LYRICS
ENGLISH TRANSLATION BELOW
中文歌词 (read in Chinese here)
Premiered in Shanghai by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in 2021
Abridged in 2024 for the China Now Music Festival
Music by Hao Weiya
Libretto by Wang Yuanfei
THE SECOND DAY
Who are you? Who am I?
Situ Rui:
Who are you? Who am I?
The night is boundless, vast, and deep,
Silent as the heavens in their sleep.
From body to soul, we drift so high,
Like stars that pierce the twilight sky.
A whistle cuts through the dawn’s gleam,
Beloved solitude,
You are my dream.
In solitude, the wildflowers bloom,
A pillow of hills, a river's green plume.
Why force a smile when blossoms fall?
Embrace the innocence that holds us all.
Life has betrayed me, so I choose,
To hold solitude, nothing to lose.
The wilderness spreads, clouds thin and still,
No wind, no waves, just silent will.
My gaze is clear, my soul takes flight,
Upon the heights, I scale the light.
Joy and sorrow blend as I see your face,
Is it you I long to embrace?
You said the truth is buried deep,
In silence, where the lonely weep.
Passion, grief, ecstasy, they rise,
In lovers’ touch, in lovers' sighs.
Life is a farewell, and solitude stays,
A shadow that follows our fleeting days.
Why do the stars before me spin?
Am I lost in madness deep within?
Have I offended the heavens above,
By falling under the stars’ cruel love?
What knocks upon my trembling heart?
Is it her, my Juliet, my lost art?
She hangs on the edge of the sky, so bright,
A gleaming jewel in the silent night.
She’s an angel, descending to earth below,
See her weave, her steps ebb and flow,
Like a white dove among a raven’s flight,
I, a lone wolf, wander through the night.
Nowhere to hide from this blazing light,
I flee the noise, the crowds, the sight.
Stumbling through the world so wide,
Seeking a quiet place to confide.
Once, I reveled in the rain’s sweet song,
Wrapped in the warmth of candlelight strong.
Now, my boat drifts cold on a frozen tide,
With shattered geese, the wind my guide.
Reflecting on joy, sorrow, pain,
Brings a deeper clarity, a sharper gain.
The darkest places show the heart’s true beat,
A struggle, but I refuse defeat.
Even when dandelions turn to gold,
I’ll raise the banner of faith untold.
The hero's fate is found on the field,
Where flames of wildfire refuse to yield.
I’ll take a spark and place it high,
An offering of incense to the sky.
To keep art alive, Venus divine,
Forever beautiful, she shall shine.
Yet the heavy flesh cannot bear,
The lofty thoughts that fill the air.
All I want is my body’s spark,
To light the dark, to leave a mark.
Return to me, my love, so sweet,
With the scent of you, my soul's retreat.
No one can halt what’s meant to be,
The hero’s final destination is the battlefield.
Let art survive, let Venus glow,
As history’s light continues to flow.
No one can stop this gleam so bright,
A flash of lightning in the night.
I’ll cleave the walls of fate with might,
Even if I’m thin as a beam of light.
For whom does the death bell toll?
Who are you, and what’s my role?
Why am I here, in this place unknown?
A black robe drifts through skies alone.
In grand times, dreams sway, so tall,
But lies forge futures destined to fall.
In my mind, crops burst from the earth,
Corn, beans, wheat, yams spring forth.
Green peas, red sorghum, wild daisies bloom,
Free and wild, they rise, no room for gloom.
Like Xiang Yu riding on his horse, racing down the hall,
Through Roman marble, echoing the call.
Van Gogh’s ear, hanging high,
In Parthenon’s statue, beneath the sky.
Such reckless form, I float unbound,
As frogs croak near a lotus pond's sound.
My beloved answers the call with grace,
A beauty, delicate, filling the space.
From here, love blooms, and seasons rage,
In endless cycles, love takes the stage.
Passions spark, like wildfire's blaze,
One spark will ignite the camp in flames.
But alas, we stand worlds apart,
With love’s banner held close to my heart.
In my father's name, I cross the seas,
Over the vast Pacific with ease.
Plato begins his wandering quest,
In the dawn, music fills his chest.
Lonely, he learns life’s transient song,
In solitude, he knows he belongs.
Where’s my precious loneliness?
In bitter herbs, juniper, licorice bow.
Oh, Chu Qiao,
Where are you hiding?
Through gates of loneliness, my soul is gliding.
I fold my grief and stand on my toes,
Even the purest moon fears to impose.
Chu Qiao, where are you?
I feel death approaching too.
Stones fill my chest, I gasp for air,
All is madness, nothing is fair.
My body floats, weightless in space,
My soul has lost its earthly grace.
What is this sound I hear so low?
It is death, cutting time’s flow.
Get back, get away,
Don’t silence my memory today!
Must I fill life’s void with solitude’s cry?
Forget solitude, honor death’s sky.
Get back, don’t erase my mind,
Don’t erase my memories,
Don’t delete my past,
Don’t take away the light of Chu Qiao’s love from me.
Move aside,
Accept that woman's offer,
She will ferry me across death's river,
So I can see my beloved Chu Qiao once more
Move aside!
Chu Qiao:
We’re almost there, almost to the end,
How I long to hear your voice, my friend.
Oh, Juliet, how I wish to embrace,
And feel your life, your tender grace.
The twilight hides me from their eyes,
But love grants me the courage to rise.
Even if we never meet again,
Love’s strength will see us through the pain.
Situ Rui:
This is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet,
Translated by Zhu Shenghao, no regret.
Chu Qiao:
Without your love, why should I stay,
Why not die in your song today?
Li Yao:
Situ Rui, your mind is not your own,
You belong now to science alone.
Situ Rui:
This is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet,
Translated by Zhu Shenghao, yet—
Chu Qiao:
Without your love, why should I remain,
Better to die in the music’s refrain.
Li Yao:
Come, come, Situ Rui, rebirth awaits,
The door to new life opens its gates.
Situ Rui:
This is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet,
Translated by Zhu Shenghao, set.
Chu Qiao:
Without your love, life means nothing,
In your song, I’d rather stop breathing.
Li Yao:
Come, come, Shitu Rui, death’s gates swing wide,
Through rebirth’s door, your soul will glide.
Shitu Rui:
Some of these words are lies, aren’t they?
Chu Qiao:
Without your love, I’d rather fade away,
Than live without you another day.
Li Yao:
Come, Situ Rui, rebirth’s door is here,
Step through, and leave behind your fear.
THE FOURTH DAY
Where are you?
Chu Qiao:
I love you,
Where are you, Situ Rui?
I search for your voice, your breath, your scent,
Your hands, your eyes, your lips still present.
Do you still hold those precious memories,
Of waiting through winters, with no sign of spring?
Even if snow covers every peak,
Even if hope feels distant and weak,
Tender love still fills my heart,
Every day it tears my soul apart.
Has your song drifted far from the land?
Death floats through the air every day,
Uncertain when it will land upon someone’s head.
Today, the peach blossoms bloom bright,
Tomorrow, they sway upon a tomb’s quiet night.
Life is but a pulse, an emotional storm,
For love, why fear death, when life’s first meeting is pure and sweet?
Why does the autumn wind always carry such lasting sorrow?
Unable to grieve,
Let the soul ferry across death's tide.
Pierce through the walls of human suffering,
This shore, that shore—one fades, one thrives.
Born toward death, and dying toward life,
The cycle of fate carves a brand-new path.
Frozen time is deeply wounded by you,
As my soul returns, it kisses your heart—that's all my love could ever dream.
I cannot erase the thought of you,
I fear the water will slip through.
So every morning and every night,
I clutch these memories, hold them tight.
I’ll leave the heavens and this land behind,
But I can’t let go of you from my mind.
Oh, you—
How have I fallen into this spell, so blue?
I love you.
When sunlight breaks through, it will see,
The hidden passion that lives in me.
I want our fingers intertwined,
Our bodies and souls, forever combined.
I’ll bare my heart without restraint,
And laugh, unburdened by pain or constraint.
Let desire’s fire burn me to ash,
For in love, I find my deepest clash.
How mysterious and profound are human emotions,
So captivating, so full of wonder.
Like golden winds and jade dew, hormones surge wildly,
Through all four seasons, joy and desire fill the world.
Situ Rui, I come to you now,
Like the lovestruck moth flies toward the torch,
Igniting the deep desires buried within me.
THE SIXTH DAY
The last man on earth sat alone in a room
Li Yao:
The soul of a genius leaves this plane,
At the edge of the world, no more in vain.
The song that pierced the clouds above,
Now gains immortality, like love.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
The future’s vision, now complete.
A living specimen of all we dream, of all that we imagined, it seems.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
Erase the memories of the human world,
Free yourself from the anxieties of the past.
At night, when you turn over, no nightmares will crush you,
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
Your cheeks will no longer feel,
The cold of the night or the sting of frozen tears.
Humanity’s greatest creation,
Has changed the very course of existence.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
A scientific umbrella,
Shielding you from the assault of time.
Though the clock may return to zero, it is no longer the past,
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
You have lost the pleasures of the changing seasons,
The fleeting joy of life’s sensations.
But in return, you have gained,
Fearlessness, tranquility, and eternal life.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
Your appearance may seem unchanged,
But only I know the secret beneath your warm skin.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
I will make your gaze surpass all human limits,
In one day, two days, seven days, creation unfolds.
I am the one controlling the light of life.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
The old you was blinded by time,
Half lost in confusion; half lost in passion.
From now on, you belong to the program,
And from now on, I am your god.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
Rising and soaring, with a spirit of your own,
Like a melody, scattered freely across the seasons.
No more tears, no need for love,
No sudden racing of the heart.
You are new, you are reborn, Situ Rui,
You have escaped death, you’ve been reborn in nirvana,
You are youth itself,
I have prepared for you eternal life.
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most adaptable to change.
But the one most adaptable to change
You will live forever.
You are my… you are my…
You are my miracle.
THE SEVENTH DAY
There was a knock on the door…
Li Yao:
How perfect is this art I’ve designed,
A product of my eccentric mind.
It is I who dreamt of the future’s day,
And it is I who crafted this miracle’s way.
A new human, a compound soul,
Breathe, for the future, you are whole.
Some memories are not worth keeping,
The new you faces the storm unweeping.
Look to the stars above the storm,
For the past is a tale too torn.
I declare Situ Rui reborn,
All his organs, fresh and new,
You are a blend of nature and science,
Gone are the flaws of human ways,
Gone are emotions that shift and sway.
Science brought you eternal life,
Human thoughts and endless debate,
Boring love and a trifling fate.
Li Yao:
You are Chu Qiao.
Chu Qiao:
Who are you?
Li Yao:
You are Situ Rui,
The name spoken at the last moment of evolution,
As you whispered it softly in purification.
Chu Qiao:
Where is he? Let us meet.
Situ Rui:
Eyes that are closed to darkness yearn more for light,
Only in brokenness do we seek the perfect sight.
Foolish humans, and their books of old,
Merely broken branches, stories untold.
In the golden age, they’re beasts of burden,
In chaos, they’re mere cannon fodder,
Slaves drowning in love’s false murmur.
They dress their ugliness with pride,
And build a house where truths can hide.
Chance and fate, they weave and spin,
A game of self-deception, lost within.
In the end, they face the dying duel,
Struggling, a battle most cruel.
Strip away the disguise, bare the fear,
Humanity trembles when death is near.
Chu Qiao:
The northern birds fly south,
Who has dyed the forest in frost's breath?
It's always the tears of the parted that fall,
As I wait for you through winter's pall.
Plucking the willow, yearning for reunion,
So many words I wish to tell my love.
Situ Rui:
The northern birds fly south,
Who has dyed the forest in frost's breath?
It is always the tears of the parted that fall,
As I block the spring from coming to call.
Singing a song beneath the moon,
While cold mist scatters the grass too soon.
Chu Qiao:
If we meet again after this long parting,
How will I face you? With tears or silence?
Shitu Riu:
Who are you? Who am I?
Shitu Riu, Chu Qiao:
The northern birds fly south,
Who has dyed the forest in frost's breath?
Chu Qiao:
It’s always the tears of the parted that fall.
I wait for you through winter’s pall,
Shitu Riu:
For whom do I block the spring?
Chu Qiao:
Plucking the willow, yearning for reunion,
Shitu Riu:
Singing a song beneath the moon.
Chu Qiao:
So many words I wish to tell my love,
Shitu Riu:
While cold mist scatters the grass too soon.
Chu Qiao:
Situ Rui, I am Chu Qiao
Shitu Riu:
Who are you? Who am I?
Li Yao:
This should not be; it makes no sense,
Situ Rui should have no more memory hence.
After rebirth, he should be free,
Of the cursed memories that should not be.
Where did we go wrong?
Why is his mood so restless, so strong?
I must stop everything at once,
Cut off his head, end this response.
Why does his emotion still rise and fall?
I’ll end it all, once and for all.
Cut off his head, end this response.
Not a second more can be delayed,
Not a second longer shall this be stayed.
Situ Rui:
My heart beats so fierce, it pounds so fast.
Li Yao:
I must stop everything, cut off his head at last.
Chu Qiao:
It’s me, I am Chu Qiao!
Situ Rui:
My heart beats so fierce, it pounds so strong.
Li Yao:
Not a second more can be delayed, not a second long!
Chu Qiao:
It’s me, I am Chu Qiao!
Situ Rui:
I have no memory of you,
Yet you seem so familiar, so true.
Li Yao:
I will remake you, disassemble you anew.
Chu Qiao:
Come with me.
Situ Rui:
Who am I? Who are you?
Li Yao:
You are perfect, brand new,
You are eternal, created by science’s view.
Chu Qiao:
This is murder! In the name of science, murder!
Situ Rui:
Why do you feel so familiar to me?
Li Yao:
I will remake you, disassemble you, and set you free.
Chu Qiao:
I am Chu Qiao, come with me.
Situ Rui:
Who am I? Who are you?
Li Yao:
You are perfect, you are new,
You are eternal, my miracle true.
Chu Qiao:
This is murder! In the name of science, murder!
Situ Rui:
My heart once burned with fire, now it’s cold.
Li Yao:
He’s no longer your lover, he’s no longer bold,
He is a new being, a perfect compound.
Chu Qiao:
Situ Rui, wake up, hear the sound!
Situ Rui:
Why does your face, so filled with tears,
Linger in the corners of my deepest fears?
Who are you?
Chu Qiao:
Come with me, in my memories you’re true.
Li Yao:
By the program’s design, I have the right,
To dissolve him, discard him, and reignite.
Chu Qiao:
You are killing a life, a being that’s whole.
Situ Rui:
Please, return my memory, return my soul!
Li Yao:
Birth is rebellion, against all we know.
Chu Qiao:
This is a pact with the devil, an endless woe.
Situ Rui:
Who are you?
Why are you so wrathful as an enemy
You are me, and I am you.
Only the light within us can pierce the dark night through.
Chu Qiao:
I beg, I hope, I still believe,
Give me a rain that brings relief.
Li Yao:
Birth is rebellion, against life’s chain.
Starlight and your soul shall walk the same.
God is dead
Situ Rui:
This is Nietzsche’s truth, you see.
Li Yao:
Desire is conquered by those who lack.
Situ Rui:
You are me, and I am you.
Li Yao:
Who stands there, who is that?
Situ Rui:
Only the light within can pierce the night,
And scatter the darkness, shining bright.
Li Yao:
Raise high the flag of rebellion,
Science will break free from human dominion.
Chu Qiao:
I curse, I hate this destruction's way,
How many sins wear science's mask today?
Situ Rui, Li Yao, Chu Qiao (together):
One day,
Li Yao:
The miracle will arrive,
Consciousness will transfer, emotions survive.
Chu Qiao:
From the wounds, freedom’s wings will grow,
And songs of dawn will gently flow.
Situ Rui:
We will cleanse, and clear the mist,
The fog of life will not persist.
Li Yao:
On Olympus’ peak, I’ll await your grace,
Chu Qiao:
Life without love and memory is an empty place.
Situ Rui:
At the end of life, I’ll finally know,
Who you are, and who I am, as we go.
Li Yao:
On Olympus’ peak, I’ll welcome you.
Chu Qiao:
Lovers will awake, and spring renew.
Situ Rui:
At life’s extreme, I will finally see,
Who you are, and who I am meant to be.