Joan of Arc
An
Opera in Three Acts
Libretto
and Music by Steven L. Jobe
Composed 1993, revised 2009
I.i. Village of Domremy; a brief thunderstorm, then sunlight
Prelude
Schism Dance
Visions I
St. Michael:
Hail
great mystery!
Listen
this heralding anthem of bells
At
the rainswell thundering wash the world away
Daughter
at the anthem of bells so it shall be
Hail
epiphany!
Waken
at heralding anthem of bells
At
the sunspell wandering wing the world away
Daughter
at the anthem of bells so it shall be
Joan:
Gold
flames I see
At
the bellsong gold flames I see
So
it shall be
Sing
larks in the faery tree
Bring
hart swiftness in me
Fountain
of bells fountain of bells
At
the miracle oracle silver at the ring of it
O
this I've waited for
Whither
I go this I hear
Visions II
St.Catherine:
Sweet
France thorn crowned
Cross
stretched agony from Brittany to Aquitaine
Flags
founder on this chessboard
Where
you are queen unseen 'til now
The
world stops at your goodly gambit
At
your white sacrifice
St.Margaret:
At
this crossroads mirror the man
Take
up his armor, take up his steel
Square
the knight's move
Curve
the bishop's angle
Tool
your name on the rook's fortress
Yours
is the strategy of divinity
St.Catherine:
Will
be king of will be France again
Your
state of grace will break his stalemate
Will
be king, the Dauphin
You
have only to see him there
At
your white sacrifice
Yours
is the strategy of divinity
Both Saints:
Listen
his heralding
You
dream not this dreaming
Mortal
life immortally revealing
Joan:
O
this I've waited for
Whither
I go this I hear
Sweet
France,
In
this season of mystery
I
am resurrected with you
No
mother, no father
Mother
this day, I know you not
Father
of clay, I am forgot
Departure
Father:
A delicate child...
Joan:
I am forgot
Father:
Daughter of strange strength...
Joan:
I am forgot
Father:
I
cannot forget
Since
infancy she has
Danced
'round the faery tree
Face
to face with grace
I
cannot forget
Shepherdess
tenderness
She
is led by angel hands
Face
to face with grace
I
cannot forget
A
rose arisen now
She
is sister of destiny
Not
forgotten, not forgotten
I.ii. French Court at Chinon
Courtly Intro
Mother of God
Minister I:
Mother
of God, show us your face
Clay
and vine gone dry in the sun
Bitter
wine we drink as one
The
day goes down with no trace
Mother
of God, show us your face
Minister II:
France's
splendor all undone
England's
victories all been won
The
stars go round loose in space
Mother
of God, show us your face
Both:
Blessed
virgin, heaven spun
Grant
us a vision where there is none
God
be with us by your grace
Mother
of God, show us your face
Minister I:
Yes,
even now a maid (or so she says) comes from Lorraine
Who
claims guidance from above
She,
forswearing the customs and accoutrements of refined femininity
And
bearing sword and mail,
Claims
a mission informed by divine love
I
say, if her love is such, let her divine!
Minister II:
If
she is chosen, let her choose!
Let
her see amongst us the one who will be king...
Minister I:
Let her find the dauphin, the one who will be king!
Recognition
Joan:
In
the writ of birds the litany of skies
In
the psalm of bells the modus of the seas
In
the writ of birds the sequence of the wind
In
the psalm of bells the cantus of the tides
I
can see:
the
mystery of stars spark wandering
the
mystery of seas dark circling
arching
on the breeze, the lark
This
omen canticle
the
epiphany of suns spark wandering
epiphany
of moons dark circling
sleeping
in the runes, then hark!
This
omen canticle
Hey ho, one two three, him I
know
Rainbow,
I can see, him I know
High
and low, meant to be, him I know
Hey
ho, one two three, him I know
Legitimate
son of the legitimate house of France
You
are divined!
Angel of France
Dauphin:
Mother
of God and the triumphant triumvirate!
We
will have winepride in celebration of your passion
Angel
of France
Revealed
turn
in the dance
Angel
of France
tarot
of chance
not
concealed
Angel
of France
Revealed
unicorn
lance
Angel
of France
the
divine romance
is
sealed
Angel
of France
Revealed
Yes,
I am Charles, the Dauphin.
And
you Maid, where go you now?
Speak
to us of the angel gambit
Joan:
Voices speak of Orleans, to raise the siege of Orleans
Dauphin:
Orleans!
Go, and take the vanguard, take the oriflamme
Sons
of France and the oriflamme!
All:
To Orleans, Orleans, Orleans!
I.iii. Battlefield outside Orleans
Maid with a Sword
Soldier I:
At
dawn we rode rampant down the valley
Favored
by winds fashioned by the Maid
We
prevailed ourselves all the way to Orleans
Where
we await the word to war
And
watch in wonder of the Maid
A
shepherd girl gone mad for the angels
She
keeps sheep, she reeks of divine
When
the flags unfurl it goes bad for the Angles
She
drinks deep of the Lord's own wine
All:
O
a maid with a sword can't be ignored
A
maid with a lance can only advance
To
the walls to the walls they'll fall right down
To
the walls to the walls it'll be our town
And
we'll own we'll own Orleans
Soldier II:
A
virgin pure she looks like a man
She
talks like a paysan, rides like a Hun
And
I'm quite sure that the English won't stand
When
they lay eyes on a warrior nun
Visions III
Saints:
To
the walls
it's
meant to be
to
the walls
Orleans'
key
Joan:
Gold
flames I see
upon
the walls
And
Orleans is free
it's
one in three
the
heralds' call
Gold
flames I see
voices
decree
the
fate of Gaul
And
Orleans is free
it's
meant to be
the
towers fall
Gold
flames I see
now
it's in me
where
strength is all
And
Orleans is free
a
mystery
beyond
recall
Gold
flames I see
enter
in always unto
there
forward forward always
there
into the fray!
Battle
of Orleans
Seven
Tears
Joan:
The
stained glass angels of my heart dance of hearts
The
rainbow hymn of my love perfect love
The
rainbow fire of my love perfect love
Brings
all, all in all, all and all in you
The
bell rung angels of my prayer whispered prayer
The
sunlit hymn of my bliss perfect bliss
The
sunlit fire of my bliss perfect bliss
Brings
all, all in all, all and all in you
I've
got seven tears raining silver blue
Lachrymosa
lavender all and all in you
City of the Maid
People of Orleans:
City
of the Maid, the city of the Maid, of the Maid
Maid
of Orleans, the Maid of Orleans
Triple Ballade
Joan:
I've
got seven tears raining silver blue
Lachrimosa
lavender all and all in you
Soldiers:
Virgin
pure she looks like a man
She
talks like a paysan, rides like a Hun
And
quite sure the English won't stand
When
they lay eyes on a warrior nun
A
maid with a sword can't be ignored
A
maid with a lance can only advance
To
the walls to the walls
They
will fall right down
People of Orleans:
City
of the Maid, the city of the Maid, of the Maid
Maid
of Orleans, the Maid of Orleans, of Orleans
END OF ACT I
II.i. French Court at Rheims, Coronation of the Dauphin
Processional
Angel of France Revealed
Dauphin:
I.
Come
hither, within hearing, all you citizens of Gaul
Courtly
lords and ladies, stand and be bespelled
by
your bold inheritance; behold the echo of history:
Clovis
stopped the Huns,
they
malice thundering all the way from the edge of the world
mighty
Clovis stopped them, the Huns at the gates of Gaul
Genevieve
vexed the Vikings,
they
axe wielding all the way on the waves of the world
sainted
Genevieve stood fast, the Vikings in reach of Paris
Sing
silver this carol at the gates of Gaul
Sing
silver this carol in reach of Paris
Sing
silver this carol at the gates of Gaul
Charles
Martel turned back the Saracens,
they
fell raging all the way from the edge of the world
The
Hammer Charles Martel bent back their swords
bent
back their swords the Saracens
And
Charlemagne chagrined the foes of sweet Europa,
they
in epic manner all the way from the edge of the world
Charlemagne
and his herald Roland
the
song of his horn
the
song of his horn his herald Roland
Sing
silver this carol at the gates of Gaul
Sing
silver this carol in reach of Paris
Sing
silver this carol at the gates of Gaul
I
stand at the arch angle and the vista reads victory
as
I clasp hands and seize fate with the Angel of France revealed
II.
Moonlit
cantilena,
soft
fallen steps of stars reach the tower of night
The
minstrel and the one adored in silken tryst
enchanted
still at the arch of dawn,
the
book of hours rose embellished
Sing
silver this carol etched in tapestry
of
Tristan and Iseult, heartsong of hearts
Sing
silver this carol steeped in chivalry
of
Parsifal and the Fisherking,
With
anvil speech and Atlas reach
of
Hugh Capet and William the Norman
In
epic manner with bardic bravura
of
Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart
In
consort with seas, in consort with skies
of
St. Louis, Philip Augustus and Philip the Fair
At
the edge of the world, on the waves of the world
I
stand at the arch angle and the vista reads victory
as
I clasp hands and seize fate with the Angel of France revealed
Coronation
Whispers
Minister I:
Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc,
This
constant, constant Jeanne d'Arc,
It's
all the talk here:
She
has raised the seige of Orleans,
The
Dauphin is crowned, she has his ear,
The
hearts of the people, the advice of angels.
All
of Europe watches.
Minister II:
Soon
she is Empress of France, or will be if she succeeds.
It's
a question of whether Charles or the Maid will rule.
With
her voices, the palace becomes a nunnery.
Minister I:
Let us use our influence, pehaps to temper the edge of her victories.
Minister II:
Fewer soldiers, a bit less gold...
Minister I:
We'll see how strong her visions be...
II.ii. On the field of battle; in separate settings, Joan and a soldier
Capture
Soldier:
I
stand and speak heart filled of her
knowing
that I love her not as woman or beloved
but
as the worthy one, the goodly vessel
the
grail of greatness in her with grave translucence,
she
is the arc of visions, the arc of visions
I
stand and speak heart filled of her
at
the knell of bells it sends her dreaming
and
through her spectral discourse,
the
sun informs our frozen chessboard
she
with her balanced mysteries
comes
wandering and takes up the unicorn lance
she
is the arc of visions, the arc of visions
in
consort with voices
she
brings springtide
Joan:
Advance
advance to Paris!
And
the people there will rise up, rise up
Advance!
Forward
from here
we
shall depart
And
I have no fear
advance
from the rear
with
the warrior's art
Forward
from here
the
voices I hear
sing
the archer's dart
And
I have no fear
Paris
is near
and
we must start
Forward
from here
Paris
is dear
here
is our part
And
I have no fear
advance
with tears
to
the burning heart
Forward
from here
And
I have no fear
Soldier:
I
stand and speak heart filled of her
as
the pendulum swings in the madcap wind
the
archer's dart she sings wings back cryptic
and
gives wound to her own blessed clay
Paris
still stands with the English
Paris
stands impenetrable to the imponderable Maid
she
is the arc of visions, the arc of visions
in
consort with voices
she
brings springtide
Joan:
In
obeisance, obeisance
though
I am shaken, captured
in
obeisance
still
enraptured
Soldier:
I
stand and speak heart lost with her
with
foolscap fate this weaver of miracles lost the thread
and
she is taken, captured at the enemy's gate
now
in this world that admits Adam and angels
Rome
and ruins, Calvary and crosses
Doom's
diary overfills
and
the shepherd girl is gone in the wolf wind
she
is the arc of visions, the arc of visions
in
consort with voices
she
brings springtide
END OF ACT II
III.i. In English Occupied Rouen
Trial
Judge I:
Mark
well the inevitable words:
We
gather here for the purpose of putting on trial
the
woman Jeanne d'Arc, or Jeanne the Pucelle
the
so called Maid of Orleans
We
thus and therefore come before this assemblage
and
before the true triune of Father, Son and Holy Ghost
All
of whom will witness our words
Judge II:
You are Jeanne d'Arc?
Joan:
I am...
Judge II:
Also known as Jeanne the Pucelle or the Maid of Orleans?
Joan:
I am...
Judge I:
You
are charged with charges of witchcraft, heresy,
at
least seven deadly sins,
as
well as miscellaneous lesser sins,
all
of which may prove deadly...
How
do you plead?
Joan:
I am forgot
Judge II:
That
is not an answer!
Let
me be more specific...
Witnesses
have testified that you as a child
ran
pagan circling druidic
around
an allegedly enchanted tree
and
played a game invoking the unholy name of faery
and
now you stand before me, tell me how do you plead?
Joan:
I am forgot...
Judge I:
Whispers
tell us that you hear voices
This
is truth?
Joan:
I am forgot...
Judge II:
Michael
the Archangel?
St.
Margaret, St Catherine?
Joan:
I am forgot...
Judge I:
Witnesses
have testified that all this saintliness is a pose
Virginity
alleged indeed!
In
fact you have harlotry in you
You
inspire the soldiers mostly at night...
Joan:
I am forgot...
Judge II:
And
lest we forget,
The
clothes you wear,
the
vestments of a man, a soldier
This
hardly becomes a maid
unless
the maid be made by the devil himself
unless
you've been carnal with the incarnate evil
unless
you listen to the voices of angels
of
the fallen variety...
This
garb links you to Hell's legions!
Triple Rondeau
Joan:
The
voices speak
In
chimes of bells
so
if I seek
The
voices speak
but
I am meek
and
know no spells
The
voices speak
In
chimes of bells
My
saints appear
In
rhymes of light
so
if I fear
My
saints appear
and
with me near
all
through the night
My
saints appear
In
rhymes of light
The
clothes I bear
Are
their command
and
so I wear
The
clothes I bear
if
I forbear
then
I am damned
The
clothes I bear
Are
their command
Judge I:
You'll
be damned!
it
will be
you
will see
at
our command
You'll
be damned!
Judge II:
Burned!
fire
higher
concerned?
Burned!
Judge I:
Your
one chance is to repent, recant, forswear
and
above all to forsake those clothes!
You
must change your ways and your clothes...
Judge II:
Now
get thee back to the prison cell
and
consider our considered words...
Attire
yourself in femininity and we'll let you languish
If
not if not if not, well...
Witch Rondeau
Judges I&II:
A
witch in the clothes
Of
a knight
we
see through the pose
A
witch in the clothes
we
can only suppose
we
are right
A
witch in the clothes
Of
a knight
Estampie d'Enfer
III.ii. In the prison tower, Joan in meditation
Visions IV
St.Margaret:
In
the goodly gambit yours is the illuminate strategy
In
immaculate mystery your white sacrifice...
Joan:
Cannot I cannot Will not I will not
St.Catherine:
Wellspring
of passion, wheelworks of wonder
We
are with you always never sundered even unto...
Joan:
I
am forgot, forgot...
With
these words and wounds,
my
goodly garb a shroud
and
I am clay, yes, ashes...
Wheeling
heartspan
This
bird of me in me fears the soft crush
The
quickening shiver of peace come too soon
This
bird of me in me shocks against the cage
But
soon to circle wider
Within
the wheels of wilder wind
Wing
borne salt sweet consumed
Judges I&II:
Eya!
Eyaaaaa! A witch still!
Still
attired as a knight
We'll
bring fire to this night! Fire!
Joan:
Hey
ho 1 2 3 yes I know
Rainbow
I can see yes I know
High
and low meant to be yes I know
Hey
ho 1 2 3 yes I know
III.iii. Stake
Processional
Judge I:
Hear
all ye here:
We
stand ready to render our thunderstriking judgement
as
to Jeanne d'Arc, the Pucelle, Maid of Orleans...
She
is hereby convicted
that
is to say guilty of various and sundry crimes
including
witchcraft, heresy, etc...
And
for having been catalyst of such a cataclysm
she
is banished from the realm of the living by means of fire
That
is to say she is to be burned at the stake until dead
May
God have mercy on her soul
Priest:
in
nomine in nomine
in
nomine in nomine
in
nomine in nomine
Consummation (Estampie d'Enfer)
Sans Motet
END OF ACT III