Statues and Stories
Clara
Mother? What happened here?
Margaret
What did happen here? I played a tricky game in a foreign country. What did I do?
Clara
Mother?
Margaret
What happened here? Well let’s see.
On a central square, in a city of the sun rose a palace.
It was high and handsome gleaming like the crown of a king.
Clara
Where would that be? Where is that?
Margaret
In the tower, a warning bell would ring.
Clara
What kind of warning?
Margaret
For a fire or river overflowing.
Clara
Oh!
Margaret
Firenze
On a central square, the beginning of a kingdom republic.
Clara
Was there a king; was there a queen?
Margaret
There were princes, painters, noblemen of logic and art.
Clara
Firenze
Margaret
Leonardo
Clara
Leonardo
Margaret
Michaelangelo, the start.
Clara
That’s a completely naked statue.
Margaret
‘Twas a dawning day unfurling
Clara
From the heart,
The painting of the world we know.
Clara/Margaret
The world we know.
On a central square…
Margaret
In a city made of statues and stories.
Clara
Go on and tell me what they mean.
Margaret
It ignited there like a beacon coming out of the dark.
You can feel it…
Clara
You can feel it…
Margaret
You can follow…
Clara
You can follow…
Margaret
The spark
Clara
We’re on vacation
Margaret
From an age to an age
Clara
From an age to an age
Margaret
In Firenze
Clara
In Firenze
Margaret
In Firenze
Clara
In Firenze
Margaret
The spark…
Clara
The painting of…
Margaret/Clara
…the world.
It started then and there and here we are.
It’s a new old world to me.
It’s a new old world and we are here.
Clara
On a central square
Margaret
In a city made of statues and stories.
Margaret/Clara
It ignited there like a beacon coming out of the dark.
Clara
You can feel it…
Margaret
You can feel it…
Clara
You can follow…
Margaret
You can follow…
Clara
You can feel it…
Margaret
You can feel it…
Clara
You can follow…
Margaret
You can follow the spark.
Clara
We’re on vacation.
Margaret
We’re on vacation.
Everyone except Clara and Margaret
Ahhh.
Clara
In Firenze
Margaret
In Firenze
Clara
In Firenze
Margaret
In Firenze
Margaret
The spark…
Clara
The painting of…
Margaret/Clara
…the world.
It started then and there and here we are.
It’s a new old world to me
It’s a new old world and we are finally here.
The Beauty Is
Clara
These are very popular, in Italy.
It’s the land of naked marble boys.
Something we don’t see a lot in Winston-Salem,
That’s the land of corduroys.
I’m just a someone in an old museum.
Far away from home as someone can go.
And the beauty is I still meet people I know.
Hello.
This is wanting something, this is reaching for it,
This is wishing that a moment would arrive.
This is taking chances, this is almost touching, what the beauty is.
I don’t understand a word they’re saying,
I’m as different here as different can be.
But the beauty is I still meet people like me.
Everyone’s a mother here, in Italy.
Everyone’s a father, or a son.
I think if I had a child, I would take such care of her.
Then I wouldn’t feel like one.
I’ve hardly met a single soul, but I am not alone.
I feel known.
This is wanting something, this praying for it,
This is holding breath and keeping fingers crossed.
This is counting blessings, this is wondering when I’ll see that boy again.
I’ve got a feeling he’s just a someone, too.
And the beauty is, when you realize, when you realize,
Someone could be looking for a someone like you.
Il Mondo Era Vuoto
Fabrizio
Il mondo era vuoto
Le ombre lo riempivan
La luce non pariva mai
Clara, la luce nella piazza
Clara, mia luce, mio cor
Ora che sono sveglio
All’ombra non vo tornar
Non sapevo di sentirmi solo
Privo del senso della vita
Era cosi
Clara
Clara
Clara, mia luce, mio cor
L’essenza che mi mancava, sei tu
La tua luce m’inonda
Ma lei non puo amarmi
Non cosi
O Clara
Non amera un ragazzino
Non puo amare un ragazzino
Dio
Papa
Dormivo
Io non sapevo d’esser solo
Solo nel buio
Non ero vivo
Non c’era Clara
Ma ora la tua luce m’inonda
Ma lei non puo amarmi
Non cosi
O Clara
Non amera un ragazzino
Non puo amare un ragazzino
Dio!
Papa!
Clara
Clara
Clara, mia luce, mio cor
L’essenza che mi mancava, sei tu
Sei tu
Clara
Clara
Clara, mia luce, mio cor
L’essenza che mi mancava, sei tu
Sei tu
Clara
Clara
Clara, mia luce, mio cor
Solo nel buio
Non ero vivo
O Dio, datemi mia Clara
O, padre, la sua luce
M’inonda
Passeggiata
Fabrizio
Vuoi fare una passeggiata con me?
Clara
Cosa?
Fabrizio
Do you want to make… to walking, to walking with me… on the road… in a circle?
Clara
Si.
Fabrizio
Bene!
Come with me
Walk with me
Walking in my city
Una passeggiata
You and I
See the faces
From the daytime
Talking in the evening
See the churches shining
See the sky
Now is
I am
Happiness
Never
I am
Unhappiness
Now is I am happiness
With you
Walk with me in the place that I know
La passeggiata
Now is
I am
Happiness
Never
I am
Unhappiness
Now is I am happiness
With you
Walk with me in the place that I know
La passeggiata
Margaret
Grazzie.
Signor
Ah, you speak Italian
Margaret
Hardly. Signor Naccarelli?
Signor
Yes? You have a charming accent
Margaret
Oh, I do?
Signor
But go on.
Margaret
It’s… it’s about Clara
Signor
She seems quite lovely to me. Like her mother. You were saying?
Fabrizio
Your milk, your milk is
Eh.
Clara
My milk is what? What milk?
Fabrizio
Not milk, is like milk
Clara
Like snow?
Fabrizio
Eh si, but no
I know snow
Non e’snow
Is…
(he touches the back of her hand)
Here.
Come si dice?
Here?
(he touches her neck)
And here?
(he touches her cheek)
And also here
Clara
My skin!
Fabrizio
Your skin is like milk!
I am work here
In the tie shop
Next to Arno River
Even though I know is not big size
See Palazzi
On the hilltop
Maybe one day live there
Maybe if I sell too many ties
Ah…
Now is I am happiness with you
Walk with me in the place that I live from a child
The place that I know
La passeggiata
The Joy You Feel
Franca
Very handsome, your new fellow.
You and I are very much alike, I think. You and Fabrizio
Clara
Like you and Giuseppe
Franca
You see, two pairs of lovers
How truly happy you must be
You are the first to set him on his knee
You’re the envy of so many girls
And you are the most beautiful
So far
The gentle jangle of his voice
No other sound
No smile
No face
No choice
And the joy I know you feel
This is something I remember well, my dear
And on your first anniversary
In the piazza where you met
At first it’s, it’s only a glance
And then his eyes will set
Upon a girl who’s prettier and younger than you
What to do?
Enjoy it
You are free
You have time to spare
The bassinette is empty
The nursery is bare
You can spend his money
Then there is no money
You can take a lover. But
He’s the one you love
He’s the one you love
Isn’t he?
Though truly happy, you must beware
For happiness can also scar
For so like me you are
You are
Beware
Clara
Thank you
Dividing Day
Margaret
Dashing as the day we met,
Only there is something I don’t recognize.
Though I cannot name it yet, I know it.
Beautiful is what you are,
Only somehow wearing a frightening disguise.
I can see the winter in your eyes now, telling me:
“Thank you, We’re done here, Not much to say.
We are together but I have had Dividing Day.”
So when, when was this day?
Was it on the church step?
Suddenly you’re out of love.
Does it go creeping slowly?
When was your Dividing Day?
I can see the winter in your eyes now, telling me:
“Margaret, we did it, You courtesed, I bowed.
We are together, but no more love, no more love allowed.”
When was dividing day?
Was it on the church step?
Did it happen right away?
Were you lying next to me,
Hiding what you couldn’t say?
How could I have guessed?
Was my cheek upon your chest?
An ocean away…
When was, when was, when was Dividing Day?
Hysteria
(Clara is reading the directions Fabrizio gave her)
Clara
After lobby, after fountain,
go to Arno making left and left again to Tornabuoni all along
and then you see Museo
After lobby, after fountain,
Go to Arno making left and left again to
Tornabuoni
All along and then you see Museo
Right!
After lobby, after fountain,
Go to Arno making left and left again to
Tornabuoni
All along and then you see Museo, Museo
I wait for you in courtyard of Museo
Which is looking like a garden
Ciao
Fabrizio!
Ha!
Man
Buona Sera
Clara
That was a silly thing to do, Clara. Crap. I memorized it. Concentrate, Clara.
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la la
Man
Ciao. Ti sei perduata? Mia Cara
Clara
Ciao. Ciao, cara. Cara… that means dear. That means dear, sort of.
Oh, dear. Oh, crap. I know where I am!
Woman
Do you look for the Medici Palace?
Clara
No, thank you. Sono felice. I am fine.
Museo
Clara/Fabrizio
La la la
La la la
La la la la
La la
La la la
La la la
Clara
Fabrizio Naccarelli! Fabrizio Naccarelli! He’s waiting for me! He’s waiting for me!
Clara Johnson, 142 East Lake Street!
Clara Johnson, 142 East Lake Street!
Margaret
Clara? It’s alright, It’s alright, I’m here. I’m her mother, madre, bene, va bene, grazie
Little Clara, little Clara
No more crying
Mama here now
Baby Clara, baby Clara
Hmm
Little Clara, little Clara
Say It Somehow
Clara
Why don’t you trace it on my hand
Or make a song
Do anything
Say it somehow
I will understand
I know you
You are good
Fabrizio
The sound inside you
This I know
It’s like a melody
Like there you go just now
Say it somehow
Somehow you can show me
Both
Say it somehow
Anyway you can
You know me
You are good
Oh, you are good
You are good to me
I know this sound
Of touch me
I think I hear
The sound of
Wrap your arms around me
Ah
Shout and dance in rings
Clara
Or say it silently
Fabrizio
Tell me things
Both
Oh
We’ll play a game
You trace it on my skin
Do it any way
But let’s begin
Do it somehow
Somehow you can show me
I know that you know me
Ah
Clara
Will you marry me?
Fabrizio
No, no, no
No, no, no, no
It must be mine to ask it
Clara
Ask it then!
Fabrizio
I wish to be the one to decide!
Clara
Decide, decide!
Fabrizio
Will you–
Clara
Yes!
Fabrizio
— marry me?
Clara
Yes! Yes!
Both
You are good to me
I know the sound
Of touch me
I think I hear the sound of
Wrap your arms around me
Ah
Tell me things
Ohh
Ah