Tears fell from her
by Lucy Callen
Tears fell from her is based on Shakespeare's Othello: Act IV, Scene III, when Desdemona and Emilia have their final conversation and Desdemona is left singing Willow Song (anon., 1616 or earlier). The two then say goodnight and in the following scene Othello strangles Desdemona to death.
Tears fell from her reconstructs the Willow song as a trio for Desdemona, Emilia and theorbo. It is a scene which imagines Desdemona never to direct the audience, nor Emilia nor the theorbo. She appears caught in a haunted dream-state, whilst Emilia and the theorbo narrate her sad fate.
The scene takes text from the original Willow song, and re-orders it. It also takes some of Shakespeare's text from Othello (see *).
tears fell from her
Her salt tears fell
Tears fell from her Tears fall from me
And fell from her
The pour soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree
My garland shall be
Her hand on her bosom,
her head on her - on her knee
My garland shall be *Prithee, hie -
Prithee, hie thee; he'll come anon...*
Willow, sing willow
Sing willow, willow, willow
The fresh streams ran by her
and murmur'd her moans
Sing, sing, green willow