Characters:

Fürst Premysl
Ctirad
Vitoraz
Vlasta
Šárka
Warrior Maidens

Libyna
Svatava
Mlada
Radka
Hosta
Castava

Act 1

It is dawn in a sacrificial grove near Vyšehrad Castle; left an elevated stone throne. The ramparts of the castle can be seen in the background. The last long elongated shadows of dusk are falling on the grove just as the Eastern sky over the treetops is turning crimson. Vlasta is sitting on the lower steps of the throne holding her face in her hands. After a while, she rises and looks over the grove.

Vlasta, the leader of a band of Amazon-like women laments the death of departed heroes and heroines as the dawn comes up. She welcomes the rising sun as though it were a hero with a golden shield. An arrow crosses the stage and her lieutenant Šárka, comes running in having just shot a bird with her bow and arrow. She places the bird on the sacrificial stone. Seeing Vlasta nearby, she approaches her and asks why she has been avoiding the halls of Vyšehrad. Šárka reproaches Vlasta for having abandoned the young women who were her followers and says that because of her absence, the women have become enslaved once more to the men. Šárka exhorts her to take action and says that the spirit of Princess Libuše, the legendary founder of Prague, speaks through her. A chorus of young maidens plead for their freedom and power to be restored.

A group of men come in from afar and welcome the flame of devout feeling which has led them there. Šárka looks to the forest and sees Ctirad, the leader of the men and cries out vowing to humble him and subjugate him to the power of the women.

Twelve priests in white robes enter. They wear wreaths of the Linden tree on their heads and carry lyres. The High Priest Vitoraz is at their head and carries a torch to light the sacrificial fire. They are followed by pages with sacrificial offerings covered by flowers and green twigs. Behind them are the elders, clan leaders and chieftains. Prince Premysl is in the centre and Ctirad walks at his side. Premysl ascends the throne and the men stand around him. The maidens stay in the background except for Vlasta who comes forward to hear Premysl’s speech. The men welcome Premysl.

Prince Premysl sings of his sadness at the death of Princess Libuše and starts a ceremony to commemorate her memory. Premysl steps down from the throne to the altar where Vitoraz and the pages are preparing the offering. Vitoraz and the priests ask the spirits concealed in the woods, rocks and rivers around them to accept the sacrifice. They praise the strength in men’s arms and are reproached by Šárka who flings herself at the piled offerings and seizes a sword scattering the pile. The maidens scream out for vengeance. Premysl calls out for the fighting to stop and for all to defend the sacred peace. The two groups draw back but Ctirad sneers at Šárka and says what poisonous nature she has. The men ask that she be punished. Premysl asks that Šárka defend her actions.

Vlasta comes out of the background and says that while she shares Premysl’s thoughts about the dead Libuše, she also wants the power of women to be restored and asks that Šárka be allowed to keep the sacred sword and be entrusted with the sacred books and that the maidens again be allowed to guard the oracle fire. Premysl is moved by this speech but responds by saying that it is the work of men to rule the country.

Šárka arises and says that she wants to challenge one of the men so that the gods can decide where justice lies. Ctirad disdains the offer to fight with a woman and Šárka attacks him with her sword and Vlasta says that only by combat can they achieve their rights.

The maidens and men declare their willingness to fight each other for power.

Act II

The setting is a thick wild forest. A valley winds down a slope and woods block the far horizon. In the front there is a small clearing with a huge oak tree on the left. The sun is behind the tree throwing a golden green light on the clearing. Here and there are fallen trees overgrown with foliage. Vlasta comes in from the rear wearing a helmet and carrying a lance and shield. There is a bow and arrows on her back.

Vlasta calls to the maidens in the woods to come and gather around the sacred oak. Maidens come in from all directions until she is surrounded by them. Vlasta recounts the fighting that has been going on that day and announces that Šárka has yet to arrive. She laments that so much blood has been shed on both sides but all vow to keep on fighting. A group of young maidens arrive and recount how they murdered an entire village that day. Radka, one of the maidens produces the head of a chieftain which is placed on a shield and carried away. A horn is heard in the distance which Mlada, another warrior maiden answers and horses arrive bearing captives including one young woman in bridal garments. The captives plead for mercy and the captors recount how Ctirad was in the group chasing them. Šárka is excited at the thought that Ctirad may come near as she wants a chance to fight him. Vlasta says that any fight is to be by fair means and not by ruses. The captives are taken away to Devín castle. Šárka sings how she lays awake at night thinking of the scornful look given to her by Ctirad. She asks the other warrior maidens to confirm that she is beautiful and they tell her so. She asks the girls to tie her to a tree and tells them to place her hunting horn on the ground and not to come back until she sounds the horn. She sends the young warrior maidens away and stays alone tied to the tree as night falls.

Alone Šárka muses on the hatred she feels for Ctirad which can only be quenched by his death. Ctirad is heard approaching and Šárka laments her treachery in having made out that she is a captive. Ctirad enters the clearing lamenting his separation from his men; he takes off his armour to spend the night in the clearing but catches sight of Šárka tied to the tree. Thinking that she may be wounded, a prisoner and in pain, he cuts her free and Šárka falls to the ground saying that she has been tortured by Vlasta's wild troops. As an aside, she calls for strength to carry out her vengeance. Šárka says that Ctirad is merely mocking her and that as they are enemies, he is bound to kill her. Ctirad sings how while he hated Šárka for her beauty, it is something he cannot live without. Šárka continues to feign submission and Ctirad kneels in front of her to unshackle her feet. Freed, she falls into Ctirad’s arms as if overcome with fatigue and weakness. Then she asks to be allowed to go but Ctirad says that he wants to remain with her for the rest of his life. Šárka at first draws a dagger to stab Ctirad but realising that his feelings for her a genuine, she drops it in confusion. She falls into his arms and they sing a long love duet worthy of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde. At its end, she begs him to go away as she explains how she has tricked him and that a single blast on her hunting horn will bring a crowd of armed maidens who will kill him. Ctirad says that he cannot run away from a group of women like a coward, picks up the horn and a dagger and sounds the horn. It is answered from a distance. The maidens enter as Ctirad wields a sword in one hand with his other arm around the Šárka's waist. The warrior maidens enter by torchlight wielding swords. Ctirad is wounded and captured. Šárka wonders how she can save Ctirad and tells the others to back away as Ctirad is hers.

Act 3

A barren rocky valley with a narrow pass in the background. Prince Premysl stands on a high cliff wearing his armour and surrounded by his men. Šárka is standing in their midst. She is hiding one hand in the pleats of her coat; the other she leans against her shield.

Premysl says that she has brought him and his men to her in this wild hiding place by sending a mysterious message saying that she wants to be the leader of his army. His men beg to be allowed to kill her. She hands Premysl the sword of Ctirad which she has been hiding in her coat. Recognising it, Premysl entreats his men to kill Šárka. Šárka leaps onto a rock and taking out her own sword, thrusts it into her own arm offering to die but also to save Ctirad. She explains that her maidens will later that day come long the valley dragging the captured Ctirad on his way from Devín Castle to be sacrificed in the clearing. She offers to decoy them and when she taps her sword on her shield, Premysl’s men are to emerge from their ambush and attack them. The men do not want to be a part of such a ruse but they hide anyway.

Vlasta enters with warrior maidens and the captured Ctirad and says that he is to be put to death. They make preparations for his execution while Ctirad sits on a rock and mourns his imminent death just when he had found love with Šárka. Šárka appears in the background but cannot be seen by Ctirad and sings also of her love. The warrior maidens return, take their lyres and sing an ode to the sacred Goddess Morana who will fetch Ctirad to the after-life. Led by Vlasta, the maidens make ready to kill Ctirad but are surprised when Šárka suddenly interposes herself between them and Ctirad saying that she will defend him with her body. They embrace passionately and he tells her to go. The warrior maidens cannot believe that Šárka has become a traitor to their cause and she is cursed by Vlasta . Šárka pleads that they be allowed to leave and live in love and peace but the maidens tear Ctirad away from Šárka and drag him to be sacrificed. Šárka runs to her shield and strikes it with her sword. The men of Prince Premysl appear and the maidens leave Ctirad and picking up their arms start to battle the men. The women are driven back into the rocky pass behind and only Ctirad and Šárka remain on stage. Šárka loosens his shackles and they fall into each others arms as sounds of battle are heard in the distance. A storm approaches and Ctirad climbs a rock to observe the battle as the men are slowly besting the women. Šárka presses herself to Ctirad but as they prepare to leave, apparitions of blood stained maidens appear to her in the lightning of the storm. The storm abates and Šárka stares at the apparitions and asks what they want of her. Ctirad cannot see the apparitions, only lightning and Šárka asks Ctirad to protect her with his love. The apparitions come closer vowing vengeance on Šárka for her treachery. Ctirad tries to banish the apparitions and seems to have won. They go to kiss but the apparitions scream 'blood on your lips, blood on your lips'. She tears herself away from Ctirad and climbs to a high rock and jumps to her death in an abyss. Ctirad's voice is the last heard as he bewails 'Alone! Alone! - How shall I go on living alone?'.

Transcribed from the multi-language libretto enclosed with the Orfeo recording of the opera: C 541 002 H

© Glen Quick 10/01/2008