Which one? - "Mio Caro Adone". I'm flattered. A funny little tune, but it yielded good things. And now he has returned the compliment. Herr Salieri composed this little march of welcome for you. Really? Well, there it is. Now... Down to business. Young man, we're going to commission an opera from you. What do you say? Did we vote in the end for German or Italian? Well actually sire, if you remember, we did finally incline to Italian. Did we? I don't think it was really decided, Your Majesty. German. Please let it be German. Why so? Because I've already found the most wonderful libretto. Have I seen it? I don't think you have, Herr Direktor, not yet. It's quite new. - I'll show it to you immediately, of course. - I think you'd better. Well tell us about it. Tell us the story. Well, it's quite amusing, Majesty. It's set... The whole thing is set in a... Yes? Where? In a harem, Majesty. In a seraglio. - You mean in Turkey? - Yes, exactly. Then why especially does it have to be in German? It doesn't, especially. It could be in Turkish if you really want. No, my dear fellow, the language is not finally the point. Do you really think that subject is quite appropriate for a national theater? Why not? It's charming. I mean, I won't actually show concubines exposing their... It's not indecent. It's highly moral, Majesty. It's full of proper German virtues. Excuse me, Majesty, but what do you think these could be? Being a foreigner, I'd love to learn. Well, tell him, Mozart. Name us a German virtue. - Love, sire. - Oh, love. Of course, in Italy we know nothing about love. No, I don't think you do. Watching Italian opera, all those male sopranos screeching, stupid fat couples rolling their eyes about. That's not love. It's just rubbish. Majesty, you choose the language. I'll be my task to set it to the finest music ever offered a monarch. Well, there it is. Let it be German. This is yours. Keep it. It's already here in my head. What? On one hearing only? I think so, sire. Yes. Show us. The rest is just the same, isn't it? That doesn't really work, does it? Did you try...? Shouldn't it be a bit more...? Or this? This. Yes. Better? What do you think? Grazie, Signore. All I ever wanted was to sing to God. He gave me that longing... and then made me mute. Why? Tell me that. If he didn't want me to praise him with music, why implant the desire... like a lust in my body? And then deny me the talent? Madame Cavalieri is here for her lesson, sir. Maestro. Well...? How do you like it? It's Turkish. My hairdresser said everything this year's is going to be Turkish. Does he? What else did he tell you today? Come, come. Give me some gossip. Well, I heard you met Herr Mozart. News travels fast in Vienna. And he's been commissioned to write an opera. Is it true? - Yes. - Is there a part in it for me? - No. - How do you know? Do you know where it's set, my dear? Where? In a harem. - What's that? - A brothel. Come. Let's begin. - What does he look like? - Mozart? - You might be disappointed. - Why? Looks and talent don't always go together, Katerina. Looks don't concern me, maestro. Only talent interests a woman of taste. Shall we continue? There she was. I don't know where they met or how. There she stood. On stage, for all to see. Showing off like the greedy songbird she was. Ten minutes of ghastly scales. Arpeggios. Whizzing up and down like fireworks at a fairground. Understand, I was in love with the girl. Or at least in lust. And I swear to you, I never laid a finger on her. All the same, I couldn't bear to think of anyone else touching her. Least of all, "the creature". Brava, madame. You are an ornament to our stage. Your Majesty. Well, Herr Mozart. A good effort. Well, decidedly that. An excellent effort. You have shown us something quite new tonight. It is new. - It is, isn't it, sire? - ------------------------------ Читайте также: - текст Шерлок Холмс и доктор Ватсон на английском - текст Дерсу Узала на английском - текст Космический Джэм на английском - текст Звёздный путь: Поколения на английском - текст Как только сможешь на английском |