[ Cheers and applause ] [ Orchestra playing "Chandelier (I Went)" ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ In a chamber empty and small ♪ ♪ Four walls only ♪ ♪ And draped with lengths ♪ ♪ Of bright green cloth ♪ ♪ A lovely chandelier ♪ ♪ Shines and glows ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And in its every single flame ♪ ♪ Simmering grows ♪ ♪♪ ♪ A lustful passion ♪ ♪ A lustful urge ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Within the small chamber ♪ ♪ That gleams alight ♪ ♪ From the fiery heat ♪ ♪ Of the chandelier ♪ ♪ What emerges is ♪ ♪ No ordinary light ♪ ♪♪ ♪ It is not made for timid ♪ ♪ Bodies ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The sensual rapture ♪ ♪ Of this heat ♪ ♪ In a chamber empty and small ♪ ♪ Four walls only ♪ ♪ And draped with lengths ♪ ♪ Of bright green cloth ♪ ♪ A lovely chandelier ♪ ♪ Shines and glows ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ I did not restrain myself.
I let go completely and went.
To those pleasures that were partly real, partly swirling in my mind, I went, into the lighted night, and drank of potent wines, such as the fearless in their sensual pleasures drink.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] [ Harp playing softly ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Choir whispering indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I sit and muse ♪ ♪ In reverie ♪ ♪ I brought to Art ♪ ♪ Desires and sensations ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Some dimly ♪ ♪ Envisaged ♪ [ Choir whispering indistinctly ] ♪ Faces and features ♪ ♪ Some dimly envisaged ♪ [ Choir trilling ] [ Singing discordant notes ] ♪ Faces ♪ ♪ And features ♪ ♪ Some vague memories ♪ ♪ Faces ♪ ♪ Of unfulfilled ♪ ♪ Affairs ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Let me surrender ♪ ♪ Myself to Art ♪ [ Singing discordant notes ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Art knows how to shape ♪ ♪ The Likeness of Beauty ♪ ♪ Beauty ♪ ♪ Beauty ♪ ♪ Beauty ♪ ♪ Barely perceptibly ♪ ♪ Enhancing life ♪ ♪ Barely perceptibly ♪ ♪ Enhancing life ♪ ♪ Blending impressions ♪ ♪ Blending ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪ The days ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Man and woman vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Without consideration, without pity, without shame they have built around me great and towering walls.
♪♪ And now I'm sitting and despairing here.
I think of nothing else: this fate is gnawing at my mind; ♪♪ for I had many things to do out there.
When they were building the walls, how could I not be aware?
♪♪ Yet never did I hear clatter of builders or any sound.
Imperceptibly they shut me off from the world outside.
In the evening.
In any case, they couldn't have lasted long.
The experience of years shows me that.
Yet even so, destiny came along and put an end to them.
[ Choir talking indistinctly ] ♪♪ Robber in haste, brief indeed was the lovely life.
And yet how potent were their fragrances upon one exquisite bed we lay, and to what pleasure we gave our bodies.
[ Choir talking indistinctly ] A faint echo of the days of sensual pleasure, a faint echo of those days near me.
Some of the fervor of our youth that we both shared, I took once more a letter in my hands and read it again and again and again and again and again until the light was gone.
And I came out onto the balcony in melancholy, came out to change my thoughts by seeing at least a little bit of the beloved city a little movement in the street and in shops.
♪♪ ♪♪ Come back.
Come back often and take hold of me, beloved sensation.
Come back and take hold of me, when the memory of the body is aroused and past desire flows into blood again.
When the lips and the skin remember, and the hands feel as if they are touching again.
Come back often and take hold of me in the night.
when the lips and the skin remember.
"The Windows."
Within these dark chambers where I live through oppressive days, I pace up and down.
I pace up and down trying to find the windows.
♪♪ When a window opens, it will be a consolation.
But the windows are not to be found.
Or I am unable to find them.
And perhaps it's better that I don't.
Perhaps the light will be a new tyranny.
Who knows what novel things it will reveal?
♪♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪ And you have come to be entirely a feeling for me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The days ♪ Davis: "Che Fece."
♪♪ ♪ For ♪ ♪ For some people ♪ ♪ There comes a day when ♪ ♪♪ ♪ They have to say ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The great Yes ♪ ♪ Or the great No ♪ ♪ It becomes at once ♪ ♪ Apparent who has ♪ ♪ The Yes ♪ ♪ Ready within him ♪ ♪ And in saying it, he crosses over ♪ ♪ Over to his honor and conviction ♪ ♪♪ ♪ He who refuses does not repent ♪ ♪ If asked again, he would once more say ♪ ♪ No ♪ ♪ And yet that no ♪ ♪ The right one ♪ ♪ And yet that no ♪ ♪ The right one ♪ ♪ And yet that no ♪ ♪ The right one ♪ ♪ Weighs him down ♪ ♪ For all his life ♪ [ Clapping softly ] What are we waiting for, assembled in the Forum?
[ Translating in Greek ] The barbarians are to arrive today.
[ Translating in Greek ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Why then such inactivity in the Senate?
[ Translating in Greek ] Why do the Senators sit back and do not legislate?
[ Translating in Greek ] Because the barbarians will arrive today.
[ Translating in Greek ] What sort of laws now can Senators enact?
[ Translating in Greek ] When the barbarians come, they'll do the legislating.
♪♪ [ Translating in Greek ] Why is our emperor up and about so early, and seated at the grandest gate of our city, upon the throne, in state, wearing the crown?
♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ ♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ ♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ ♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ Because the barbarians will arrive today.
And the emperor expects to receive their leader.
Indeed, he has prepared to present him with a parchment scroll.
Thereon he has invested him with so many names and titles.
♪♪ ♪♪ Why have our two consuls and the praetors come out today in their purple, embroidered togas?
Why did they put on the bracelets studded with amethysts and rings with resplendent, glittering emeralds; why are they carrying today precious staves carved exquisitely in gold and silver?
♪ Because the barbarians are coming, coming ♪ ♪♪ Because the barbarians will arrive today and such things dazzle the barbarians.
♪♪ ♪ Because the barbarians are coming, coming ♪ ♪♪ And why don't our worthy orators, as always, come out to deliver their speeches, to have their usual say?
♪♪ ♪ Because the barbarians are coming, coming ♪ Because the barbarians will arrive today; and they get bored with eloquence and orations.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Because the barbarians are coming, coming ♪ ♪ Because the barbarians are coming, coming ♪ ♪♪ [ Translating in Greek ] Why has there suddenly begun all this commotion, and this confusion?
(How solemn people's faces have become.)
Why are the streets and the squares emptying so swiftly, and everyone is returning home in deep preoccupation?
Because night has fallen and the barbarians have not come.
And some people have arrived from the frontiers, and said that there are no barbarians anymore.
And now, what will become of us without barbarians?
Those people were some sort of a solution.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] [ Applause continues ] [ Applause continues ] [ Orchestra playing softly ] ♪♪ [ Singing in Greek, operatic style ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing in Greek continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing in Greek continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing in Greek continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] [ Orchestra playing softly ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Those voices ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Those voices ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Those voices ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Those voices ♪ ♪ Are the sweeter ♪ ♪ Which have fallen ♪ ♪ Forever silent ♪ ♪ Mournfully ♪ ♪ Resounding ♪ ♪ Only in the heart ♪ ♪ That sorrows ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ In dreams ♪ ♪ The melancholic voices come ♪ ♪ Timorous and humble ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And bring before ♪ ♪ Our feeble memory ♪ ♪ The precious dead ♪ ♪ Whom the cold cold earth ♪ ♪ Conceals ♪ ♪♪ ♪ For whom the mirthful daybreak ♪ ♪ Never shines ♪ ♪ Nor springtimes blossom ♪ ♪ Melodious voices sigh ♪ ♪ And in the soul ♪ ♪ Our life's first poetry ♪ ♪ Sounds like music ♪ ♪ In the night ♪ ♪ That's far awa-a-a-a-a-a-a-y ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ The happy sully Nature ♪ ♪ The earth's a realm of grief ♪ ♪ The dawn weeps tears ♪ ♪ Of unknown woe ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The orphaned evenings ♪ ♪ Pallid ♪ ♪ Grieve ♪ ♪ And the soul ♪ ♪ That is elect ♪ ♪ Sings ♪ ♪ Mournfully ♪ ♪ Sings ♪ ♪ Mournfully ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ In breezes I hear sighing ♪ ♪♪ ♪ In violets I see blame ♪ ♪♪ [ Humming ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Humming continues ] ♪♪ ♪ I feel ♪ ♪ The rose's painful life ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The meadows fill with cryptic woe ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ And in the woodlands thick ♪ ♪ A sobbing sound ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Mankind lauds the happy ♪ ♪ And poets false extol them ♪ ♪ Mankind lauds the happy ♪ ♪ And poets false extol them ♪ ♪ But Nature's gates are closed ♪ ♪ To those who, heartless and indifferent ♪ ♪ Laugh ♪ ♪ Laugh ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Strangers ♪ ♪ Strangers ♪ ♪ Strangers ♪ ♪ Strangers ♪ ♪ Strangers ♪ ♪ In a miserable land ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Imagined voices, and beloved, too ♪ ♪ Of those who died ♪ ♪ Or of those who are lost unto us ♪ ♪ Like the dead ♪ ♪ Sometimes in our dreams they speak to us ♪ ♪ Sometimes in its thought the mind will hear them ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ And with their sound for a moment ♪ ♪ There return sounds ♪ ♪ From the first poetry of our life ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Like music ♪ ♪ In the night ♪ ♪ Far off ♪ ♪ That fades away ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Like music ♪ ♪ In the night ♪ ♪ Far off ♪ ♪ That fades away ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Like music in the night ♪ ♪ Far off ♪ ♪ That fades away ♪ ♪ That fades away ♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] [ Applause continues ] ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Ahh ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Vocalizing continues ] ♪♪ [ Vocalizing continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Vocalizing continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ [ Singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪ Voices, loved and idealized, of those who have died ♪ ♪ Or of those lost for us like the dead ♪ ♪ Sometimes they speak to us in dreams ♪ ♪ Sometimes they speak to us in dreams ♪ ♪ Sometimes deep in thought the mind hears them ♪ ♪ Sometimes deep in thought ♪ ♪ The mind hears them ♪ ♪ Voices, loved and idealized, of those who have died ♪ ♪ Or of those lost for us like the dead ♪ ♪ Sometimes they speak to us in dreams ♪ ♪ Sometimes deep in thought the mind hears them ♪ ♪ Sometimes deep in thought ♪ ♪ The mind hears them ♪ ♪ And with their sound ♪ ♪ For a moment return ♪ ♪ Sounds from our life's first poetry ♪ ♪ Like music at night ♪ ♪ Distant ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Fading ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Voices ♪ ♪ Fading ♪ ♪ Away ♪ ♪ Away ♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] I chose these two poems because they're both about expectations.
And the first one, set in Ancient Rome and the government has come to a standstill.
Everybody's arguing.
It's basically a deadlock.
A shutdown.
And I thought, "Hang on.
This sounds familiar."
And they all seem to be waiting for someone, these strangers, or maybe some kind of enemy to show up.
So they're hanging around, waiting, trying to figure things out.
[ Choir talking indistinctly ] And then there is a... kind of a...surprise ending.
What are we waiting for, assembled in the Forum?
The barbarians are here today.
And why isn't anything going on in the Senate?
And why are the Senators just sitting there without legislating?
Because... [ Upbeat music playing ] ...the barbarians are coming today.
♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ ♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ ♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ Yeah, the barbarians are coming today.
So what's the point of coming?
Waiting for Senators to make laws now?
Once the barbarians are here, they'll do the legislating.
Why...why... did our emperor get up so early, and why is he sitting enthroned at the city's main gate... City's main gate.
-City's main gate.
...in state, wearing the crown?
♪♪ Because the barbarians are coming today.
♪ The barbarians are coming ♪ ♪ The barbarians are coming today ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ And the emperor's waiting to receive their leader.
He's even got a scroll to give him, loaded with titles, imposing names-s-s-s. ♪♪ And why have our two consuls and praetors come out today wearing their embroidered, their scarlet togas?
♪ Scarlet togas ♪ And why have they put on bracelets with so many amethysts... ♪ So many amethysts ♪ ...rings sparkling with magnificent emeralds?
♪ Magnificent emeralds ♪ And why are they carrying elegant canes... ♪ Elegant canes ♪ ...beautifully worked in silver... and gold?
♪ Silver and gold ♪ Because... the barbarians are coming today.
And things like that just dazzle the barbarians.
♪♪ ♪♪ And why don't our distinguished orators turn up as usual to make their speeches and say what they have to say?
Say... what they have to say.
Because the barbarians are coming today.
They're bored by rhetoric and public speaking.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Why, why, why, why ♪ And why... ♪ Why, why, why, why ♪ ...this sudden bewilderment, this confusion?
(How serious people's faces have become.)
♪ Why, why, why, why ♪ And why are the streets and squares emptying so rapidly, everyone going home... lost in thought?
♪♪ ♪ Because night ♪ ♪ Has fallen ♪ ♪ Has fallen ♪ ♪ And some of our men just in from the border say ♪ There are no barbarians any longer.
♪♪ ♪ Because night ♪ ♪ Has fallen ♪ ♪ Has fallen ♪ ♪ And some of our men just in from the border say ♪ There are no... barbarians... any longer.
♪♪ ♪ No barbarians ♪ There are no barbarians... ♪ No barbarians ♪ ...any longer.
♪ No barbarians ♪ ♪ No barbarians ♪ ♪ No barbarians ♪ ♪♪ What's going to happen to us without barbarians?
[ Choir talking indistinctly ] Why are the streets so empty?
Everyone's going home.
Lost in thought.
♪♪ Why this confusion?
♪♪ This bewilderment?
There are no barbarians anymore.
♪♪ Those people were a kind of solution.
♪♪ ♪ Unless ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ Ourselves ♪ ♪ Unless ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ Ourselves ♪ ♪ Are the barbarians ♪ ♪ Unless we ourselves ♪ ♪ Are the barbarians ♪ ♪ Unless we ourselves ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Are the barbarians ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ And as you set out for Ithaka, hope your road is a long one... ♪♪ full of adventure... ♪♪ ...full of discovery.
♪♪ Laistrygonians, Cyclops... ...angry Poseidon.
Don't be afraid of them.
You won't see them if your thoughts are somewhere else.
♪♪ Always keep Ithaka in your mind.
♪♪ Arriving there is something you're destined for.
♪♪ And hope your road is a long one.
May there be many summer mornings when, with what pleasure, what joy, you enter harbors you're seeing for the very first time.
♪♪ May you buy fine things, mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony, sensual perfumes of every kind.
♪♪ And may you visit many Egyptian cities... ♪♪ ...to learn from their scholars.
♪♪ And always keep Ithaka in your mind.
Arriving there is what you're destined for.
♪♪ But don't hurry the journey at all.
It's better... if it lasts for years.
♪♪ Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She gave you...everything, nothing left to give you now.
♪♪ And if you find her poor... ...wise as you will have become... ♪♪ so full of experience... ♪♪ ...you'll have understood by then... ♪♪ ...what these Ithakas mean.
♪♪ So if you find her poor... ♪♪ ...Ithaka won't have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you'll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ]
