OFFENBACH

CARNIVAL IN VENICE

(The Bridge of Sighs)

The lamentable story of Admiral Cornarini, now in disgrace after abandon-ing his ship and fleeing from the battle:

Worthy Admiral Cornarini

Took his navy out to sea,

Oh, he took it, took it, took it.

What a gallant leader, he

As they pursued the enemy!

Oh, look it, look it, look it.

Never Admiral so admirable,

None to compare!

As he headed out to sea, he cried,

“Let all foes beware!”

Worthy Admiral Cornarini

Strolled the deck with dignity,

So simple, simple, simple.

Not a braver man than he

Until they spied the enemy,

Oh, tremble, tremble, tremble.

But the Admiral so admirably

Sized up the foe,

In a flash he knew that either they or he

Had to go.

Worthy Admiral Cornarini

Now was truly in a bind.

Oh, puzzle, puzzle, puzzle.

“If my valor has departed,

Who am I to stay behind?”

So hustle, hustle, hustle.

It suffices, in a crisis

He knew just what to do,

For of course it’s only right to wave goodby

To the crew.

Worthy Admiral Cornarini

When he’s caught will get his due.

We offer, offer, offer

To the lucky fellow who

Can nab the bird that flew the coup,

A coffer, coffer, coffer.

Oh, the Admiral’s market value has gone up,

I am told.

For the one who brings him in he’s worth his weight

Now in gold.

The villainous Malatromba reveals an unsuspected side:

I had a dream, so sweet and strange;

I started up a flight of stairs

That quietly began to change

Into a tree of golden pears.

I had a dream, a lovely dream;

I wandered down a marble hall

That turned into a mountain stream

Above a splashing waterfall.

Amid the woods, a green retreat

Hid well away from probing eyes,

Upon a bending willow seat

A lonely lover sobs and sighs.

But not for long he grieves alone --

His lady’s kisses soon suffice.

The willow seat becomes a throne

Of emeralds in paradise.

I had a dream so strange and sweet,

A place where sea and mountains meet.

I perched upon a silver swan

That said, “We’re off to Babylon!”

I had a dream the other night

That with my lady love I lay.

We sprouted wings, took off in flight,

And landed on the milky way.

Malatromba attempts to entice his lady to a secluded, far away paradise:

In a spot tucked away

Near the bottom of Spain,

There’s a green shady nook

Seldom seen from the plain,

Where the sunlight is gold

And the river’s champagne,

In a spot just for two

Near the bottom of Spain . . .

The city of Venice finds itself in a bizarre dilemma:

CHIEF:

Although we started out the day with none,

We have two Doges now instead of one.

To settle this bizarre dilemma

No need have we to start from scratch;

An ancient law accords to them a

Right to meet in single match.

Yet in the timing of this weighty fracas,

We Councilors detect the hand of God.

Today is one of sport, so if you’ll back us,

We’ve found a method apropos, though odd.

Rejecting handed down banalities,

The lance, the sword, the cudgel or cross-bow,

We choose instead a way more aimed to please,

Which briefly I shall now describe -- but no!

The city of the Bridge of Sighs

Knows well the value of surprise.

The merest hint shall I let fall --

Today begins the Carnival!