Original subtitles

Subtitles: Lu�s Filipe Bernardes

The whole thing started at Victoria Station, London...

on my third day in England at the biginning of last June.

I was there because the bellhop at my hotel had said:

"Mr. Cornell," he'd said,

"you haven't seen England till you've seen the Sussex Downs."

And that was all I was meaning to do.

Take a train to Lewes,

stop over one night at a place called Alfriston,

see the Downs and come back next evening to London.

It was only 3:30, but the 3:45 train to Lewes was already in...

and I had time to look around.

They'd warned me back home to kind of make a point of...

not talking to English people until we'd been introduced.

And I was wondering whether I ought to be introduced to the trolley girl...

before asking for a cup of tea when...

Cup of tea, sir?

No, thank you.

Here was a bit of luck. Two of them right in the same compartment.

I wouldn't talk to them, of course. We hadn't been introduced.

But if they talked to each other, at least I could listen.

If they talked.

Of course they would.

They arrived together, obviously they knew one another.

Obviously they didn't know one another.

Mother's coming by car.

Hmm... Father told me.

Oh, brother.

After that nothing happened...

except that one of them sneezed near a place called Haywards Heath.

Until we pulled in a Lewes,

when they gave me my first and only clue.

Looking forward to seeing the new countess?

Passionately.

The new countess.

I followed them out of the depot half expecting to see...

a fleet of golden Rolls-Royces ready to drive all these earls,

and dukes, and duchesses and so forth to...

Well, to where?

But instead of Rolls-Royces,

these earls, and dukes, and duchesses, and so forth, were climbing into buses.

By now I was so curious that for two pins...

I'd have climbed into a bus myself, but it was obviously a private party.

- Good afternoon, milady. - Good afternoon, Fred.

- I've kept your back seat. - Thank you.

Give me the picnic basket.

I'm not sure why I did what I did next.

All I remember is the horror...

with which in the middle of a small sleepy English town...

I heard myself saying: "Follow that bus."

Glyndebourne? Right, sir.

The new countess.

The new countess.

The new countess.

Of course, the new Countess of Glyndebourne.

The new Countess of Glyndebourne is giving a...

a hunt ball...

to celebrate the occasion of uh...

of her new countess-ship.

Guests will bring their own picnic baskets.

His Grace, the Duke of Guernsey.

Sir Lyndon and Lady Bordingham.

His Excellency the Marqu�s de Pontevedra de Asturra e Pilar.

And the Earl of Eldon.

And Mr. David Cornell.

Knights, dames and associates,

my lords, ladies and gentlemen,

pray pick your partners

for the Glyndebourne dance.

How much is that?

Seven and six, sir.

- Tell me, is Alfriston far from here? - About eight miles, sir.

Would you drop my grip there for me?

Yes, sir. That'll be twelve bob. That is, shillings, I mean, sir.

And where would you like me to drop it, on the village green?

Oh, no, at the Rose and Crown.

Say it's David Cornell's. They're expecting me.

Thank you, sir.

Young man, you look utterly lost.

Have you the remotest notion where you are?

- Oh, Glyndebourne, I guess. - Well, that's half the battle.

At least you know where you are.

The other half is how to get in. Have you got a ticket?

You're an American, aren't you?

Yes, m'am, and I don't have a ticket.

Heavens, what devotion! All the way from America to Glyndebourne...

in the mere hope of getting a ticket.

Well, we can't let you go all the way back to your ranch...

without seeing Glyndebourne.

Now... let's see...

Oh, there's Mr. John Christie.

He may be able to get you in.

- What's your name? - David Cornell, from Chicago.

And I'm Lady Falconbridge. This is my niece, Virginia Ridley.

Talk to him, darling, while I go and see John.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

Miss Ridley, tell me what's going on here,

a masked ball or something?

Ballo in Maschera? Oh, no, that was four years ago. Tonight...

This is John Christie, our founder,

lord of the manor and master of ceremonies.

John, this is Mr. Cornell from America.

He has a ranch in Chicago.

- How do you do, Mr. Cornell? - How do you do?

I'm very glad to welcome you.

Lady Falconbridge talked to me about you.

And I think we can get you in. In fact, I'm quite sure we can.

Oh, you're very kind.

Is it alright if I'm not in a tux... I mean, a dinner jacket?

Oh, yes, we can always make an exception.

Of course, some people don't dress because they haven't the time.

Darling!

Some people do and haven't the taste.

Ah, the bell!

Now for your initiation.

Perhaps we'll see you in the interval.

Come along.

Initiation.

Master of ceremonies.

Was I going to find myself inducted into a secret society?

The Black Mass.

John Christie didn't look like an unfrocked bishop.

But you never knew.

Opera!

I'd heard one on the radio once back home.

Or rather, part of one while we were having supper.

Maybe I wasn't listening very well because...

I remember thinking that I never wanted to hear another...

let alone see one.

I wouldn't have believed then that it could have been such fun.

...quel cappello, quella chioma, quell'aria brillante,

Non pi� andrai, farfallone amoroso,

notte e giorno d'intorno girando,

delle belle turbando il riposo,

Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Delle belle turbando il riposo,

Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Tra guerrieri poffar Bacco!

Gran mustacchi, stretto sacco,

schioppo in spalla, sciabola al fianco,

collo dritto, muso franco,

o un gran casco, o un gran turbante,

molto onor, poco contante, poco contante,

poco contante.

ed invece del fandango,

una marcia per il fango.

Per montagne, per valloni,

colle nevi, e i solleoni, al concerto di tromboni,

di bombarde, di cannoni, che le palle in tutti i tuoni

all'orecchio fan fischiar.

Non pi� avrai questi bei pennacchini,

Non pi� avrai quel cappello

Non pi� avrai quella chioma

Non pi� avrai quell'aria brillante.

Non pi� andrai, farfallone amoroso,

notte e giorno d'intorno girando,

delle belle turbando il riposo,

Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Delle belle turbando il riposo,

Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Cherubino alla vittoria,

alla gloria militar!

Cherubino alla vittoria,

alla gloria militar!

Alla gloria militar!

Alla gloria militar!

But by the beginning of act II I was so enjoying myself...

that I'd forgotten there was still a mystery to be solved.

Who and where was the new countess?

- Of course, the new countess. - Shh!

Porgi, amor.

Porgi, amor,

al mio duolo,

a' miei sospir!

O mi rendi il mio tesoro,

o mi lascia almen morir!

O mi lascia almen morir!

Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro,

al mio duolo, a' miei sospir!

O mi rendi il mio tesoro,

o mi lascia almen morir!

Almen morir!

O mi rendi il mio tesoro,

o mi lascia almen morir!

She's a revelation!

A revelation.

By the end of Act II the whole thing was a revelation.

Voi signor, che giusto siete,

ci dovete or ascoltar.

Son venuti a vendicarmi,

io mi sento a consolar.

Son tre stolidi, tre pazzi,

Cosa mai vengono da far? Cosa mai vengono da far?

Pian pianin senza schiamazzi,

Dica ognun quel che gli par. Dica ognun quel che gli par.

Un impegno nuziale ha costui con me contratto,

e pretendo ch'il contratto deva meco effettuar.

Come? Come?

Ol�! Silenzio! Silenzio! Silenzio!

Io son qui per giudicar.

Io da lei scelto avvocato vengo a far le sue difese,

le legittime pretese io vi vengo a palesar.

� un birbante! � un birbante!

Ol�! Silenzio! Silenzio! Silenzio!

Io son qui per giudicar.

Io com'uomo al mondo cognito, vengo qui per testimonio

del promesso matrimonio con prestanza di danar.

Son tre matti, Son tre matti,

Ol�! Silenzio! Silenzio! Silenzio!

Il contratto leggeremo,

tutto in ordin deve andar.

Son confusa, son stordita!

Che bel colpo! Che bel caso!

Disperata, sbalordita!

� cresciuto a tutti il naso;

qualche nume a noi propizio, qui ci li ha fatti capitar!

Son confuso, son stordito! Che bel colpo! Che bel caso!

Disperato, sbalordito! � cresciuto a tutti il naso;

Che bel colpo! Che bel caso!

Qualche nume,

qualche nume a noi propizio!

Disperata, sbalordita!

Certo un diavol dell'inferno qui ci li ha fatti capitar!

Qualche nume a noi propizio, qui ci li ha fatti capitar!

qualche nume a noi propizio, qui ci li ha fatti capitar!

(Ensemble)

Wasn't the new countess perfectly divine?

I've never heard her sing so perfectly.

I thought she was delightful.

Lady Falconbridge, I can't thank you enough.

Oh, dear boy! Are you eating in a restaurant?

I... Yes, I expect so.

Well, the interval lasts an hour and a half.

That will give you 35 minutes for eating,

fifty for looking around the garden,

and five for having a cocktail.

Now, instead of listening politely to a garrulous old chatterbox like me,

there's a bar over there.

I never need a drink when I'm happy.

Mr. Cornell, you're a very nice young man.

Oh, Virginia, dear, I was about to suggest to Mr. Cornell...

that he should eat with us by the pool.

Oh, do! Then we can show you around afterwards.

I thank you very much, I'd love to.

- Come along now. - It's this way.

It was the most delicious meal I'd ever had.

Ham sandwiches and tea out of a flask and...

Well, anyway, it was wonderful.

Look, the orchestra.

The croquet lawn is sort of an orchestral preserve.

They play a sectional tournament. You know...

strings versus brass. Winner to play winds.

That's the flute.

- Which section is he? - Percussion.

That's the first violin just going to play.

Mr. Lenzi, con legno, con legno...

Passionato, ma non troppo.

- Bravo! Very well! - Good shot, good shot.

Isn't that the conductor?

Yes, Vittorio Gui, and Moran Caplat, the general manager.

- Gosh, have they started? - They're just warming up their voices.

Bruscantini.

- And that's... - I know.

The countess.

Yes, the countess.

And that's Oliver Messel, who's done the divine scenery and dresses.

And Carl Ebert, the artistic director.

You mean like a film director, he tells them what to do?

From what I've heard of film directors, he's completely the opposite.

He doesn't tell them what to do, he shows them.

You should have seen him at rehearsals.

Canzonetta sull'aria.

Sull'aria.

Che soave zeffiretto.

Zeffiretto.

Just a moment. Just wait.

Just a moment. Let me just say something, uh...

Sena, look here... First, of course, we have to know that...

you have an enormous dress.

It takes quite a lot of space here... Write that down, mark that, yes?

And we position here.

And then, the most important thing, is of course to...

to improvise the words, hm?

You must really feel that it's the first time she is dictating a letter...

she had only generally in mind what she wanted to say.

So now let's have it again. Go on.

Canzonetta sull'aria.

And now, just go a few steps.

Che soave zeffiretto.

- She enters... - Zeffi...

Did you go back so that...? Now look here...

La sua risposta naturalmente � lo stesso senzo.

� una bella idea.

'Sull'aria!', si dice, eh? Cos�.

Sull'aria... Come... quasi... Bravo, signora, una bella idea!

Ed anche, 'zeffiretto'. � veramente una poeta la sua signora.

Allora, now facciamo ancora... Do it again.

You will do it much better than I do. Come on.

Go on.

Canzonetta sull'aria.

Sull'aria.

Che soave zeffiretto.

Zeffiretto.

Questa sera spirer�

Questa sera spirer�

sotto i pini del boschetto.

- Sotto i pini? - Sotto i pini del boschetto.

Sotto i pini...

Del boschetto.

Ei gi� il resto capir�.

Certo, certo il capir�.

Certo il resto il capir�.

- Canzonetta sull'aria. - Che soave zeffiretto.

- Questa sera spirer�. - Sotto i pini del boschetto.

Ei gi� il resto capir�.

- Il capir�. - Il capir�.

Ei gi� il resto il capir�.

Ei gi� il resto il capir�.

- Il capir�. - Il capir�.

- Il capir�. - Il capir�.

Il capir�.

Il capir�.

I wanted to kiss her hand, too.

The countess. The new countess.

After all, it was to find out who she was that I'd come here.

And when she appeared for the last time,

floating down those moonlit steps,

and the count knelt before her to ask her forgiveness,

I could have knelt with him.

to thank her for bringing me to Glyndebourne.

Contessa perdono.

Perdono, perdono!

Pi� docile io sono

e dico di s�.

E dico di s�.

Ah! Tutti contenti

saremo cos�.

Saremo cos�.

Ah! Tutti contenti saremo cos�.

Ah! Tutti contenti

saremo

saremo cos�.

Questo giorno di tormenti,

di capricci e di follia,

in contenti e in allegria solo amor pu� terminar.

Solo amor pu� terminar.

Sposi, amici, al ballo, al gioco,

alle mine date foco!

Ed al suon di lieta marcia.

Ed al suon di lieta marcia corriam tutti a festeggiar.

Corriam tutti, corriam tutti, corriam tutti, corriam tutti...

corriam tutti, corriam tutti, corriam tutti a festeggiar.

Corriam tutti, corriam tutti, corriam tutti, corriam tutti...

corriam tutti, corriam tutti a festeggiar.

A festeggiar, a festeggiar, a festeggiar.

- Did you enjoy it? - Enjoy it? It was...

How can I get to hear another one?

Are they all sold out? Isn't there a black market or something?

Who should I contact?

I think I should bypass the black market and contact, as you put it, me.

They're doing Don Giovanni on the 23rd.

Oh, aberration!

I can't find anything else but safety pins and visiting cards.

Ah!

I knew I had it.

There!

It's a ticket.

- I know, but I... - Young man, I'm an old woman...

and I've seen Don Giovanni thirty four times.

I'd like you to have another opera...

to remember it by when you get back to your ranch.

That is, if you can bear Virginia's company in the adjacency.

Which I think you can. Here, take it.

And a visiting card.

I don't suppose you want the safety pins... Oh, my handkerchief!

There's nothing more I could want.

Goodbye, Lady Falconbridge, and thank you.

Au revoir, young man.

- Until the 23rd. - How are you going to get back?

Oh, I'm staying nearby, I'll walk.

Goodbye.

Oh... don't walk out of our lives.

I'd made my first two...

My first four English friends.

I'd seen my first opera.

And the next morning when I got up at dawn to see the Sussex Downs,

the music still haunted me.

Qui mormora il ruscel, qui scherza l'aura,

che col dolce sussurro il cor ristaura.

Qui ridono...

This wouldn't be my last visit.

There'd be other tunes and other drives.

More operas to be heard...

and if I had my way, more Americans to hear them.

In a setting like no other in the world.

Glyndebourne.

...qui tutto adesca.

Vieni, ben mio,

tra queste piante ascose.

Vieni! Vieni!

Ti vo' la fronte incoronar di rose!

Ti vo' la fronte incoronar

incoronar

di rose.