William Wu (吳文修) sings "In fernem Land (那是遙遠的國度)" from "Lohengrin" by Wagner. Berlin, 1983.

Maestro William Wu (吳文修教授, 1935-2009) was a primo dramatic tenor of the National Opera House in Berlin during 1973-79. His biography has been included in Who’s Who in Opera, The New York Times, since 1976, where he was further selected as one of the 50 leading classical singers in the world. His outstanding performance as Radames in Verdi’s Aida in Tokyo won him the 1984 Vienna World Opera Award. His faultless vocalization is mainly based upon anatomic physiology and modern sound science fascinating with uniquely perfect high notes and solid middle register. It is the profound feelings in the every note he sings that is particularly touching.

For more nice-listening singing of Maestro William Wu, please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/312817434432486

[Synopsis of “In fernem Land” from “Lohengrinn” by Wagner]

In the Act 3 of Wagner’s Lohengrin, Elsa and her new husband, the Knight, express their love for each other. Elsa laments, however, that she cannot utter his husband’s name. She asks him to tell her his name when no one else is around, but at all instances he refuses. Finally, despite his warnings, she asks the Knight the fatal questions. Before the Knight can answer, Telramund, the Duke's guardian who has earlier accused Elsa of murdering her younger brother in order to become Duchess of Brabant, rushes into the room in order to attack him. The Knight defeats and kills Telramund. Then, he sorrowfully turns to Elsa and asks her to follow him to the King, to whom he will now reveal his secrets. He tells the King that Elsa has broken her promise, and reveals himself as Lohengrin, Knight of the Grail and son of King Parsifal, sent to protect an unjustly accused woman. The laws of the Holy Grail say that Knights of the Grail must remain anonymous. If their identity is revealed, they must return home.

[劇情概要]

在華格納樂劇《羅恩格林》第三幕中，愛爾莎和她的新婚騎士丈夫互訴衷曲。但愛爾莎感嘆她不知丈夫的名字。她要求他在周圍沒人時告訴她名字，但他總是拒絕。最後她不顧騎士的警告，又提出這致命的問題。在騎士回答之前，公爵的監護人特拉蒙德(先前曾指控愛爾莎謀殺弟弟以謀取布拉班特女爵位)衝進房間攻擊他。騎士雖擊敗並殺死特拉蒙德，但悲傷地要求愛爾莎跟隨他去見國王，他將向國王透露他的秘密。他告訴國王愛爾莎違背諾言，並透露自己是聖杯騎士羅恩格林，帕西法爾國王的兒子，被派來保護受到不公平指控的愛爾莎。聖杯的法律規定，聖杯騎士必須保持匿名。如果他們的身份被揭露，他們就必須回天家。

[German lyrics]

In fernem Land, unnahbar euren Schritten,
liegt eine Burg, die Montsalvat genannt;
ein lichter Tempel stehet dort inmitten,
so kostbar, als auf Erden nichts bekannt;
drin ein Gefäss von wundertät'gem Segen
wird dort als höchstes Heiligtum bewacht:
es ward, dass sein der Menschen reinste pflegen,
herab von einer Engelschar gebracht;
alljährlich naht vom Himmel eine Taube,
um neu zu stärken seine Wunderkraft:
es heisst der Gral, und selig reinster Glaube
erteilt durch ihn sich seiner Ritterschaft.
Wer nun dem Gral zu dienen ist erkoren,
den rüstet er mit überirdischer Macht;
an dem ist jedes Bösen Trug verloren,
wenn ihn er sieht, weicht dem des Todes Nacht.
Selbst wer von ihm in ferne Land entsendet,
zum Streiter für der Tugend Recht ernannt,
dem wird nicht seine heil'ge Kraft entwendet,
bleibt als sein Ritter dort er unerkannt;
so hehrer Art doch ist des Grales Segen,
enthüllt - muss er des Laien Auge fliehn;
des Ritters drum sollt Zweifel ihr nicht hegen,
erkennt ihr ihn, - dann muss er von euch ziehn. -
Nun hört, wie ich verbotner Frage lohne!
Vom Gral ward ich zu euch daher gesandt:
mein Vater Parzival trägt seine Krone,
sein Ritter ich - bin Lohengrin genannt.

[English translation of the lyrics]

In a far-off land, inaccessible to your steps,
there is a castle by the name of Montsalvat;
a light-filled temple stands within it,
more beautiful than anything on earth;
therein is a vessel of wonderous blessing
that is watched over as a sacred relic:
that the purest of men might guard it,
it was brought down by a host of angels;
every year a dove descends from Heaven
to fortify its wonderous power:
it is called the Grail, and the purest, most blessed faith
is imparted through it to the Brotherhood of Knights.
Whosoever is chosen to serve the Grail
is armed by it with heavenly power;
the darts of evil prove powerless against him,
once he has seen it, the shadow of death flees him.
Even he who is sent by it to a distant land,
appointed as a champion of virtue,
will not be robbed of its holy power,
provided that he, as its knight, remains unrecognised there.
For so wondrous is the blessing of the Grail
that when it is revealed it shuns the eye of the uninitiated;
thus no man should doubt the knight,
for if he is recognised, he must leave you.
Hear how I reward the forbidden question!
I was sent to you by the Grail:
my father Parzival wears its crown,
I its knight - am called Lohengrin.

[歌詞中譯]

那是遙遠的國度，你的腳步無法到達，
有一座城堡，名叫蒙薩爾瓦特；
一座光線充足的寺廟矗立在其中，
比地球上任何東西都美麗；
裡面有一個充滿奇妙祝福的器皿，
它被視為神聖的遺物：
只讓最純潔的人守護它，
它是被一群天使帶來的；
每年都有一隻鴿子從天而降
強化其神奇力量：
它被稱為聖杯，最純潔、最受祝福的信仰
是透過它傳遞給騎士兄弟會。
無論誰被選為聖杯服務者，
就會被它武裝起來，擁有天國的力量；
邪惡的飛鏢對他來說是無力的，
一旦他看到聖杯，死亡的陰影就會遠離。
被它派遣到遙遠地方的人，
就是被任命為美德的捍衛者，
其神聖力量不會被奪走，
前提是他作為騎士，在哪裡都不能被認出名字。
聖杯的祝福是如此奇妙，
當它被揭露時，它會避開外行人的眼睛；
因此沒有人可以懷疑騎士，
如果他被妳認出來，他就必須離開妳。
現在請聽我說如何獎勵這個禁忌問題！
我是由聖杯送給妳的：
我的父親帕西法爾戴著它的王冠，
我是聖杯騎士，名叫羅恩格林。