THE QUEEN & the DRAGON
Libretto
Ancient
Greece on the royal grounds of the island of Kos.
(Zeno is alone, seeing visions of
possible futures.)
ZENO
Echoes...
Ripples of what's yet to
be...
Masters reap...
what freedom sows.
(Zeno
points and draws in the air as if writing equations on a blackboard, eyes
following the unseen numbers.
Cassandra approaches Zeno.)
CASSANDRA
Zeno, are you conjuring some
new potion
on my special day?
ZENO
I apologize your majesty.
CASSANDRA (smiles)
Would the royal alchemist
rather be in his workshop?
(Zeno
nods.)
First enjoy awhile,
then you may go.
(Hera,
Adon and Jason enter.)
HERA
Good people of the kingdom
of Koz,
today we celebrate the
birthday
of our Queen Cassandra.
(Zeno,
Jason and Adon applaud.)
At twenty-five years she has
now come of age
and as full queen she
now has full priv'leges.
The priv'lege to make new
laws...
(They
applaud.)
...to accept suitors...
(They
applaud.)
...and a few other
priv'leges
much too mundane to mention
now.
please honor our queen
in celebration!
(They
cheer.)
CASSANDRA
You should dance, my dear
Hera.
HERA
Yes, I know, Queen
Cassandra.
I have promised the first
dance to my son.
(She
indicates Jason.)
CASSANDRA
He's a very fine singer.
HERA
Many thanks Queen Cassandra.
CASSANDRA
Yes, his voice is but second
to none.
(Hera
bows to Queen Cassandra, then goes to Jason. Queen Cassandra goes to Adon. Jason bows to Hera and they dance.)
CASSANDRA
Adon,
my dear friend,
please
dance with me.
ADON
The
honor is mine, Queen Cassandra.
(Queen
Cassandra and Adon dance. Zeno dances by himself, contentedly skipping.)
ADON,
ZENO, HERA, and JASON
All
hail the kingdom of Kos and her royalness:
Queen
Cassandra the Great!
All
hail the kingdom with unending loyalness.
long
live the Queen and her State!
O,
that her judgement be
fair
and be strong:
award
to the good and
a
sword to the wrong.
All
hail the kingdom of Kos and her royalness:
Queen
Cassandra the Great!
long
live the Queen and her state!
Omra![1]
(After
the dance, Hera and Jason continue to talk quietly, although Jason's attention
is split between Hera and Adon.
Zeno exits.)
ADON
Something weighs upon your
thoughts.
(Cassandra
looks surprised.)
Tell me.
(They
walk to a small bench and sit.)
CASSANDRA
You know because of the law,
I was forbidden to have
suitors?
ADON
So there is someone
special...
CASSANDRA
Yes, there is.
ADON
Who?
CASSANDRA
Look at me, Adon.
Look and know that what I
say is true.
My love, my sweet Adon,
My love is all for you,
Adon, for you.
ADON
Me, your majesty?
Me?
CASSANDRA
All these years, Adon,
all these words have waited
to be freed.
For you, alone, Adon,
for you are all my heart
will ever need.
ADON
But we are still friends?
CASSANDRA
All the better.
ADON
My friend, I love another.
For some time, now.
CASSANDRA
If I am truly your friend,
why did I not know of this?
ADON
I could not...
CASSANDRA
You could not tell me?
Then you can tell me now!
ADON
Please CassandraÉ
CASSANDRA
Your Majesty!
ADON
Your Majesty, I would rather
not.
CASSANDRA
I command you!
Adonis!
Who is this woman?
ADON
Cassandra...
CASSANDRA
Your Majesty!
(Cassandra
storms off stage. Hera follows
her, hoping to catch her. Jason
crosses and sits next to Adon.)
JASON
Did you ask the queen?
ADON
No.
In fact...I may have broken
her heart.
(Hera
enters, having not been able to catch Cassandra. She sees Jason and walks toward him. She stops and listens, unseen.)
She told me she loved me.
I told her, of course,
(Jason looks panicked.)
which hurt her...
upset her...
JASON
You told her?
ADON
...That I love another.
(touches
Jason's cheek)
Not the name of the one I
love.
JASON
Thank you.
ADON
It was difficult.
(Adon
is saddened. Jason hugs Adon, then lovingly kisses or touches his cheek. Hera
looks worried.)
I must go.
(Adon stands and exits without seeing Hera. Jason remains sitting.
Hera approaches Jason.
Jason is taken by surprise.)
JASON
Mother.
HERA
Jason.
Are you familiar with the
law that forbids
men to love men,
except as brother, son,
father or friend?
JASON
I need to practice.
I sing for the queen this
afternoon.
(Jason
hurriedly exits. Hera exits as
Zeno enters, distracted by visions only he sees.)
ZENO (worried)
Is it future?
Is it past?
Mistakes allowed...wisdom
grows.
Everyone cares yet nobody
knows.
Masters
reap...what...freedom sows.
Everyone cares yet nobody
knows.
A secret's a secret as
secret can be
until there is one to betray
it.
And one word can hold back
an ocean of blood,
but then who am I to say?
(Cassandra
enters. Zeno is unaware that she
has entered.)
CASSANDRA
Zeno.
ZENO
(oblivious)
Yes, that's right...the
choice I chose.
Everyone
cares yet nobody knows.
CASSANDRA
Zeno!
(Zeno
turns around and sees Cassandra. He rushes to her.)
ZENO (bows to her)
Your Majesty.
CASSANDRA
Make me a potion
to give to a man...
a man who loves another.
Make me a potion
to make him love me...
and never love the other.
ZENO
A love elixir...
It's now...it's now...
CASSANDRA
Zeno.
ZENO
The potion is possible
yes, I can say,
but only with blood from the
red dragon.
Locked in the dungeon
and hidden away,
it's lethal to any who...
CASSANDRA
Zeno.
Send a hundred men...I
really don't care how.
Anything you need is yours,
just do it...quickly...now.
ZENO
As you wish, your Majesty.
(Cassandra
exits, followed by Zeno. Jason
enters to practice singing.)
JASON
I have been told, by a man
who would know,
there once was a dog with a
bone in his mouth
who, crossing a river,
looked down whence he stood
to see yet another, as fates
would allow.
(Cassandra
enters, unseen by Jason.)
This other dog also
possessed a large bone,
so our dog decided to bare
his sharp teeth.
Hoping for both bones, he
barked at the other,
losing both his and the
shadow beneath.
(Jason
sees Cassandra.)
JASON
My queen.
CASSANDRA
Jason.
What was that song?
JASON
An old story my
mother would tell me.
CASSANDRA
Sing for me one of
your love songs
I cherish so.
(Jason
takes a breath.)
JASON
When I see your face,
I wish that I could say
All that wells within me
but my words within me stay.
My love remains for you
unbroken...
a love remains a love,
unspoken.
(Cassandra
joins Jason in song.)
JASON and CASSANDRA
When I see your eyes,
I'm certain you can see
ev'rything I'm feeling,
ev'ry gesture that can never
be.
My faith remains with you
unbroken...
a love remains a love,
unspoken.
(Hera
enters, unseen.)
JASON and CASSANDRA
If this love can never be
and you and I remain undone.
Who can stop my heart from
seeing
you and I as one.
(Adon
enters as if to speak to Cassandra, but stops and listens. Cassandra does not see him. Jason does and sings directly to
him. Hera remains unseen.)
JASON
When I see your lips,
I wish that they could say
all the words I long for
but your words,
like clouds, float high and far away.
My heart remains with them
above...
My
love remains, my love.
(Hera
approaches Cassandra.)
CASSANDRA
Whom did you write that for?
JASON
I wrote it for
someone...very dear to me....
HERA
My queen, there is
business of state...
CASSANDRA
Please, my dear Hera...
business can wait.
HERA
Your pardon...
Are you familiar with the
law that forbids
men to love men,
except as brother, son,
father or friend?
...upon pain of death?
CASSANDRA
Is there such law?
HERA
There is.
Would you, my Queen,
now that you have the
power....
JASON (stopping her)
Mother.
Dear Queen Cassandra,
might you consider
abolishing this law?
(Cassandra
assumes the reason Jason himself is asking her and is moved by his courage.)
CASSANDRA
The kingdom of Kos
shall never oppose a
a freedom that no one
should lose.
Today, it shall be
queen cassandra's decree,
that men may love
any they choose.
JASON
Wonderful day! I cannot wait
to tell Adon this news of
late!
CASSANDRA
Adon?
JASON
Oh, Adon...
Yes, he will like
knowing that
you are abolishing
some of the outdated laws.
CASSANDRA
That is why he could not
tell me...
...because of the law...
I made him say "Your
Majesty."
How could I see only me?
What have I done?
I have sent soldiers into
harm's way...
I need to find Zeno 'fore
the dragon awake.
I fear I have made a most
dreadful mistake.
(Cassandra
begins to exit, but Zeno enters and bows to her.)
ZENO
Your Highness,
Blood from both sides
has now been shed.
Your potion can be made.
CASSANDRA
Blood?
ZENO
Mistakes allowed...wisdom
grows...
(Hera
steps forward.)
HERA
What is the death count?
ZENO
I was told there were...
(Adon
stumbles in, mortally wounded, reaching out.)
ADON
My love...
(Cassandra
begins to go to him, but stops. Jason goes to him.)
Help me...
JASON
Oh... Adon...
(Jason
holds him in his arms. Zeno crosses to examine Adon. Cassandra crosses to Adon
and holds his hand.)
ADON
(to Jason)
You and I remain undone...
CASSANDRA
My dear friend.
I am truly sorry.
ADON
Your Majesty...
(Zeno
nods his head, indicating that there is nothing that he can do. Zeno steps
back. Simultaneously, Adon slowly lifts Cassandra's hand to his cheek, then to
his lips and gently kisses it. Crying, Cassandra is horrified with herself.)
JASON
What can I do, Adon?
ADON
Sing to me, Jason
That my last moments
will be of song...
and of you...
(Jason
touches Adon's cheek.)
JASON
Sleep, mighty warrior...
(Jason
falters. Hera steps forward and helps him sing the song.)
HERA
Sleep, mighty warrior, that
you may rest.
Sleep and be still through
the night.
Wars we are through,
and battles we won.
Sleep,
there is no one to fight.
HERA
and JASON
Sleep, mighty warrior, that
you may dream.
Sleep that your dreams may
take flight.
Swords we are through,
and blood we are done.
Sleep,
have no worries tonight.
HERA, JASON and CASSANDRA
Dream as a child of a more
pleasant time.
Dream without bother or
care.
Dream of a world where we
once meet again.
Dream
for you soon will be there.
HERA, JASON, CASSANDRA and
ZENO
Sleep, mighty warrior, rest
you at peace.
Sleep for there's no use for
might.
Day we are through.
Twilight's begun.
Sleep and find rest on this night.
(Adon dies.)
Fine dell' Opera