A Love Charm - Libretto

Music and Texts of GARY BACHLUND

A Love Charm - (1994 / rev. 2017)

Libretto by the composer
After a story by Hans Christian Andersen

For baritone (Prince), mezzo soprano (Princess), high baritone (Valet), character tenor (Mayor), bass (Sir Bumble), soprano (Lady Jollyjaws), lyric tenor (Shepherd), and lyric soprano (Shepherdess) and chamber ensemble. [ circa 45' ]

Also in German translation by Annette Zühlke: Der Liebe Scharm.

For inquiries and the arrangement of performance rights, click here for Contact Information

i. Prelude and Fugue [Instrumental only]

ii. Alone at Last!

Prince:
Alone, at last!

Princess:
My prince!

Prince:
My princess!

Princess:
My charming Prince Charming!

Prince:
My bride, my Princess Beauteous!

Princess:
My heart's delight!

Prince:
We're one this night!

Together:
We shall never be as happy as we are today.

iii. A Love Duet

Princess:
One great love.

Prince:
Tender love.

Princess:
One burning love
like Tristan and Juliet.

Prince:
No! No!
Tristan and Isolde!

Princess:
Oh?
Legends shall pale
compared to our love.

Prince:
One glorious love
like Lancelot and Cleopatra.

Princess:
Dear...
Lancelot and Guinevere!

Prince:
Oh?
Nothing's like our inescapable love.

Princess:
Irreplaceable love.

Prince:
Inexplicable love.

Princess:
Yes, but will you still love me
when I am past my prime?
Will you still want me as I am growing old?
Will our hearts grow cold?

Prince:
Darling...

Princess:
How can I know?
Shall I be lonely?
Living alone without reason or rhyme?

Prince:
That shall not be!
We have one great love.

Princess:
Splendid love.

Prince:
I burn with love
like Venus and Abelard.

Princess:
No!
Venus and Adonis!

Prince:
Really?

Legends seem stale

compared to our love.

Princess:
One steadfast love
like Pelleas and Chloë!

Prince:
Dear!
Daphnis was with Chloë!

Princess:
Whatever!
Nothing's more sure
than unshakable love.

Prince: Our unbreakable love.

Princess:
Unmistakable love.

Prince:
Yes, but will you still love me
when I am up in years?

Princess:
Dearest....

Prince:
Will you still want me
as I am growing frail?
Will the marriage fail?

Princess:
Husband....

Prince:
How can I know?
Must I be lonely?
Living alone is the worst of my fears!

Princess:
That shall not be.

Prince:
No?

Princess:
Hopefully not.

Prince:
Just what do you mean by
"hopefully not?"

Princess:
And what do you mean by
"what do I mean?"

Prince:
Well! What's that supposed to mean?

Princess:
You're the one who said it!

Prince:
Said what?

Princess:
You know what you said!

Prince:
What do you mean by that?

Princess:
Sweetie!

Prince:
Honey pie!

Princess:
Dearest!
One great love.

Together:
Tend'rest love.

Princess:
One burning love
like Tristan and Isolde!

Prince:
Dearest!
Charming and Beauteous!

Princess:
My Prince Charming!

Prince:
Princess Beauteous!

Together:
We're husband and wife.
And married for life.
But will you still love me,
troubled by married strife?

Princess:
Married strife?

Prince:
Married strife?

Princess:
Strife!

Prince:
Strife!

Princess:
For life?

Prince:
For life?

Together:
Life!

Prince:
Wife?

Princess:
Husband?

Together:
Dearest love.

iv. An Interruption

[ The Prince and Princess remain locked in an embrace and kiss.]

Valet:
Champagne for everybody!
For the newlyweds!
Don't stop just because I'm here.
I see nothing!
Just minding my own business!
This is awkward,

I'm sure you will agree.

Princess:
Champagne!

Prince:
Champagne!

Princess:
How thoughtful of you!

Valet:
It's an honor to do!

Together:
Champagne! Champagne!

Princess:
It's plain, champagne makes joyful anew.

Prince:
What delight, through and through!

Valet:
May I serve you champagne?

Together:
Champagne! Champagne!

Prince/Princess:
In a toast to our love,
to the wedding,
the bedding,
we'll drink a glass!
Champagne!

Valet:
All your subjects do celebrate
your day of bliss!
With good fortune like this,
you will most surely miss
those days of married strife.

Prince:
Strife?

Princess:
Married strife?

Prince:
Married strife!

Princess:
Strife?

Prince:
Strife?

Princess:
For life?

Prince:
For life?

Prince/Princess:
Life!

Valet:
Was it something I said?

Prince:
Wife?

Princess:
Husband?

Valet:
This is where I came in!

Together:
Champagne!

v. The Plans

Prince:
No!
We must find the secret
to truly true happiness.
Or live our lives in worried doubt.

Princess:
Yes!
We must find a wise man,
a seer, a sage, an oracle.
To tell us of this secret truth.

Valet:
Love seems a mystery
which comes without a guarantee.

Prince:
There must be!

Princess:
Well, dear!
We must pay that wise man
to teach us lessons wonderful!

Valet:
Pay?

Princess:
Lessons worth a very costly sum!

Valet:
(Pay has a subtle way
of explaining mysteries away!)

Prince/Princess:
Yes, we can buy the secret of true love.
Of passions that will never ever wane.
Who can explain?
Let us retain a wise man.
Get the best advice.

[ They kiss.]

Prince:
I shall pay a very wise man
a very nice price.
Very, very, very nice price
to learn the very mysteries
of the love 'twixt two souls.
The coupling of spirits.
The joining of hearts.
Yes,
I shall pay a very wise man...

Valet:
(He shall pay a nice price!)

Prince:
...a very nice price.
Very, very, very nice price...

Valet:
(Very, very very nice for me.)

Prince:
...to learn the very mysteries
of the love 'twixt two souls.

Valet:
(And what an opportunity!)
I know just the man!
Just the one you need!
He's an artisan!
On that, you'll be agreed.
He's the magical, mystical miracle man.
He foretells what no clergy
or charlatan can.
He's the magical, mystical, marvelous
miracle man.
How soon do you want to meet him?

Prince:
Immediately!
If not sooner!

Valet:
Sire!
(Pay has a special way of....)

[ Valet exits with the empty champagne glasses.]

Prince:
Well, dear,
Now we'll get a wise man
to teach us lessons wonderful.
Lessons worth a very princely sum.

Princess:
My prince!

Prince:
My princess.

Princess:
My Prince Charming.

Together:
My love.

vi. The Wise Man Cometh

[ The Valet re-enters, dressed in a hastily improvised disguise.]

Valet:
Anybody here need a wise man?
'Cause if that's true,
I'm here for you!
I'm a wise, wise, wise, wise man.
I'm the wisest of some very wise men.
When anybody here needs a wise man,
then I emphasize that I'm the one to call.
You'll fall for all my wisdom,
as I analyze the small or tallest
problems as they arise!
I will scrutinize and then
reorganize your point-of-view!
Anyone require an advice man?
If so, that's great!
I'll set you straight!
I'll extemporize a plan!
I'm the prize among some very wise men.
I specialize in problems that arise
between a man and wife.
I minimize the doubts that soon arise,
and lead to married strife.
Instead, may I advise
a happy life?
Everybody here needs a wise man.
I know that's true!
There's no taboo!
Ask advice from a wise man!
Ask the prize among some very wise men!
As everybody here needs a wise man,
I must emphasize that
I'm the one you need.
Take heed! And you'll succeed!

vii. The Call of the Charm

Valet:
Come! Come!
I'm ready to read your minds.
Well, now....
Ah!
And so, the critical question:
Will your love and passion last for life?
Certainly it will, if...
If you obtain a charm.
A love charm.
Where will you find this amulet?
This talisman of lasting love?
You must seek
within the circle of one family,
for that is where it lies,
as it sanctifies.
Encircled by the love of family,
that's where you'll find this prize,
hidden in disguise.
You shall know it by its many colors.
Though it's hidden,
you shall see it clearly.
Seek it most sincerely.

Prince/Princess:
We must seek and find
a certain special family...

Valet:
Colors!

Prince/Princess:
...for that is where it lies,
as it sanctifies.

Valet:
Brilliant colors!

Prince/Princess:
Encircled by one loving family,
that's where we'll find this prize..

Valet:
So merely seek sincerely.

Prince/Princess:
...see through its disguise.

Valet:
You shall see it clearly.

Prince/Princess:
We shall know it by its many colors.
Though it's hidden,
we shall see it clearly.

Valet:
Colors! Yes, clearly.
I see that you shall find
the charm of love within this place.
Though seeming commonplace,
it shall appear right here,
so near in time and space.
So, there's nothing more
for me to say today.
The charm will come to you,
that's true.
Today. Colors....

[ The Prince pays for the advice and the Valet makes his exit.]

viii. The Visitations

Princess:
Darling, do you think...
Do you think we're spending
our money wisely?

Prince:
Of course, my dear!
We're talking about simply
the wisest of men!

Princess:
That's not what I mean.

Prince:
Dear, I know what you mean.

Princess:
But, even so....

Prince:
Look here, Beauteous!
My valet has been with me
for three weeks now.
He's a s loyal an employee
as they come!
If my valet says this wise man is for sure
the magical, most mystical,
miraculous of men,
well, that's good enough for me.

[The Valet re-enters, having shed his disguise.]

Valet:
Your royal highnesses?
The Mayor has come to offer you
the keys to the city.

Prince:
Bid him enter.

Valet:
The right honorable Mayor of the city.

[ The Mayor enters with great pomp and ceremony.]

Mayor:
Your royal highnesses,
we celebrate your wedding
by offering the keys
to the gates of our town.
Your royal highnesses
do elevate the spreading
of merriment and joy
for our state and the crown.
I take pleasure and pride
in presenting to you
the keys to our city.
I speak for all your loyal subjects
when I say - I wish for you
all the happiness in the world.

Prince:
Mayor!
One moment more!
Are you a married man?

Mayor:
Indeed.
Married for thirty years.

Prince:
Thirty years?

Mayor:
Thirty years.

Prince:
Thirty years!
Then indeed, you must have the answer
to true happiness.

Mayor:
Ah!
Lifelong happiness.
Yet, what is happiness itself?
How do we measure happiness
across some span of time?
How can we place one value
on what's common or sublime?
Although I have acted the happy man,
heavy the burden I bear,
and silent my wife's despair.
For fate has exacted a wretched plan,
granting no child as an heir.
Denying our heartfelt prayer.
Hence I play that I'm ha'-ha'-happy.

[ The Mayor exits, weeping.]

Valet:
Sire, may I present Sir Bumble
and Lady Jollyjaws.

[ Sir Bumble and Lady Jollyjaws enter with their own great pomp and ceremony.]

Sir Bumble:
Your ro- yuh...

Lady Jollyjaws:
Your royal highnesses,...

Sir Bumble:
We....

Lady Jollyjaws:
...we celebrate your wedding,...

Sir Bumble:
...bri...

Lady Jollyjaws:
...bringing you a token of our high esteem.

Sir Bumble:
We...

Lady Jollyjaws:
Your royal highnesses...

Sir Bumble:
(Dear...)

Lady Jollyjaws:
...illuminate the spreading
of merriment and joy
for your noble regime.

Sir Bumble:
Dear!
I have something to say!

Lady Jollyjaws:
Well?

Sir Bumble:
Uh-uh-uh!

Lady Jollyjaws:
Well?

Sir Bumble:
Your majesties....
Uh...
(Oh dear!)

Lady Jollyjaws:
It's just his allergies!
Your royal highnesses,
we consecrate your wedding...

Sir Bumble:
Your wedding!

Lady Jollyjaws:
...by bringing these gifts
as a sign of our love.

Sir Bumble:
Your wedding!
That's it!
Thereof's a sign of our love.

Lady Jollyjaws:
Our love.
(Quite nicely said.)

Sir Bumble:
(Thanks.)

Princess:
Darling, do you think....
Mmm, should we ask the question?

Prince:
Perhaps, my dear.

Princess:
My prince will find the answer.

Prince:
Your prince will ask the question.
Sir knight, Lady,
have you been married long?

Lady Jollyjaws:
Twenty years!

Prince:
Twenty years!

Sir Bumble:
(Twenty years?)

Princess:
Then indeed you must have
the answer to true happiness?

Sir Bumble:
(Twenty years?
Really?)

Prince:
You've been blest with children?

Sir Bumble:
(Twenty years?)

Lady Jollyjaws:
Children?
Oh, yes! Lots of children!
One for ev'ry year of wedded bliss.

Prince:
This is a most extraordinary story,
I must say,
and to be married for so long
seems love that's here to stay.
Being as fruitful as you've been,
you surely must confess
to finding out the secret of
abiding happiness.
Is it children?

Princess:
Children?

Prince:
Tell us, please.

Princess:
Please.

ix. A Lady's Advice

Lady Jollyjaws:
Sire, I mean no disrespect, but,
do you have any idea
what it means to wash?
Washing for twenty is plenty of clothes.
Twenty of those
little blouses and breeches,
and shorts for the beaches;
chemise, if you please,
and pants torn at the knees.
There's night shirts and dressing gowns,
hand-me-downs, all kinds of clothes.
And can you imagine how much
twenty children can eat?
Breakfast alone is an eager affair!
Meager what's left when,
beleaguered and harried,
the kitchen has ferried
whatever we had to prepare.
Then the cupboard was bare!
How unfair!
Nap's time (close their little yaps time)
comes never to quickly for me.
Sleep's time! Never hear their peeps! I'm
at last free from all that commotion,
an ocean of noise
from a storm-tossed sea.
Are you prepared
to sacrifice your privacy
to have children?
Think before you have offspring!
What do children bring?
Itsy, bitsy babies change everything!
Are you suggesting
tossing out serenity
to raise children?
Peace and quiet flee a household
when frolic is in full swing.
What a rude awakening!
At morning coffee, we are languishing;
then those little mischief makers
holler with a horrifying yelp!
While, over nothing they'll be anguishing,
pandemonium's breaking out
as someone's running quickly,
crying "Help!"
"He hit me first!"
"Well, he hit me first!"
Ring around the rosy.
Aren't children cozy?
You can't be serious
in thinking that you
truly want children!
Parenting is long suffering,
if it's anything.
Certainly it's not a casual fling.
Tiny babies wear diapers,
and diapers collect
the most ghastly of things!
My breeding prevents me
from telling it all,
but how can that come
from a baby so small?
Soon, those toddlers
study for the potty.
We thought the end surely
was never, ever clearly near.
But accidents happen
back there in the rear,
and when they cry, "Mommy,"
you've something to fear!
You must be cautious
and consider what it means
to have children.
All those hours of washing.
Constant clamoring.
Daily living at its most punishing.
Concise advice,
to be precise:
Think of shopping,
laundry, tripping on toys,
squabbling, tantrums,
parties and noise.
Heed my cautioning;
curb those hankerings.
Think on these things.
(I dare not speak
of the teen-age years!)

x. Next!

Lady Jollyjaws:
Your highness,
my husband and I wish you happiness.
Great happiness!

Sir Bumble:
C'-c'-come, dear.
The children are waiting.

[ Sir Bumble drags Lady Jollyjaws away, ignominiously.]

Valet:
And not a moment too soon!
Next!

Shepherd/Shepherdess:
Your majesties,
we bring you gifts from out harvest
and from our home.
Humble, heartfelt gifts.

Princess:
We are touched by your gifts,...

Prince:
Yes.

Princess:
...for your lives are surely hard.
Your happy hours so few.

Prince:
So few.

Shepherd/Shepherdess:
Mistress, no!
Our lives are filled with love.

Prince:
But what of children?

Shepherd/Shepherdess:
Our children are of tomorrow;
our love is of today.

Princess:
Pray, tell us of that love.

Shepherd/Shepherdess:
Joy. Wonder. Gratitude.
All these color love.

Valet:
(Colors! Yes, please!)

xi. Colors

Shepherd/Shepherdess:
In love, we toil together.
Delight in love.
Bright are the shining visions
of matchless love.
From infant greens of springtime,
and platinum of the snow,
and from each yellow, red
and azure blue,
a rainbow prismed afterglow,
we have built our love.
Built a lifelong love.
'Neath burnished gold of sunsets,
washed crimson cinnamon,
and under pink and blue-tinged
soaring clouds,
burnt amber from the setting sun,
we have nurtured love.
Tasted treasured love.
We walk in love together.
Through amethyst of twilight,
the moon shines silver white;
it's crowned by myriad
diamond dazzling stars
in the ebony of quiet night.
Silent times of bliss,
sanctioned by each kiss.
Fire's fervent orange embers
beam with love.
As soft shadows flee in morning,
the luminescence grows.
In it, the gentle streams of candlelight
gleam bright through mauves and indigos.
In these, our love burns on;
these visions color our love.
Love.

xii. Lessons Learned

Princess:
This is what was foretold.
This is the amulet.
A love charm.
An unseen, yet visible, link
between man and wife.

Prince:
We should have known.
We should have seen this clearly.
Found it in ourselves.
We should have known.
We did not need a
wise, wise, wise, wise man!
Not the wisest of some very wise men.

Valet:
Uh-oh!

Prince:
Valet!
"Loyal" valet!

[ The Valet blurts out a confession, believing all to be known.]

Valet:
My Lord, I meant no harm to you,
but what was I supposed to do?
Your wedding was a fine debut,
but, next day on, you're in a stew.
From all your loyal retinue,
could anyone not misconstrue
your fears of married strife?
And now, there's still no harm to you,
thanks to the lesson of these two!
You've learned to build a love that's true;
it's wisdom now comes shining through.
Perhaps it's best if I withdrew,
and so, I leave you to review
the joys of married life!
Congratulations, sire!

Prince:
Not so fast!

Valet:
Uh-oh!

Prince:
Valet!

Valet:
Must I then return the gold?

Prince:
On them contrary,
you may keep the gold.
Prepayment for your handiwork.
This palace needs a lot of work.
Years of hard work.

Valet:
Though I must, I hate to ask,
what do you have in mind?

Prince:
Well....

Princess:
He could dig a new moat.

Valet:
Alas, my lumbago!
What if I made a contribution?
What if I used this money wisely?
Would I be forgiven?

Prince:
Such as?

Princess:
Such as what?

Valet:
Lessons worth a very princely sum.

[ The Valet offers the money to the Shepherd and Shepherdess, who are overwhelmed.]

Valet:
Am I now forgiven?

Prince:
Valet!
Back in my employ.
Champagne!

Princess:
Champagne!

Valet:
Champagne, sire?

[ The Valet exits to do the Prince's bidding.]

Shepherd/Shepherdess:
Thank you.

Princess:
Oh, no!
It's you we should thank.

Prince:
Thank you.

Princess:
Thank you.

Prince/Princess:
We'll build our life together...

Quartet:
...and walk in love at twilight,
when moon shine's silver white.
We shall be crowned
with myriad diamond stars
in the ebony of quiet night.
Silent times of bliss,
sanctioned by each kiss.
Our fire's glowing embers
beam with love.
As bright shadows steal from morning,
the luminescence grows,
and gentle streams of candlelight
gleam bright with love and sweet repose.
In these will love burn on,
in all the colors of love.
Our love.

Valet:
Champagne for everybody here!

Gary Bachlund, June1994 / rev. 2017