Robert Wilson’s Alcestis: Based on a play by Euripides

Robert Wilson's Alcestis Based on a play by Euripides SCENE 2 (Excerpt) 11: (Lights up on wrapped figure.) or it's all different: the steelmesh a whim of a careless crayon that refuses to give plasticity to the mountains with its badly done patching, perhaps the composition's caprice is according to plan, the tree sits on a tray, its roots cut off, the strange trees in the backgound are particularly long stemmed mushrooms, plants of a climate that doesn't know trees, how did the slab of concrete get into the landscape, there's no trace of any transportation or vehicle, I'VE TOLD YOU YOU SHOULDN'T COME BACK DEAD IS DEAD, no tracks of anything dragged, was it raised by force from the ground, dropped from HEAVEN, or lowered from an air only the dead are able to breathe by a crane's arm that's moved from a fixed place at the above called HEAVEN, is the mountain range a museum piece, on loan from a subterranean showroom where the mountains are stored because at their natural habitat they obstruct the low flights of angels, the 'total' picture an experimental arrangement, the crude design an expression of contempt for the guinea pigs man, bird, woman, the blood pump of the daily murder ... man against bird and woman ... is providing the planet with fuel, blood the ink that inscribes its paper life with colors even its sky threatened with anemia (11 stops when E C text begins.) E Cl: i wonder E C2: what E C3: the E C4: silence E C5: means E Cl: the E C2: new E C3: storm E Cl: she E C2: is E Cl: dead I wonder E C2: what E C3: the E C4: silence E C5: means E Cl: the 111 E C2: new E C3: storm E Cl: she E C2: is E Cl: dead I wonder E C2: what E C3: the E C2: anyway E C4: silence E C5: means E Cl: the E C2: new E C3: storm E Cl: she E C2: is E C1: dead does someone hear anything E C2: light to still E C3: the storm E C4: (A bit quick.)one thing sure has not been taken away why is it sure tell me why is it sure how could admetus have given private burial to one who has been so loyal a wife (Whispered.) this is her day to die today she must go underground no power save her in the desert dark temples what altars make sacrifices apollo's son light again save her from dark save her from death's dark corridor men stand up how shall we pray on the altars black blood glows hopeless sacrifice grieve the queen is she alive or dead alive and dead her breath falls let admetus be he will not understand until she is gone nothing 112 nothing E Cl: house E C2: house E C3: farewell E Cl: well E C2: my son died E C3: punishment E Cl: so still E C2: wonder E Cl: bravery E C2: beating E C3: hands E Cl: says E C2: nothing E Cl: silence still E C2: great E C4: boating E C2: wondering E C3: well E C2: farewell E C3: house E C1: hands E C2: still E C3: so strangely quiet E Cl: nothing E C2: silence still E C3: but E C2: broken man E C3: same E C1: saved death tamed E C2: servant girl E C1: house E C2: she is crying E C3: blood E C2: ruins E C1: black E C3: enraged E C1: medicine to life E C3: hands E C4: be happy E C5: children E C4: be braver E C5: swear it E C6: will E C4: HE IS A NOBLE MAN E C4: NOTHING E C4: NOTHING E C4: NOTHING E C4: NOTHING (Note: the excerpt here is spoken by the electronic chorus [E C].) 113 ...