chagal.
Chagal:
Me? Why?
Magda: