opera in yuk-minor (act 3 scene 1)

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Act III

Scene 1

Storyteller

Let us go forward to late November of the year of our Lord, fourteen hundred ninety-three. Much has taken place since Father Louis Paschal’s last encounter with the Grand Inquisitor, Tomas de Torquemada. On that very day Pope Innocent VIII died in Vatican City. Despite the valiant efforts of Cardinal Bishop Giuliano della Rovere, on Saturday, August the 11th, of the year of our Lord, fourteen hundred ninety-two, the conclave elects Cardinal Bishop Rodrigo Borgia to the papacy. He assumes the name Pope Alexander VI.

The new pope fuels the hatred that Torquemada has for Father Paschal. Torquemada and his zealots feverously search for the good Father, but he cannot be found. At the urging of Beatriz Enriquex de Arana, he has sought refuge with Cristoforo Colombo in the port city of Palos de la Frontera. Abandoning his priestly garments, Father Paschal disguises himself as a common dock laborer. Eight days before Bishop Borgia ascended to the papacy, Cristoforo and his three small ships, The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria left the harbor as they sailed west to find the east. Louis, the sailor, settled into daily life upon the Nina.

It was on Friday, October the 12th, when land was seen and a whole new world was opened up to the Europeans. In his exploration of the Caribbean islands, Cristoforo met and befriended a Taino chief by the name of Guacanagari. When the Santa Maria struck a reef, it was Guacanagari and his men who helped salvage all that could be saved. With the wood from the ship, Cristoforo and his men built a fort, and named it Villa de la Navidad. Thirty-nine men, including Louis Paschal, were left to man the fort as Cristoforo and his remaining two ships headed home to fame and fortune.

Now we come to late November, of the year of our Lord, fourteen hundred ninety-three. A confidant Cristoforo Colombo has returned with seventeen ships and one thousand two hundred colonists. Cristoforo is now Admiral of the Ocean Seas. The thrill and excitement of the voyage quickly turns to disbelief and dismay as they find La Navidad destroyed. There are no survivors. Watch as events unfold.

Sailor #1

All are dead.

Cristoforo

Thirty-nine brave and good men.

Sailor #2

Admiral, we have found a grave.

Cristoforo

Can you tell who is buried there?

Sailor #2

They all are buried there.

Cristoforo

All?!? Who could have massacred such men?

Sailor #3

Pardon me, Admiral, but we have found Guacanagari’s village burned to the ground.

Cristoforo

Please tell me there are survivors.

Sailor #3

There are none.

Cristoforo

Why has this been allowed to happen?!?

Sailor #1

Who could be responsible for such deeds?

Sailor #2

Admiral! Look!! A man approaches!

Sailor #3

Who can it be?

Cristoforo

He has the appearance of someone I know!

Louis (approaching)

Cristoforo!! What has happened here?!?

Cristoforo

Father!!

Sailor #1, #2, & #3

Father?!?

Cristoforo

La Navidad has been destroyed. We have found no survivors, lest you.

Louis

I have not been here for the past month!

Sailor #1

Where did thou go?

Louis

I took a vow of meditation and have been at the top of the mountain in the center of the island.

Sailor #2

Why would a lowly shipmate vow to meditate?

Cristoforo

Louis is not a sailor. He is Father Bishop Louis Paschal.

Sailor #3

A priest?!?

Louis

This, indeed, is the truth. I flee persecution from over righteous zealots.

Cristoforo

I gave him safe passage to this new world. He is under my protection.

Sailor #2

Father, can you bless the lost souls?

Louis

I am afraid I am no longer able.

Cristoforo

What is it, Father?

Louis

During my meditation I pondered the wonders of life. Instead of building my faith anew, I am plagued with doubt and wonderment.

Cristoforo

You doubt the very presence of God?

Louis

That I do not doubt. But why does He allow this badness. That is what I seek to find out. You dear, Cristoforo have endured suffering. Lest not we forget Felipa, the wife of your youth. Remember how she was taken from you?

Cristoforo

I shall always remember her as will our children who lost their mother.

Louis

I, too, have had love brutally torn from my bosom.

Sailor #2

One and all have suffered lost.

Louis

Where is the God that can relieve such suffering? Where was a loving God when your Felipa was sick to the point of death? Where was He when the only true love of my life was murdered for simply being in love? And where was this merciful God when the men of this village needed His help? These are the questions I meditate. These are the questions that shake my faith.

Cristoforo

Do not decry these men who died so bold. The Lord has taken them. He now has their souls.

Louis

These men were not evil. These men were good. They chose not to die. They would be alive if they could.

Cristoforo

There are questions. The answers we may never know. We cannot doubt our faith. We must have the perseverance of Job.

Sailor #2

Yes, Father, we need the patience of Job!

Louis

The patience of Job? I do not know.

Cristoforo

Job was a man that loved God and was blest.

Louis

Then the Devil came along and put him to the test.

Cristoforo

The Lord blessed him with wealth, good health, a family and fame.

Louis

The Devil took it all because he would not curse God’s name.

Cristoforo

His wife stood by his side.

Louis

She urged him to curse God and die.

Cristoforo

The Lord blessed his faith and restored all that was lost to him again.

--Job Wanted To Know

Louis

And all he wanted to know was why such badness and evil happens to good men?

♫ Somewhere tonight lays a child dying,

With the mother weeping and the father crying.

Questions are being pondered,

Answers are being sought.

What good is it to learn a lesson?

When you don’t know what’s being taught? ♫

Cristoforo

♫ God is good and God is strong,

We need his love when things go wrong.

We may not see Him, but He’s always by our side.

Even when a father wails and a mother has cried. ♫

Louis

♫ Men cut down in the prime of their life,

From hunger and disease and pain and strife.

Job wanted to know, he had to ask why.

Job wanted to know,

And so do I. ♫

The Sailors

♫ Job wanted to know, he had to ask why.

Job wanted to know,

And so do I. ♫

Louis

♫ Didn’t you know I would ask questions?

When you made me where I could think?

Isn’t a man allowed to wonder?

When he’s teetering on the brink? ♫

The Sailors

♫ All men want to know, we have to ask why.

Louis wants to know,

And so do I. ♫

Louis

♫ Job wanted to know if the Golden Rule is for you.

Can you treat us like you would want to be treated?

If you lived with us here on this pebble of blue?

Remove the veil of mystery and let your light shine.

Can you take the time and help all to understand?

Is it too much to ask from the hearts of mankind? ♫

The Sailors

♫ All men want to know, we have to ask why.

Job wanted to know,

And so do I. ♫

Cristoforo

♫ From the windstorm came the Lord’s voice so clear.

His own voice spoke loudly so all men could hear.

Tell me the answers if you are strong,

Can man be right and God be wrong?

Tell me, Job, if you can,

Answer the Lord, you lowly man. ♫

Louis

♫ Job wanted to know, he had to ask why.

Job wanted to know,

And so do I. ♫

Cristoforo

♫ God saith:

Where were you? When I made the sun?

Where were you? When creation was done?

Where were you? When I made a cloud?

Where were you? When angels sang aloud?

Where were you? When I made a tree?

Where were you? When I produced the sea?

Tell me, Job, if you can,

Answer the Lord, you lowly man. ♫

Louis

♫ Where were you when Job’s friends lied?

Where were you? ♫

Cristoforo

♫ God saith:

Where were you? When I made the beasts?

Where were you? When I gave food to feast?

Where were you? When I made the land?

Where were you? When I created man?

Where were you? When I gave a wife?

Where were you? When I created life?

Tell me, Job, if you can,

Answer the Lord, you lowly man. ♫

Louis

♫ Where were you when Job’s friends lied?

Where were you when Job’s wife cried?

Where were you? ♫

Cristoforo

♫ God saith:

Where were you? When I gave my son?

Where were you? When life had first begun?

Where were you? When I made the wind?

Where were you? When I forgave your sin?

Where were you? When I made the stars?

Where were you? When I made what you are?

Tell me, Job, if you can,

Answer the Lord, you lowly man. ♫

Louis

♫ Where were you when Job’s friends lied?

Where were you when Job’s wife cried?

Where were you when his children died?

Where were you? Where were you? Where were you? ♫

The Sailors

♫ Where were you? Where were you? Where were you—? ♫

Louis (softly)

Where were you?

Louis, Cristoforo, and the Sailors

♫ Job wanted to know, he had to ask why.

Job wanted to know,

And so do I.

Job wanted to know, he had to ask why.

Job wanted to know,

And so do I. ♫

Louis

♫ Job wanted to know,

And so do I. ♫

Cristoforo

Father, I fear for thee.

Louis

Fear has abandoned me.

Cristoforo

What plans do you make?

Louis

I must return to Spain.

Cristoforo

Torquemada will be waiting for thee.

Louis

He is the one I want to see.

Cristoforo

Vengeance is for the Lord.

Louis

If vengeance is the work of the Lord, then His work I seek. Please Cristoforo, take me with thee.

Cristoforo

When I plan to return we shall see.

Louis

I must seek out Torquemada. He must answer for his deeds. He must answer for dear Alonso.

Sailor #1

You speak of a man named Alonso?

Louis

I do.

Sailor #1

I knew of a man called Alonso.

Louis

Do you know his other name? Could it be Montilleo?

Sailor #1

That is the name.

Louis

How doest thou know the name?

Sailor #1

I spoke to him before coming here.

Louis

Liar!! Alonso died many years ago!

Sailor #1

I speak the truth, Father. He is alive!

Louis

How can this be?

Sailor #1

He is in prison in Palos de la Frontera. That is where my father is. That is why I sailed with the Admiral to find gold to pay my father’s debt and seek his release.

Louis

Alonso is alive?!?

Sailor #1

He was not well.

Louis

Alonso is not well?

Sailor #1

He was made blind many years ago and now his health is frail. But he is alive.

Louis

Cristoforo, I must go back. I beg of thee!

Cristoforo

If that be your wish, you may return with me.