Carl Orff: Carmina Burana (Ponnelle)

Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle Stars: Lucia Popp, John van Kesteren and Hermann Prey O Fortuna velut luna statu variabilis, semper crescis aut decrescis; vita detestabilis nunc obdurat et tunc curat ludo mentis aciem, egestatem, potestatem dissolvit ut glaciem. Sors immanis et inanis, rota tu volubilis, status malus, vana salus semper dissolubilis, obumbrata et velata michi quoque niteris; nunc per ludum dorsum nudum fero tui sceleris. Sors salutis et virtutis michi nunc contraria, est affectus et defectus semper in angaria. Hac in hora sine mora corde pulsum tangite; quod per sortem sternit fortem, mecum omnes plangite! Fortune plango vulnera stillantibus ocellis quod sua michi munera subtrahit rebellis. Verum est, quod legitur, fronte capillata, sed plerumque sequitur Occasio calvata. In Fortune solio sederam elatus, prosperitatis vario flore coronatus; quicquid enim florui felix et beatus, nunc a summo corrui gloria privatus. Fortune rota volvitur: descendo minoratus; alter in altum tollitur; nimis exaltatus rex sedet in vertice caveat ruinam! nam sub axe legimus Hecubam reginam. _____ O how Fortune, inopportune, apes the moon’s inconstancy: waxing, waning, losing, gaining, life treats us detestably: first oppressing then caressing shifts us like pawns in her play: destitution, restitution, mixes and melts them away. Fate, as vicious as capricious, whirling your merry-go-round: evil doings, worthless wooings, crumble away to the ground: darkly stealing, unrevealing, working against me you go: for your measure of foul pleasure I bare my back to your blow. Noble actions, true transactions, no longer fall to my lot: powers to make me then to break me all play their part in your plot: now seize your time - waste no more time, pluck these poor strings and let go: since the strongest fall the longest let the world share in my woe. Fortune plango vulnera I cry the cruel cuts of Fate with eyes worn red from weeping, whose fickle favours travel straight back into her keeping: as ye read, so shall ye find - luck comes curly-headed from the front, but round behind not a hair is threaded! Dame Fortune once invited me to enjoy her blessing: to riches’ throne exalted me, caring and caressing: but from maximum renown, garlanded and fêted, Fate stepped up and threw me down - glory dissipated! Fortune’s wheel goes round and round, down go all my talents; others rising from the ground fly too high to balance: so beware Fate’s old routine, kings and lords and ladies - for beneath her throne lies Queen Hecuba in Hades.