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| "Wedding Chorale" | |
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"Wedding Chorale" is a very brief song sung by the guests of Cosette and Marius. The second part is a dialogue-heavy song that is often abridged or cut, sung by Marius and the Thénardiers. This part is sometimes called "The Waltz of Treachery (reprise)" as it is sung to a similar melody.
The lyrics were written by Herbert Kretzmer.
Lyrics
[Marius and Cosette lead a wedding procession. ]
Chorus:
Ring out the bells
Upon this day of days
May all the angels
Of the Lord above
In jubilation
Sings their songs of praise
And crown this
Blessed time with
Peace and love.
[The procession becomes a dancing celebration. A waltz is played.]
Major Domo:
[Speaking] The Baron and Baroness de Thénard wish
to pay their respects to the bride and groom!
Thénardier:
I forget,
where we met
Was it not at the Chateau Lafarge,
Where the Duke
did that puke
Down the Duchess's de-coll-etage?
Marius:
No, "Baron,
de Thénard".
The circles I move in are humbler by far.
Go away,
Thénardier!
Do you think I don't know who you are?
Madame Thénardier:
He's not fooled.
Told you so.
Show Monsieur what you've come here to show
Tell the boy what you know!
[Applause from the dancers as the waltz finishes.]
Marius:
When I look at you I remember Éponine.
She was more than you deserved
Who gave her birth.
But now she is with God and happier, I hope,
Than here on earth!
[The waltz restarts.]
Thénardier:
So it goes!
Heaven knows
Life has dealt me some terrible blows!
Madame Thénardier:
You've got cash
And a heart
You could give us a bit of a start!
We can prove,
plain as ink
Your bride's father is not what you think.
Thénardier:
There's a tale
I could tell.
Madame Thénardier:
Information we're willing to sell...
Thénardier:
There's a man
that he slew!
I saw the corpse clear as I'm seeing you!
What I tell you is true!
Madame Thénardier:
Pity to disturb you at a feast like this
But 500 francs surely wouldn't come amiss.
Marius:
In God's name say what you have to say.
Thénardier:
But first you pay.
What I saw,
clear as light
Jean Valjean in the sewers that night.
Had this corpse
on his back
Hanging there like a bloody great sack
I was there,
never fear.
Even found me this fine souvenir!
[Thénardier shows Marius a ring.]
Marius:
I know this!
This was mine!
This is surely some heavenly sign!
Thénardier:
One thing more.
Mark this well.
It was the night that the barricades fell!
Marius:
Then it's true.
Then I'm right.
Jean Valjean was my saviour that night!
As for you,
take this, too!
[Marius punches Thénardier then throws money at him.]
God forgive us the things that we do!
Come, my love,
come Cosette,
This day's blessing are not over yet!
[Marius and Cosette leave.]
Trivia
- In the Original French version, Thénardier first tries to shock Marius with the revelation that Valjean is an ex-convict, which Marius already knows. When Thénardier says that Valjean is also a murderer, Marius claims to know that as well. He believes Valjean to have killed both Javert (on the barricade) and a certain Monsieur Madeleine, a rich factory owner. Thénardier proves to him (with the help of newspaper clippings), that Javert committed suicide and that Madeleine and Valjean are the same person – Marius's false source of information is unknown – and then tells him about the sewers
- Some parts of "The Wedding," are cut out, while others are rewrote for the 2012 film.
- During the 10th Anniversary Edition, only the first verse of "The Wedding" is used, and the melody continues straight into that of "Beggars at the Feast"
- Marius and Cosette's wedding took place in Feb 16. The following day was Feb 17 which was an Ash Wednesday. This is a proof in the dialogue on Marius's line It's Ash Wednesday, but not for the birds. Asking Cosette to leave as well since this is the confession of Jean Valjean to Marius. If you did the math, the holy week in the book is march 30 till April 6.