The Great Composers

Sono andati? Fingevo di dormire, Che Ha Detto il Medico?

Mimì
Are they gone? I was pretending to sleep –
because I wanted to be left alone with you.
I have so many things I want to tell you,
or only one thing, but as huge as the ocean,
deep and infinite as the sea.
You are my love and my whole life!

RODOLFO
Oh, Mimì, my beautiful Mimì!

MIMI
Am I still beautiful?

RODOLFO
Lovely as a sunrise –

MIMI
Your comparison is wrong.
You meant: lovely as a sunset.
“They call me Mimì –
They call me Mimì –
why… I don’t know…”

RODOLFO
The swallow’s returned to the nest and sings.
(He shows Mimì the bonnet he has kept.)

MIMI
My bonnet, my little bonnet!
Ah! Do you remember when
I came here for the first time?

RODOLFO
Do I remember!

MIMI
The candle had gone out…

RODOLFO
You were so upset!
Then you lost the key…

MIMI
And you began groping around to find it!

RODOLFO
And I searched and searched…

MIMI
My handsome young sir,
I can tell you now,
you found it quite soon…

RODOLFO
I was helping fate…

MIMI
It was dark, and my blushing couldn’t be seen-
What a frozen little hand…
let me warm it for you…”
It was dark, and you held my hand –
(She has a sudden, violent coughing spell and sinks back, exhausted.)

CHE HA DETTO IL MEDICO?
(Rodolfo cautiously moves away from Mimì and motions to the others to be still. He speaks to Marcello.)

RUDOLFO
What did the doctor say?

MARCELLO VERRA
He will come.
(Musetta heats the medicine over the spirit lamp. She prays almost unconsciously.)
MUSETTA
Blessed Madonna,
show grace to the poor little girl
that she need not die.
(She motions to Marcello.)
This needs a screen here,
because the flame flickers.
(Marcello approaches and puts a book on the table forming a windscreen for the lamp.)
So. And that she will recover.
Holy Madonna,
I am unworthy of forgiveness,
while instead Mimì
is an angel of the heavens.
(While Musetta prays, Rodolfo approaches her.)
RODOLFO
I am still hoping.
Does it seem serious to you?

I don’t think so.
(Schaunard tiptoes to the bedside. Horrified, he goes over to Marcello.)
SCHAUNARD
Marcello, she’s dead…
(A ray of sun falls through the window onto Mimì. Rodolfo takes Musetta’s cloak and tries to hang it over the window. Colline enters softly and lays some money on the table.)

COLLINE
Musetta – for you. How does it go?

RODOLFO
Vedi?… È tranquilla.
Che vuol dire
quell’andare e venire,
quel guardarmi così…

MARCELLO
Coraggio!