[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
