MOTHER’S RING

Music drama in three acts based on a play by Yannis Cambissis

(English translation by Joan Carvelas)

ACT 1 At Home

Prelude

Curtain

Christmas Eve. The scene depicts a room in a poor Greek village home, in Northern Thessaly with little furniture, a table, a bed, some stools. In the corner a fireplace is lit. Yannakis sits in front of the fire gazing at it engaged in deep thoughts. The Mother tidies up, distracted both by the fierce blowing of the North Wind and her deep concern for her son’s distant behaviour.

MOTHER

Approaching Yannakis

E, filaka tu oniru su, sklave ton kaimon su, tragudisti mu olakrive, agori tis kardias mu. E, ftani pia i sillogi pu san pulaki fterugai giro st’ achno su metopo. Ekso o Vorias fisomanai! Áku pos riazete ke pos frimazi! Ma edo glikeni i mavri ora. Sti stia charumeni kei i fotia, omia olozesti ke mirofora i agapi mu se trigirna.

Hey! guardian of your dream, slave of your yearnings, beloved singer, child of my heart. Hey! enough of your pondering! Your winged thoughts hover round your misty brow. The North Wind is manic. Hear how it rages and crackles as it blows. But, here, the dark hour sweetens in our happy hearth the fire burns. Myrrh – bearing, all warming your mother’s love glows.

YANNAKIS

Mana, sa balsamo kilan ta loyia su mes’ stin kardia mu. Ta perasmena anistoran palies chares, svismena mayia. San orama pernun sterno ta prota mu olochara chronia.

Mother, like balsam your words flow into my heart. The past makes me recount stories of old joys, lost magic, the last vision of my first, joyful, untroubled years.

MOTHER

Evlogimeni i ayia nichta pu ksananioni mas ti mnimi palias charas, panda kenurias.

Blessed be the holy night which revives our memory of old joys, forever new.

YANNAKIS

Kratumenos stin agalia su eprosmena panda me lachtara pote tha simene i kabana -sabos agelu prostagi– ki ekklisia i fegovoli moschovoluse ap’ ta livania. Kratumenos stin agalia su eprosmena panda me lachtara!!

Held in your arms how I awaited with excitement the ringing of the bell, like an angel’s pronouncement. And the church, sparkling with candlelight was so fragrant with burning incense. Sustained by your sweet embrace my soul filled with expectation!

He falls exhausted onto his stool.

MOTHER

Mi se planevi toso i lipi. Th’ anthisi pali nea chara. Chronia kalitera tha ‘rthun. Pios kseri? Nichtia ta ferni, avgi ta perni ta signefa tis siforas. Esi, chrise, na ‘se kala ke ta tragudia su t’ avaskanda. Nichtia ta ferni, avgi ta perni ta signefa tis siforas.

Let not grief mislead you. New joys will bloom. Even better years will come – who knows? The clouds of misfortune drift on their way. What Night brings, Dawn takes away. Strong and well may you be and your songs free of envy and jealousy. The clouds of misfortune drift on their way. What Night brings, Dawn takes away.

YANNAKIS

Mana, to ksero tha pethano! Krifi pligi me katali, me lioni ki o ponos mu diplos fundoni ta grammena mas san thimitho vuna…! Ápopse omadi i pistiki eki pano th’ anapsun tis foties psiles os t’ astra. Giro tha salagan stichia ke pagana ki afti me mia glikotati lachtara kato ap’ ta urania t’ ayiasmena tha karterun ti thia genna. Ki ego, ki ego girtos edo argopetheno!.. Áh, na borusa pia psichi mu, spazondas ola ta desma mu, na ipsotho m’ ena petama elafro os ton geranion vunon tin apokosmi plasi sta ksefota pu i anemikes etheries stinune filies ke sa chriso rithro anavrizi to fengos t’ ailo tu chlomu ki oloanthismenu fegariu. Ki oime, t’ asopasto marazi pu tin kardia mu argosparazi na skorpiza ston praon ethera, stin pachni tis avgis, pera ap’ ti nichta, ap’ t’ astra pera… Tu kaku aniboro kormi, deto tis gis ke tis arrostias, na paraderni mes’ sto homa tis Miras su etaksen i orgi.

Mother, I know I’ll die! A secret wound consumes me and my grief burns and glows, when of our mountains I think. Tonight, all together the villagers will raise their ritual fires to the stars, as round them gather demons and devils. With sweet hope in their hearts, beneath the sacred dome of the heavens they will await the divine birth. While I, sorrow – bent, lie here dying! Ah, if I could, O my soul, breaking all that chains me, float upward towards the flowered mountains of other-wordly spheres, where the luminous, pale, ethereal Ones spin their filmy rays. And the light of the moon spills forth like gold – fluted spokes about its wan, matterless surface. Alas, this unquieted yearning, which devours my heart, could it but dissolve in the sweet ether of dawn’s mist beyond the night and stars. But in vain my infirm body remains bound to the earth and to sickness. Raging destiny has condemned us to struggle in the dust!

Kyriakos knocks on the door and enters.

KYRIAKOS

Yia – chara sas ke kalin avgini tachia ke kalosorismeni.

Health and happiness and may your dawn be swift and welcome.

YANNAKIS

Kalos mas kopiases ke si.

And so welcome are you near us.

MOTHER

Ekso i nichtia in’ andariasmeni…

How the night outside howls!

KYRIAKOS

Tetia agriada de thimame chronia. St’ afota tis nichtas alonia me tu Voria ta mavrofteruga atia, ta parora girnun demonia.

I can’t remember such wildness for years! The North Wind’s black winged steeds trample the threshing ground as demons dance all around.

While Yannakis is lost in thought, Kyriakos

takes the Mother aside.

KYRIAKOS

Ápopse se prosmeno, ta mesanichta am’ aplosun apo tus mavrus uranus. I ekklisia tha ‘hi apolisi de tha mas di anthropu mati. Iskios stus Iskius tha steki eki, kapios pu zitai n’ apochtisi, n’ agorasi to panorio dachtilidi.

Tonight I will wait for you. When midnight falls from the dark skies and church is over, when no one can see us, a shade in the shade will wait someone, who seeks to have and to buy the most beautiful ring.

MOTHER

Crying

To dachtilidi!

The ring!

YANNAKIS

In revery

I Erofili!

Erofili!

KYRIAKOS

To the mother

Tu ipa toso trigiro astrafti m’ asosti fegovolia pu san tin pulia kene.

I told him it shines with the splendour of the burning Pleiades.

MOTHER

Ta matia mu ta klene.

My eyes weep and mourn it.

KYRIAKOS

T’ aneksetimita petradia.

Such precious gems.

MOTHER – KYRIAKOS

Kima i lampsi sta skotadia me mian eftadipli fotia!

Seven fires flooding darkness with a wave of light.

Bells ring outside.

KYRIAKOS

Na, esimane i kabana. I lituryia se ligo archizi. Sfikse tin kardia su Mana distichi. Sterni su lipi na ‘ne afto to dachtilidi.

There’s the bell. The church service will start soon. Strengthen your heart, unfortunate Mother. May the loss of this ring your last misfortune be.

MOTHER

Crying

To dachtilidi!.. To dachtilidi!..

The ring! The ring!

YANNAKIS

Jumping up

I Erofili!.. I Erofili!..

Erofili, it’s Erofili!

EROFILI

Heard from outside the house.

Á! Á! Á!

Ah! Ah! Ah!

CHORUS OF GIRLS

Á! Á! Á!

Ah! Ah! Ah!

YANNAKIS

O, pos chtipai i kardia mu! Na! Zigon’ i glikia kira mu.

O, how sweetly my heart beats, when my lady approaches!

KYRIAKOS

To Yannakis

I kopeles pu pernane se proscheretan ke se tragudane.

The young girls as they pass salute you and sing about you.

MOTHER

I kopeles se tragudane.

The young girls sing about you.

YANNAKIS

O, ti glikos skopos, pos me magevi!

What beautiful tune charms me so?

EROFILI

Áfendi ondas gennithikes se taisan t’ aidonia ke su proftasane to krio nero ta lafomoskia. Ke vgikes si o eksakustos sti gis stin ikumeni.

Master, when you were born, the nightingales nurtured you. The deer brought you offerings of cool water to drink. And you appeared, O famous troubadour, over all the great earth!

CHORUS

To krio nero ta lafomoskia.

The deer brought you water…

YANNAKIS

Ách! Erofili! To tragudi su kenuria zoi mu dini.

Ah! Erofili, your song gives me new life.

CHORUS

Ki alli kinan me damaskia ki alli girnan me doksaria.

Some set off with sword in hand, others armed with cross-bow.

EROFILI

Ke si, thamma ke sastisma, kursevis me tragudia.

And you, miraculous enigma, conquer with your song.

YANNAKIS

Erofili! Thama esi ke sastima!

Erofili! You miraculous enigma!

CHORUS

Ke vai, o achos tu tragudiu kastra ksethemelioni. Kastra ke marmaropirgus ki avles marmaromenes.

And the resounding of your music penetrates towers and castles, shakes their foundations and lays them bare.

EROFILI

Ki an tragudisis se steria ligononde i kopeles. Ki an se limionan agatho ta katerga vuliane.

And if you sing on flowered shore, the girls will swoon and languish. And if you sing at friendly port, the galleys you will sink.

CHORUS

Ki an se vradia ke ksasteria tremun na pesun t’ astra. Á! Á!

And if you sing in starlit night, the very stars extinguish! Ah! Ah!

EROFILI

Entering

Áfendi ondas gennithikes se taisan t’ aidonia!

Master, when you were born the nightingales fed you.

YANNAKIS

Erofili, Erofili kalos mas irthes me tis kopeles.

Erofili! Erofili! Welcome mwith the young girls.

EROFILI

Irtha ki ego mazi me tis kopeles tu choriu os edo.

I came to see you with my friends from the village.

MOTHER

Kalos mas kopiasate.

Welcome are you near us.

EROFILI

Yia na sas cheretiso ke sas kalovradiso.

We came to greet you and bid you a good holy night!

MOTHER

Kales giortades kopeles mu ke chronia polla.

Merry Christmas to you and many years more.

EROFILI

Yia – chara su Kira. Á! Chronia polla.

Happiness to you, Ma ‘am. A! Many years more!

CHORUS

Á! Á! Á!

Ah! Ah! Ah!

KYRIAKOS

To Erofili, who is about to leave.

Kartera kori na soso to milima.

Wait a moment, daughter! I’m almost done.

YANNAKIS

O, mine Rofili!

O stay, Erofili!

KYRIAKOS

Mono dio logia ki erchome na figume.

Two more words and I’ll be gone.

Erofili signals to the girls that she will stay. Kyriakos takes the Mother out of the room finishing their conversation.

YANNAKIS

Approaching Erofili passionately as soon as they are left alone.

Orea, pu kathos provales sta thabomena matia, mian avgi sa na chithiken o ageras sa n’ astrafti. Thiamazome san perpatas ta dendra den anthune sto diava su to ligero den renun se ta roda. Ki o logismos mu olofotos ap’ ti diki su lampsi ke tin agni su thimisi varia evodia gematos, s’ ekraze, se tragudage, s’ andamone, o, lachtara, tin kardia mu si prote kaime, sterno mu esi tragudi…

O beauty, as you appeared before my dazzled eyes, it seemed the dawn poured over me. Lightning was in the wind. Behold where you walk the trees refuse to flower. Before your graceful gait the roses fear to open their petals. And my thoughts lit up with your glow, with the image of your candour, like a deep fragrance permeate my songs, call out to you, hope for you, you, longing of my heart, my first life – pain, and ever my last song!

EROFILI

Hesitating at first, but then with deep tenderness.

Ki irtha na ‘me, olotremi. Pos eniosa apo pera to gliko su kalesma na ksespa san tragudi. Ki itan sabos na kei stis psichis mu ta trisvatha, kapia floga, kapia ennia, ena minima apokrifo, olo potho ki olo pathos. Ki irtha, pos t’ oniro erchete stin kardia pu perimeni me lachtara mistiki. Ki irtha, kale, yia na sto po ke na sto mologiso, oree, ap’ to tragudi su ki apo ti fandasia su.

Here I am trembling, as I sensed from far your sweet call breaking into a song. There was a burning in my soul, trice deep, an arcane message, all desire and passion. And I came as a dream comes to one, who mystically invokes it. I came to tell you, to confide this to you, who are made beautiful by your song and imagination!

YANNAKIS

Stasu sima mu. San orama vgalmeno ap’ tin kardia mu. Tosi aniksi ke toso fos sti varichimonia mu… Ách, stasu sima mu san orama vgalmeno ap’ tin kardia mu…

Stay near me like a vision issuing from my heart, so much spring and so much light in my soul’s deep winter! Ah! stand beside me, O vision of my heart!

EROFILI – YANNAKIS

Mes’ tu oniru t’ aposkio pervoli pu petan alafra ta pulia chtipimena ap’ tu pothu to voli ke mia anakusti chinun lalia, to krifo mas prosmeni palati se mia thia galini pnichto. Den t’ andikrise anthropu mati Yia mas steki monacha anichto. Ti makaria tha pio eki lithi, to vari mu tha pnikso kaimo, ma i agapi tha kei sta stithi ke de thach’ i fotia teliomo.

In our dream’s shady garden, where birds dart dizzily to and from warbling their mysterious language, pierced by passion’s arrow, our secret palace awaits us in divine serenity drowned. No human eye has espied it. For us only – this sacred ground! We will drink blessed oblivion, our heavy sorrow will spend. Love will burn in our breasts and the fire will know no end!

While Erofili and Yannakis are still lost in their dream, Kyriakos and the Mother enter finishing their conversation.

KYRIAKOS

Simfoni. Sfikse tin kardia su, Mana distichi. Án thes na sosis to pedi su, ta mesanichta thimisu, Mana distichi, se prosmeni Iskios stus Iskius mistikos.

Agreed. Courage, unhappy Mother. If you wish to save your son, remember at midnight one, who awaits you discreetly in the shadow of night.

MOTHER

Quietly weeping

To dachtilidi, to dachtilidi Mana distichi san iskios tha prosmeni Yia to dachtilidi.

The ring, the ring! Unfortunate Mother, to wait in the shadows to sell the ring!

EROFILI – YANNAKIS

Ne, i agapi tha kei sta stithi ke de thach’ i fotia teliomo.

Love will burn in our breasts and the fire will know no end!

Suddenly laughter and voices. Sotiris rushes in happy and vibrant with boys and girls of the village, who have returned from singing Christmas carols.

SOTIRIS

Nan ta pume? Mas thelete ki emas?

Shall we sing? Do you want us?

MOTHER

Meta charas su gie mu.

With pleasure, my son.

SOTIRIS

Bros palikaria oli imast’ edo. Áderfe, aku ti su tragudo. Christugenna, Protugenna proti giorti tu kosmu evgate, deste, mathete pos o Christos genniete.

Proceed, lads. We’re all here! Listen, my brother, to what we sing. Christmas, first birth,