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MP3 9.7 MB • 128 kbps • 10:38
Story behind the song
Scene 5 Synopsis
Zoya is sitting at her desk, on night duty. Oleg shows up, to congratulate her on passing her final exam, and asks how much longer she will be attending school, before she becomes a doctor. She replies a year and a half. Oleg asks to borrow one of her text books, on tumours. They talk about Oleg’s remarkable recovery in just the twelve days that he has been in the hospital. Zoya comments that he shouldn’t have waited so long to come to the hospital, that if he didn’t care about himself, he should have done it out of regard for his children. Oleg says he doesn’t have any children. Zoya says that he should have at least done it for his wife. Oleg says he doesn’t have a wife, and Zoya is skeptical. There was a girl, Oleg says, and he thought of marriage, but things went all wrong. Oleg doesn’t give any details. He says, of youth, what can they know of truth. Zoya smirks at this remark, and gives Oleg the textbook he has requested. Oleg is surprised at her knitting – it was considered bourgeois in his day. Zoya requests a special yarn – moulinet – if Oleg ever comes across it. Oleg promises to bring her some if he finds any where he is from. But perhaps it would be simpler for her to come herself, he suggests. Zoya asks questions about where Oleg lives. It is in Kazakhstan, in a place called, “Ush-Terek.” There is a hospital, but not enough doctors. Oleg says that Zoya should apply there after her medical studies.
Lyrics
English translation of the libretto:
Zoya
You should have been asleep ages ago. What are you doing walking around?
Oleg
Good morning, Zoyenka.
Zoya
Good night. It was ‘good evening’ when I was running after you with the thermometer.
Oleg
That was when you were on duty, you mustn’t blame me. But now I’m your guest.
Zoya
Is that so? What gave you the idea I’m receiving guests?
Oleg
Well every night duty you’ve always had your nose to the grindstone. But today I can’t see any textbooks. Have you passed your last exam?
Zoya
You’re observant. Yes, I have.
Oleg
So now you’re on holiday? So I was right to come and visit you?
Zoya
All right, sit down
Oleg
How much longer have you got at college?
Zoya
Eighteen months.
Oleg
Then where will you be posted to?
Zoya
Ours is a big country.
Oleg
How can you leave your family?
Zoya
What family? I’ve only got a grandmother. I’ll take Grandma with me. So where’s your grandmother.
Oleg
My grandmother and my ma died in the siege.
Zoya
Leningrad.
Oleg
Zoyenka, I did come to see you partly on business.
Zoya
Did you now? It’s time for sleep. You did say you were just visiting, didn’t you?
Oleg
Yes, I…I’m visiting too. But before you get spoiled by it all, before you become a fully qualified doctor, just give me a helping hand as a human being. Zoya I saw you with a book the other day – Pathological Anatomy. Is that right?
Zoya
Yes.
Oleg
And it’s about tumors, yes?
Zoya
Yes.
Oleg
Do me a favor and bring it to me! I must have a look at it and try to work things out. For myself.
Zoya
It’s strictly against the rules for patients to read medical books. You were admitted here….how many days ago was it?
Oleg
Twelve.
Zoya
There you were, writhing about on the couch right here in the hall. You were an appalling sight. You had a face like a corpse, wouldn’t eat a thing, and a temperature of over a hundred, morning and evening – and now?
Oleg
I was lucky. It turned out I had a high tolerance to X rays.
Zoya
Yes, it’s very rare. It’s a stroke of luck. Why didn’t you come earlier? Why come here when you were practically a corpse? If you haven’t any pity for yourself at least have some for your family and your children.
Oleg
Children? I haven’t any children.
Zoya
And your wife, isn’t she a human being?
Oleg
No wife either.
Zoya
How do I know you’re not lying to me now? Men always say they’ve got no wife.
Oleg
I’m not, I swear it.
Zoya
I suppose she couldn’t stand your personality?
Oleg
I was a student and so was she. I wouldn’t have minded getting married, but everything went wrong.
Zoya
Didn’t it work itself out?
Oleg
She…How does one say it?...She perished. She perished, although in fact she’s still alive. Last year we wrote to each other a couple of times. What can we possibly understand when we’re twenty-five?
Zoya
Wet blanket!
(Takes text book out of desk drawer, and gives it to Oleg).
Oleg
You have it here? Thank you.
(Zoya takes out her needle work).
Oleg
You do embroidery?
Zoya
What’s so surprising? You’ve never watched girls doing embroidery?
Oleg
Only when I was a child perhaps, during the twenties. Even then people thought it was bourgeois. You’d have got such a drubbing at the Young Communists’ meeting.
Zoya
If nobody embroiders where you come from, I suppose they of masses of moulinet in the stores?
Oleg
What’s that?
Zoya
Moulinet. These threads here – green, blue, red, yellow. They’re very hard to come by here.
Oleg
Moulinet. I’ll remember to ask. If there’s any I’ll send you some without fail. Or if it turns out we have limited supplies, perhaps it would be simpler for you to move out there?
Zoya
Where’s that? Where do you live? Is it steppe or desert?
Oleg
Steppe. No sand dunes. But there’s a bit of grass. Zhantak grows there, camel thorn, you know. It’s thorn, but in July
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