A.Pushkin. Mozart and Salieri

The first monologue Salieri 

 

All people say:  no justice  on the Earth, 

But justice’s  nope above it. For me 

It sounds clearly as a simple scale is.

I was the in-birth art amateur;

Still only a child, when the high organ

Resounded in our ancient chapel,

I listened and reveled so stealthily  — My tears

Streamed  unwittingly sweetly…

 

I early flung of vacuous amusements;

I hated Sciences distant from the music.

I renounced them and surrendered

Only  music. Such difficult t’first step is

And the first way is boring. I overcame

Then early adversity. Handicraft

Was laid down as pedestal for artistry;

I turned myself a handicraftsman. My fingers 

Obediently  run flatly. My hearing 

For music has been honed. Killing all sounds,

I then dissected music like a corpse.

I studied harmony with algebra! And then

Already dared, sophisticated in the science,

I indulged self into the bliss of an invented dream.

I started to create; but secretly in silence, 

Not daring yet to think about glory.

Often, confined myself into a silent cell

For two, three days, forgetting sleep and satiety,

Having delight and tears of inspiration,

I burned off my creation and looked insensibly  

As my idea and sound, whom I gave birth,

Replace themselves  with light smoky flame.

What do I say?  When such a greatest Gluck

Appeared and revealed new secrets to all us

(Profound, deep, enchanting secrets)

Would  I abandoned everything I knew before,

What loved so much, what I believed so fervently,

And would not me cheerfully follow him

Resignedly like one who was deluded

And sent him straightly the back directions?

 

By strong and very tense constancy

I am finally in the art sans bounds

Has reached lofty degree. And the Glory

Gave me its smile. I was in hearts of people.

I found full consonance with all my creatures.

I was happy: I enjoyed myself such calmly 

By own  work, success, and deserved glory; also 

Frankly by the efforts and successes of truly friends, 

My comrades in the marvelous crafting.

Not! Never I possessed a spiteful envy.

Oh, never, never!- even when Piccini

Did know how to captivate the ears of wild Parisians,

Even when I heard for the first time

Iphigenia opera’s the initial sad sounds.

 

Who will tell  that proud Salieri is

Someday an despicable envious

Snake, trampled by the people,  all  its life gnawing 

Pebbles and dry dust such impotently?

Nobody! .. And now - I myself could say - 

I am now envious. I envy deep,

I am painfully jealous. - Oh, heaven!

Where is the righteousness, when a sacred gift,

When an immortal genius not as a reward

For fervent love, precision dedication

Labor, diligence, prayers sent -

But illumines  the head of a madman,

Idle reveler?.. Gee! Mozart, Mozart!

Mozart shows Salieri a sketch

 

(Mozart comes in)

Okey! You have  caught all! 

However,  I would like 

To regale you with a sudden  little jest.

 

Salieri

You here! - How long?

 

 

Mozart

                                    Just now. Going to you

I took with me something to show  live you .

But when walking past the inn house, heard 

The violin just played … No, my friend, Salieri!

Thou have not listened  anything more funny in your whole life … 

The sightless violinist in tavern 

Performed ‘voi che sapete’. Nicely!

Eagerly  I brought the violinist here

Immediately  introduce you to his art.

Enter!

 

(  The old blind man brings  a fiddle )

              A piece of Mozart, please!

(The old man performs Don Giovani’s  aria,

Mozart burst into laughter)

 

Salieri

How can you  laugh for that?

Mozart

                                                           Ah, Salieri!

 

In deed are you not laughing loud?

 

Salieri

                                                             No.

I'm not in fun when an unworthy painter

In front of me  gloss over Raphael's Madonna,

I'm not in fun when a  paltry buffoon

Makes  shame to Alighieri by  burlesque.

I'm not in fun.

 

Mozart

                            You Salieri

Out of sorts now. I will see you

Another  time.

Salieri

                      What did you offer  me?

Mozart

So-so; bagatelles.  The other night 

My insomnia tormented very badly,

And two, three thinks appears at my think-tank.

Today I wrote them down. I wished

To hear your point of view; but now

You are not up to me.

 

Salieri

                      Ugh! Mozart, Mozart!

When am I not up to you? Sit down;

I'm listening to.

 

Mozart (at the piano)

Imagine you ... whom would?

Well, even me being a bit  younger; 

 Enamoured - not  too much, a little -

With pretty, or with  sidekick - even you,

I'm funny …Bang: a sepulchral apparition,

A sudden gloom or something like that ...

Well, listen now.

(Plays)

 

Salieri

                          You went to me with this

And could stand still beside the inn house

And listen to  a sightless  fiddler! - Jesus!

You, Mozart, really are not worth of  you.

 

Mozart

Or is it so good?

 

Salieri

                              What such profoundness,

What daring courage and what such  grace subtle !

Mozart, you’re god, and  you yourself do not know that;

Me know, me.                                        

 

Mozart

                              Bah! right? may it be...

But my divinity wants to eat badly.

 

Salieri

Listen: we'll dine together

In  famous Golden Lion tavern.

 

Mozart

                                                   Possible;

I'm glad. But let me go home and say

To wife and children  at the dinner 

Not to expect me.                                    

(Went out)

 

Salieri

                         Expect you; look then.           

Monologue Salieri whith poison in his hand

 

Not! Not! I can not anymore counter

To my  destiny: So I is chosen 

To bring him to a stop or we will perish,

All   sacrificers,   ministers of music,

Not only me with my  indistinct glory…

Would it be useful  Mozart was alive 

And reached more new superlatives?

Will he  uplift art by that? Alas, nix;

It will fall down after his disappearing.

He will not leave his heir to all us.

What for is  he?  A real cherubin 

He gave us several songs of Eden,

And to, awakening wingless such desire

In us, offsprings of dust, finally fly away! 

So fly away you! Sooner is the better.

 

(Salieri takes out a rosary)

This poison is the gift from lost Izora

I’m keeping it for eighteen years with me  -

And often after that I thought my live was

As a painful  wound, oft  I was sitting

At a thoughtless opponent  table.

And never, never I listened whisper

Of seductions, though  I'm not timid.

Although I perceive resentment profoundly,

Though I don’t  love a life. Was hesitating I.

Desire for death excruciates my soul!

Why should I die? I believed in life

Which  bring me its presents unexpected;

 May be   exaltation will visit me,

A creativity night of inspiration;

May be the new Hayden will create

The sublime - and I will enjoy it ...

 

When I caroused with a  guest, by me hated,

Perhaps, I thought, I’ld find more unkinder 

foe; maybe the even worst obloquy 

From the haughty heights would broke down on me.

Then you will not be lost, gift of Isora.

And I was right! I  found in final

My enemy and the new Hayden

Ravished me  marvelously with delight!

Now  - it’s time! The  sacred gift of love

Transfer  yourself into  the friendship gablet!

Salieri  poisons  Mozart

(A privet  cabinet at an inn. There are Mozart and Salieri  at the table)

 

Salieri 

Why are you despondent today?

 

Mozart

                                                                   Me? No!

 

Salieri

You, Mozart, probably are sad about?

 Lunch is so tasty, wine is wonderful.

 But you are wordless  angry such.

 

Mozart

                                                                I confide,

 My Requiem perturb me badly.

 

Salieri 

                                                                 Yeah!

Are you writing Requiem? Whenever?

 

Mozart

Long ago, about three weeks. But case strange…

Did I not tell you yet?

 

Salieri 

                                                   Nay.

 

 

 

Mozart

Some three weeks before, I came home

Quite late and I was told that visitor

Looking for me. Why - I don’t know. 

At night I discoursed, what would he  be,

And was a deal between of us? At morrow he

Came again, but did not catch me.

Right the third day I was toying on the floor

With my dear sonny. They called me out;

I went out: A man in black camisole,

Civilly bowing down, asked to write

 The Requiem and disappeared. I sat at once

To start my writing - and since that time

My man in black was not looking for me.

And I am glad: it would be pitty to stop

My writings though my Requiem almost

Finished.. I by the way ...

Salieri 

                                                     What?

 

 

Mozart 

Still small voice of confession  …

 

Salieri                                                                                            

                                           About?

Mozart

My man in black disturbs me badly

Day and night. He’s running after me

Far and wide. And really even now,

I believe, he’s sitting close to us 

As t’third.

 

Salieri

           Enough, friend! what is this childish fearing!                 

 

Drive away an empty thought. Beaumarchais

Was telling  often: “Listen, friend Saliari,   ,

 If darkness thoughts will visit you,

Uncork a bottle of Champaign wine

Or read again “The Wedding Figaro””

 

 

Mozart

Yes! Beaumarchais was your close  acquaintance;

You wrote a music to his play “Terar”

And did goodly. There is a special tune…

I often croon it in time happyness…

La la la la…  Ah, is it truly story

That  Beaumarchais did poison somebody?

 

Salieri 

Do not think so: he was too much absurd

For such  handicraft  profession.

 

Mozart

                                                        He is genius,

As you and I. So Genius and villainy

Two things are incompatible ... Is it not  true?

 

Salieri

D’you  think so?

(Throws poison into Mozart's glass.)

                                 Well, drink it.

 

Mozart

                                                          I drink your

Good health my friend, for a frank union,

That connects and Mozart, and Salieri,

Two  faithful sons of consonances.

(Drinks.)

 

Salieri

                                                    Hold on,

Hold! Hold!..You drank ... without me…

 

 Mozart introduces  Salieri  his Requiem

Mozart 

(throwing a napkin on the table)

Enough, I'm well-fed.

(Goes to the piano.)

                                         So Listen then Salieri,

My Requiem.

(Plays.)

                             Are crying?

 

Salieri

                                                               

                                                                                                                         

                                                        I a sudden 

Pour this water salt: and painful  and such nicely,

As if i paid a gargantuan debt,

As if a knife of surgeons excinded 

My suffer flesh! Friend Mozart, salty  water…

Do not mention. Keep on hurrying

To pour sounds in my soul a gainly…                                   

 

Mozart

If only everyone so felt the impact vividly

Of garmony! No way: then mankind  

Could not be subsisted; no one would

Think about low necessities  life of; 

Everyone would devote themselves to free pure art.

There are few dedicated lucky people idle,

Neglecting despicable benefits and

Superlative  beauty only Priests.

Isn't that true? But now I’m sickence fill,

Something is squab  inside; let me go sleep.

Farewell!

 

Salieri

                        See you.

(Alone

                                            Fall asleep

For ever, Mozart! But is he really just,

And I'm not a genius? Genius and scoundrelism 

Are  very  incompatible   things… Falsehood :

And Buonarotti?.. Or it is a fairy tale

From wanton  goofy сrowd  - and really 

Vatican creator is not a slayer.