Chinese Kunqu Opera-Tha Palace of Eternal Youth-長生殿-2

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Description

The Dream Music

Translation by
Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang(楊憲益戴乃迭)

Chang'e:
I'm Chang'e, Goddess of the moon. I have a melody called The Dance of the Rainbow and Feathery Garments,long kept in th moon and unknown to man. Now the Tang emperor on the earth below is fond of music, and his concubine Yang Yuhuan was a fairy maid on the fairy mountain, who used to visit me during her last life. I will summon her spirit to hear this tune again, so that when she awakes she can transcribe it, carrying the music of heaven to ,ortals on earth. Come on, Hanhuang!

Hanhuang:
Ready, my lady!

Chang'e:
Go to the Tang palace and bring the sleeping Yang Yuhuan's spirit here. When the dance has been played, you may send her back. Through this fairy dream we shall secretly teach the girl our immotal dance.

Hanhuang:
Leaving the splendid heavens, my jade pendants quiver,
My gown reflecting brightness as I tread on rosy clouds.
I must call her sleeping spirit to the moon.
Here is the Tand palace.
Get up, Lady Yang!

Lady:
Still drowsy with sleep, I rise
And slowly draw back the curtains.
Oh, it is a palace maid.

Hanhuang:
I'm not a palace maid, I'm not concubine either. I'm a fairy maid from the moon,called Hanhuang.

Lady:
Oh so you are a fairy maid from the moon! How did you come here?

Hanhuang:
Just now my mistress, the goddess of the moon,
Ordered me to invite you to enjoy our cassia blossoms in our palace.

Lady: Can it be true!

Hanhuang: Don't hesitate my lady. Let me lead the way, Come with me!

Together:
We fly towards the azure sky,
While clouds float past beneath our feet.
Stars are so near that we could reach out to pluck them.
we see the glorious palace of the moon
Like a reflection in a rounded mirror.

Lady:
This is mid-summer, but how I feel so cold?

Hanhuang:
It's the palace of boundless cold you mortals call. You may enter now!

Lady:
Tonight I, an ordinary mortal, have come to the moon! How fortunate I am!
Look! There is a group of fairies in white tunics and red skirts coming this way, playing music. How sweet the melody is!

Hanhuang:
This is the Dance of the Rainbow and Feathery Garments.Marvellous music, so clear and melodious, That moves my heart strangely!