The Story:
In Act 4, Rasputin and his friends dance with abandon to a Gypsy Czardas, but the party ends suddenly when a woman comes from the crowd and stabs him. Then we hear Prince Yusopov and his conspirators discussing their plan to murder Rasputin – who has survived the previous attempt on his life. This is followed by the murder itself, in which Rasputin seems unharmed by many portions of poisoned cake and wine, and is finally shot and killed.
In Act 4, Rasputin and his friends dance with abandon to a Gypsy Czardas, but the party ends suddenly when a woman comes from the crowd and stabs him. Then we hear Prince Yusopov and his conspirators discussing their plan to murder Rasputin – who has survived the previous attempt on his life. This is followed by the murder itself, in which Rasputin seems unharmed by many portions of poisoned cake and wine, and is finally shot and killed.
Click here to download an MP3 file containing a short excerpt from Act 4. (1.13MB, 1m35s)
Purishkevich: Without Rasputin whispering in his ear, he will listen to us. Grand Duke Dimitri: It is not a common crime. Yusopov: Do you think I would involve myself in the murder of a nobody? A vagabond? Or even a person of rank who is surrounded by his peers? I, who have nothing to gain in this world by any act of mine; I, who have reached the goals that drive other men to foolishness or courage? I, who have nothing left to aim for; I, who have enjoyed all that the world gives us to enjoy; would I bother myself even to dream or contemplate some base act? Something unimportant? What would I gain by the effort? Would I sleep better at night with the thought that, having no worthy goals I now busy myself with the lowest? With the kind of act that is exciting to little men? Is there yet pleasure to be found in vile acts against defenseless people? |