This is from the opera called Das Wunder der Heliane, by Erich Korngold. Korngold's operas were very popular in Vienna in the early part of the twentieth century. The Stranger, a messianic figure, is thrown into prison by the Ruler, whose marriage with Queen Heliane has never been consummated. Out of pity she visits the young Stranger and symbolically gives herself to him. At this point in the drama she is brought to judgement for this action and tells her judges what happened between herself and the Stranger. Lehmann's singing/acting identifies with every nuance of the story she recounts.
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| Ich ging zu ihm, der morgen sterben sollt. | | | | I went to him, who was supposed to die the next day. |
| Der Abend neigte sich--da ging ich hin. | | | Evening was falling as I went to him. |
| Er bat mich um mein Haar, ich gab es ihm. | | | He asked for my hair, I gave it to him. |
| Er bat um meine Füsse. Aus den Schuh'n | | | He asked for my feet. Out of my shoes |
| Trat ich und gab ihm die entblössten Füsse. | | | I stepped and gave him my bare feet. |
| Er warf sich hin, erflehend meinen Leib, | | | He threw himself down, begging my body, |
| Da löst ich das Gewand von mir und stand, | | | I loosened my garment and stood, |
| Wie mich mein Gott erschaffen, vor ihm: nackt. | | | | before him as God made me: naked. |
| Ich war sein in Gedanken...ja, ich war's! | | | | I was his in thought...yes, I was! |
| Auf meinen Knien bat ich zu Gott, dass er | | | | On my knees I begged God to |
| Die Kraft mir schenke, dies zu vollenden. | | | | Give me strength to accomplish this. |
| Nicht hab ich ihn geliebt. Nicht ist mein Leib in Lust entbrannt. | | | | I did not love him. My body did not burn with pleasure. |
| Doch schön war der Knabe | | | | But handsome was the boy, |
| Schön wie ein Stern im Vergehen. Und neigt ich mich, | | | | Fair as a star. And if I humbled myself, |
| So tat ich's, damit sein armes Aug | | | | I did it so that his poor eyes |
| Noch Liebe könne sehen, ehe dass es bräche. | | | | Might yet see love, before they closed. |
| Und also schwör ich, Gott nehme mich hinauf in den Himmel, | | | | And this I swear---may God take me up to heaven, |
| So war ich nun schwöre: | | | | I now truly swear: |
| Nicht hat mich Lust meines Blutes zu jenem Knaben getrieben, | | | | Pleasure of my blood did not drive me to that boy, |
| Doch sein Leid [hab' ich] | | | | But his grief I bore |
| Mit ihm getragen, und bin in Schmerzen | | | | With him, and in pain |
| Sein geworden. Und nun tötet mich. | | | | I became his. And now kill me. |
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