My Lords and Ladies, Foes and Friends

Lyrics

[CELLINI] My lords and ladies, foes and friends— In a moment everything ends I call upon you all to witness My true heroic and artistic fitness To die as bravely and as full of glory As ever was known in Florence's story I have sailed the deeps and shallows Now I reach that sorry shore—the gallows But for the life of me, I cannot see Why death should be the death of me My work will bud and blossom and bloom When Maffio yonder rots in his tomb [APPRENTICES] Our master says the chances are slim That death should be the death of him [CELLINI, spoken] As I stand here, ready for eternity I have a thousand joys to look back on And only three regrets: One—that I die without having slit Don Maffio's throat Two—that the statue of my nymph, my masterpiece, remains unfinished Three—that I leave this earth without ever having kissed the lips of Angela That divine Angela whose fair form and spirit inspired my masterpiece (sung) Beyond these three regrets, I have no regrets There was life, there was love, there was laughter These I've known, so I know no despair Heaven or hell, who can tell what comes after? This I know: Of joys I've had my share And so, unflinching I face the shadows And if the future sings this glad refrain: "He lived life, he loved love, he laughed laughter" I've not lived or loved or laughed in vain [ENSEMBLE, CELLINI] And so, unflinching he'll face the shadows And so I face the shadows And if the future And when the future Sings this glad refrain: Sings this glad refrain: [CELLINI & ENSEMBLE] "He lived life, he loved love, he laughed laughter" [ENSEMBLE, CELLINI] He's not lived or loved or laughed I've not lived or laughed [CELLINI & ENSEMBLE] In vain [MAGISTRATE, spoken] Very nice, Cellini. Very nice indeed. One minute left.  [CELLINI, spoken] In his last moments you see him before you, a true son of Florence. I have here my will, written only a few minutes ago, and when you hear it you will learn how great my love is for my native city and for you, my brothers.  [LAWYER] I, Benvenuto Cellini, goldsmith, sculptor, jewel-setter Craftsman to kings and queens—and better— Bequeath ten thousand ducats to the citizenry [ENSEMBLE, spoken] Hooray! [LAWYER] To erect in the Palazzo Vecchio—a statue of me The balance of my estate I bequeath to the Committee For Perpetuating the Beauty of Our City To maintain a Cellini Foundation that will keep alive My memory for the generations yet to arrive [CELLINI] These monuments to Florence's greatest son Will make our city a city second to none [ENSEMBLE, spoken] Hooray! [MAGISTRATE, spoken] Time is up! [HANGMAN starts to put the noose around CELLINI's neck.] [ENSEMBLE] There was life, there was love, there was laughter These he's known, so why should he despair? [CELLINI, noose around his neck] When I rot, matters not what comes after This I know: Of joys I've had my share [ENSEMBLE] And so, unflinching he'll face the shadows And if the future sings this glad refrain: "He lived life, he loved love, he laughed laughter"— [A commotion is heard and on rushes OTTAVIANO.] [OTTAVIANO, spoken] Stop! Stop! Halt the halter! [MAFFIO, spoken] What is this? (sung) Why halt the halter For this murderous assaulter? [OTTAVIANO, spoken] A pardon! A pardon from the Duke! [ENSEMBLE] A pardon! A pardon! A pardon! [OTTAVIANO, spoken, reads] I, Alessandro the Wise, Duke of Florence, having suddenly been reminded that the nymph designed for me by Cellini is unfinished, although practically paid for in full, do hereby pardon him until such time as the statue is completed. Signed, Alessandro the Wise, Duke of Florence.  [ENSEMBLE, spoken] Hooray! (sung) Hail, Cellini! Hail, Cellini! [CELLINI] O lucky world, I live to create! Saint Peter's portals will have to wait [ENSEMBLE] Our happiness we cannot contain What's heaven's loss is Florence's gain! [SOUVENIR MAN] Souvenirs! Hurry, hurry, hurry, get your souvenirs! Souvenirs of the pardon of Cellini! The greatest pardon of the season! [MAFFIO starts to back away but draws sword. CELLINI snatches a sword from someone nearby and rushes after MAFFIO.] [ENSEMBLE] If you're bent on viewing Something doing Come to Florence Highly temperamental Are the gentle Men of Florence Blood is always spilling Life is thrilling Here in Florence Everything warrants Our singing of Florence So Florence, we're singing of you Everything warrants Our singing of Florence So Florence, we're singing of you [NARRATOR] Meanwhile at Cellini's place We see Ascanio's smiling face He's Cellini's maître d' And glad his master's walking free The luncheon table's being laid By Emilia, Cellini's maid