#agnes azarova

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 03 - Forgive me

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This is another track with a lot of dialogue, in which big things happen. It is also almost 10 minutes long. If you're looking for opera and drama, look no further. Let's begin...

Johanna, Agnes and Mare have infiltrated Seth's residence. In a secluded chamber, Johanna sits gazing at the holy dagger in front of her. She prepares to fulfill her mission and kill the Antichrist while her friends walk around the candle-lit room.

[Johanna:] In thy grace... [Johanna & Agnes:] ...turn to me and bless the soul of this faithful child None more divine than thee our lord [Johanna:] Lead me on to be strong - holy mission And guide my hand Amen

Seth enters the room. This in itself is significant. He could send his guards to deal with them. Three trespassing outlaws with one dagger probably wouldn't be a big problem for them. Yet Seth appears in person, alone, and does not call for back-up.

[Seth:] Now face thy foe! [Agnes:] Our lord has brought you here [Seth:] I heed no call, none but my own [Agnes:] To be boastful suits no mortal man

Seth tauntingly tempts Johanna, who is not impressed:

[Seth:] Join the night supreme I will be your guiding star I will set you free [Johanna:] Into the darkness forever you must go

Suddenly Helena comes in, urging reconciliation. As you may remember, she overheard Johanna and her friends talking about how only Johanna's dagger would be able to kill the Antichrist, so she knows why they are here.

[Helena:] Still the dawn may rise and shine [Seth:] Out of the darkness, my love I knew that you would come [Agnes:] Join with us Join with God [Helena:] It must not end, not like this If we conjoin as one

It is far too late for that of course. Seth and Johanna will not, cannot make peace. Johanna doesn't comment on her sister's appearance at all and instead likens Seth to a fallen angel again.

[Seth:] Join the night supreme I will be your guiding star I will set you free [Johanna:] Into the darkness forever you must go Fallen you are, fallen from the heavens to our world Fallen you are 'til the end of our time and beyond

As the music becomes more and more tense, Helena says:

[Helena:] Sister, O blood of mine Hand me the dagger Hand me the answer Hand me the voice of God

Reluctantly, Johanna gives Helena the dagger. At this point, I don't exactly know how lyrics and action go together. With a bang, the music comes to a complete stop and based on the scene description, I'm pretty sure it is here that Helena puts the dagger against Seth's chest. Into near-complete silence, Seth sings:

[Seth:] Come to me, to the fallen, my love

Seth calls himself "the fallen" and echoes the way Johanna (above) as well as Professor Pauli and the Pope (in Cursed be the Fallen) speak about him in the moment in which the one person whose affection he was certain of seems to take the side of his enemies. It will be interesting to see, if and when BA is staged, whether the actor who plays him says this sentence in an evil, seductive way or if he sounds like he's pleading with Helena. Thomas' rendition sounds ambiguous to me.

Helena answers sadly:

[Helena:] Deep down somewhere, in me, I knew what I had to do

The music starts again, both Seth and his enemies are calling to Helena, who still has the dagger to her husband's chest. Seth is calling for her to take his side, the women urge her to kill him.

[Seth:] Come to me, to the fallen, my love [Helena:] My love Forgive me [Johanna & Agnes:] Hear the whisper within you, sister From God and may peace come to your heart

Helena's words here are nearly inaudible, since the music and the urging of the other characters is so much louder. A tense instrumental part follows in which Helena makes her choice. With both sides pressuring her, she cannot decide between her loyalty to Seth and to Johanna. She turns the dagger around and plunges it into her own chest. All rush to her side, their enmity forgotten for the moment.

[Johanna, Mare, Agnes & Seth:] In the cloak of night, fallen you are Thou shall rise again Enter the void

The music slowly becomes calmer as Agnes speaks to the dying Helena and prays over her in her beautiful dark voice:

[Agnes:] In stillness keep eyes of gold your name Night birds take flight and sing [Johanna, Mare & Seth:] In the cloak of night, fallen you are Thou shall rise again, enter the void [Agnes & Seth:] Bless you Into moonlight And the temple you shall now meet in turmoil The soul will flow and shine

Afterwards, Seth, with a heavy heart, returns the dagger that is fated to kill him to Johanna. I don't know if he does this to imply that Helena's blood is on her hands, if he isn't thinking clearly or if he is simply too shocked and crushed to care about anything, even his own survival.

[Seth:] Give me your hand, receive this tool For it belongs to you

He picks up Helena's corpse and leaves the room with her as a choir of angels sings.

[Choir of angels:] Float, float with time And the night soon shall see you, greet you, tell you... of dawn...

With this, the song ends. I still get goosebumps from it every time I listen to it, at least if I pay attention to what is happening in it. I have some things to say about it, but I think I'll put them into the next post, when Seth mourns Helena and we have perhaps somewhat recovered from this scene...

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 04 - Dagger of God

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While Seth meets his semi-divine and totally not suspicious future right hand, Johanna has her own spiritual experiences. She meets with her two confidantes, Agnes and Mare, in secret to show them a special, holy dagger that she has. It is the only weapon that can kill the Antichrist.

[Johanna:] Behold this dagger Dagger of God, wrapped in this cloth Purpose it has only but one [Agnes:] Unveil the prophecies and what this blade must do So much I've heard Tell me if it is true [Johanna:] Dagger of God has come to me The Antichrist - my nemesis Dagger of God - do touch the blade We all must be ready and brave [Agnes:] Nothing but this can kill, conquer the evil one Oh Lord tell me, what will of this become? Blessed be this dagger, this dagger of God

This is another mysterious reference to prophecies. I wonder about the background. Did God appear to Johanna just like Satan appeared to Seth? Did he physically give her the dagger? This is never explained. Remember when Johanna said Helena's marriage to Seth was predestined and when the people in Hail Caesar! made reference to a "foretold age of reason"? It seems people in BA are familiar with a lot of prophecies (Agnes states that she has already heard of Johanna's dagger) and Seth is not the only one with supernatural contacts.

Anyway, let's talk about Johanna's two sidekicks for a while... I hadn't realized until I wrote these texts how often Agnes and Mare appear. They probably have more "screentime" than all other characters except for Johanna, Helena and Seth.

Agnes' birth name is Agnessa Azarova. Led by an early interest in religion, she moved from Moscow to Rome, converted to Catholicism and changed her name to Agnes. She is played by Ulrika Skarby, who also sang the alto vocals on Lemuria, one of the most popular songs by this band.

Mare Aravena is the child of refugees from "disease-ridden Corsica". She was born on the boat that took her parents off the island and was named after the ocean. She then went to Rome as an adult and joined the Order. She is played by Lydia Kjellberg.

The background of these two characters never comes up in any of the songs, but it is mentioned in the inlay and I found it interesting that the people behind this work cared to give them a backstory at all. For reference - the Solovyov book does not contain any female characters, so all of them are invented by Therion. Johanna has a few commonalities with Solovyov's character "Elder John", but he only appears in one scene really and Johanna is very different from him. Her name is similar to his, but she is also based on Joan of Arc, who is called Johanna von Orleans in German.

Anyway. Helena overhears the entire above conversation in secret and, depending on how much she knows about Seth and Johanna's thoughts, may now be aware that her sister plans to kill her husband.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 13 - To Shine Forever

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The music turns as sweet and gentle as it hasn't been in quite a while. Hand in hand, Johanna and Seth float into the sky. Sophia and Helena appear as spiritual beings and greet them. Mare, Agnes, an angel and a demon also appear. I wondered earlier how "heaven" is conceptualized in BA given that Apollonius states that Sophia was there, when we know she was actually in a place where Satan also was. Here, a demon appears alongside an angel while the main characters go to a place that might reasonably be assumed to be heaven, or a heaven-like place. Maybe the unification of all beings, the good and the evil, that Seth attempted on Earth has actually happened in the spiritual world?

Johanna and Seth are welcomed with no bitterness, only love. The union of the opposites has come to pass. There is light, then darkness, "only a bright star is visible."

[Mare & Agnes:] Melt your eyes, create a key to eternity [Agnes:] We had dreams Where are they now? The dreams in our hearts [Mare, angel & demon choir:] Ageless glass of light Turn it on its head and we shall fall Just like stars Through time into night Run and flow until dawn Rise to all the beauty in the darkness divine To shine forever

[Angel:] Bid farewell [Mare & Agnes:] Farewell

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 11 - Cursed be the Fallen

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It says "Cursed by the Fallen", on the CD, but I'm pretty sure "be" is what is meant.

Professor Pauli, who is played by Linus Flogell, enters the stage and banishes Seth. In the Solovyov book, Ernst Pauli is a German professor who represents the Protestants, just as Elder John (who provided some inspiration for Johanna) is the representative of the Orthodox Christians. Here, he does not have much of a background story beyond being a religious intellectual who is "close" to the Pope.

[Professor Pauli:] Words we have been told - Rise of glory End of pain - Are all betrayal He is the Antichrist Cursed be the fallen

A light falls on Johanna and the Pope and they come back to life. Mare and Agnes cheer.

[Mare & Agnes:] Hallelujah Blessed be thee - heavenly wonders Hallelujah [Agnes:] With thee we all soon shall rise

There is also another parallel to the Bible here - especially in the Solovyov book, but also here, Johanna and the Pope are strongly reminiscent of the Two Witnesses.

The Christians decide to go to the desert and wait for Jesus' real second coming there.

[Professor Pauli:] Beyond the desert dunes The secret coming of our Lord awaits us from heaven

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 10 - Behold Antichrist!

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

Well, the toothpaste is out of the tube now. Seth realizes his mistake and tries to squeeze it back in, but he is met with renunciation by Mare and Agnes:

[Seth:] Hear my name - Caesar Seth Understand who I am [Mare & Agnes:] Godless and forsaken you are Hush your nonsense [Seth:] Do not fear - Caesar Seth Trust again who I am [Mare & Agnes:] Behold revelation Beware of the serpent

In increasing desperation he addresses the room:

[Seth:] I am the one, the one you desire, the voice of God I am the one, the one you desire, the voice of God [Pope Pete II:] Sublime thy soul It will lead us into Sodom [Mare, Agnes & Johanna:] Behold Antichrist! Beware Antichrist! [Pope Pete II:] We challenge you, spawn of the abyss, seductive beast The fallen one, by our Lord expelled from him

In the instrumental segment that comes next, Apollonius conjures up a storm and Johanna and the Pope are struck dead by his lightning. Seth and Apollonius try to present this as divine justice:

[Seth:] Behold, our Lord has spoken To protect the truth from the lies awoken [Apollonius:] For this treason and accusations false God avenged his son

Apollonius sounds more confident than Seth, who to my ears is almost pleading for people to take his side. Apollonius may not sound very convincing to his audience, but at least he restrains himself enough not to cackle after pretending not to know who killed Johanna - unlike in this early version of the song from 2013. Seth then half-collapses and Apollonius leads him away while Seth leans on his shoulder. The shocked Christians are left with the two dead bodies.

[Mare:] Always remember Johanna Holy one of grace eternal [Agnes:] Save thy servants for all to see Us thy children who trust in thee [Professor Pauli:] Always remember these two hearts Father, greet their souls immortal

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 05 - Burning the Palace

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Two weeks after Helena's death. The Christian soldiers, led by Johanna, are marching on Seth's palace.

[Agnes:] So, it has come to this [Johanna:] Yes, it has come to this Heaven will have its way

Seth appears on a balcony.

[Seth:] Trust me: this holy temple remains not for thee Hear me, Johanna Be gone Take heed

Johanna and the troops try to set the palace on fire. In retrospect I wonder if they held off on doing this earlier because Helena was there, since Johanna clearly cared more for her than she showed. But, as before, she does not express her private feelings in words here either. Resolute and driven, she does not grieve her sister's death openly. Only the mission matters.

[Johanna:] I'll not run Nor will my soul hide For the time has come Prince of Night Thy fate awaits thee Light this day will prevail [Mare & Agnes:] Bless you, Christus! Bless you, Christus!

A soldier is hurt while trying to put out the flames.

[Wounded soldier:] Hailing from who we are He is the master Ever to conquer, ever to rise again [Agnes:] Future reaching yesterday Such a painful human touch You will feel it soon [Johanna:] Thy kingdom shall return to dust Cursed be thy name [Agnes:] Cursed be thy name and thy spirit

Suddenly, a huge Christian army appears with flaming arrows and torches.

[Troop & Johanna:] No throne of darkness shall remain No echo from your fall Prepare for fire, spawn of hell [Johanna:] All, Lord, for you

Seth realizes that his only option is to flee. He and Apollonius leave the palace via a secret exit while the Christians burn the place to the ground.

[Seth:] You can't reach me: soon I will be gone Into battle, into war we will go [Christian army:] Heroes unite Summon to fight Hearts of God are protected by swords Martyrs of grace Soon we shall face Armageddon We'll ride into dawn [Seth & Apollonius:] Unleash morning, meet us face to face Into battle, into war we will go

The music turns cheerful. Having driven the Antichrist away and burned his palace, the Christians celebrate their victory.

[Christian army:] Mighty and strong, still marching on Never surrender Curtains fall down End of our time [Christian army & Johanna:] Hallelujah Hallelujah Ave God of creation and of man [Christian army:] Heroes unite Summon to fight Hearts of God are protected by swords Martyrs of grace Soon we shall face Armageddon We'll ride into dawn

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act I, Track 16 - What is wrong?

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What indeed! I don't think Johanna was invited to Helena's wedding...

[Mare:] Johanna, you do not seem to rejoice Please tell us what is wrong... [Agnes:] Helena seems to be happy now... [Johanna:] This was predestined, sisters She would find his soul Our war for salvation must go on

These two sisters have a complicated relationship. On the one hand, they care deeply about each other, on the other hand they seem completely estranged. If Helena did not tell Johanna anything about such a significant event, they probably do not speak about personal things very much in general. If Johanna did not notice how close Helena and Seth had become, it means that her mind was probably elsewhere, perhaps occupied with her holy war and her responsibilities to her order. I get the impression that Helena was - as usual - trying to avoid making demands or causing a conflict, and Johanna did not ask about this matter.

The scene description notes that Johanna is crying silently, which to me proves that she did not know about the marriage. She does not, however, talk about her feelings. The vocal melody when she responds sounds determined to me, not sad. It sounds like she is responding from a rational, not an emotional standpoint. She blocks off her friends' attempts to comfort her, then leaves abruptly.

I think she was probably very shocked that Helena and Seth were suddenly married. However, whether this is because of her leadership position or for psychological reasons, she hides her true feelings, choosing instead to deal with them by herself.

Johanna also states that it was "predestined" that Helena would "find Seth's soul". A mysterious remark. Maybe there originally was a track in which Johanna has a mystical experience, receives a prophecy and more - this would also explain some things that happen later and her certainty about Seth's motives.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act I, Track 15 - Hail Caesar!

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It is half a year later. Seth's reforms are coming along nicely and his popularity with the European population has only grown. Here, he emerges on a plateau above a cheering crowd. Before we get into the lyrics, just listen to the first minute and imagine this scene. There is a constant back-and-forth between an excited and a dignified, solemn, even a little sad figure. I imagine the former as the crowd and the latter as Seth.

The people praise their leader:

[People:] Oh thee, Caesar Seth, mightiest of men, the chosen one Light us, Caesar Seth, by your hand, the flame of liberty Fly us, Caesar Seth, over distant land and over sea Light us, Caesar Seth, by your hand, the flame of liberty

Then the song calms down a little, the crowd falls silent and Seth, majestically, magnificently, begins to speak:

[Seth:] People, I serve you for one and for all By the devotion and hope in my heart Yes I will bring paradise on earth Empty of sin, proud to burn

Why "proud to burn"? I think this is, as so often with Per Albinsson's words, something you have to feel, not analyze word by word. The future seems blazing, exciting, fiery, humanity is finally living up to its potential now that it is not held back by starvation and war anymore. All of our highest hopes are coming true. Bless our glorious Caesar!

[People:] Caesar Seth, 'til the end and beyond do us defend Beautiful will your art shape our world to whom you are

This melody of these two lines sounds so ominous to me. But anyway, everyone is happy! Everyone? No! Johanna appears with her two sidekicks.

[Agnes:] See, joy that thrives [Mare:] He seems but harmless, so mild yet so strong Upwards to heaven he will carry us [Johanna:] Don't be misled, his angel eyes are dark Hear what I say He is false

Agnes and Mare are almost as taken with Seth as everyone else, but Johanna remains suspicious. The expression "angel eyes" leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Is she likening him to Lucifer, the fallen angel? Is it a reference to Seth's time as a Christian mystic, when God spoke to him? Or to how he manages to appear saintly to nearly everyone? Maybe all of the above.

The people re-iterate:

[People:] Caesar Seth, 'til the end and beyond do us defend Beautiful will your art shape our world to whom you are

Then Seth leads someone else upon the stage:

[Seth:] Greet Helena, love of mine, and remember this: Never any sweeter lips could I kiss [People:] Hail to our Caesar, his beloved wife And all true believers passing through time Hail the new born season, all we do behold Mark the age of reason prophets foretold

Helena and Seth have wasted no time and are, a little more than half a year after their first meeting, married now! The people approve. They also refer to a "foretold" age of reason, but don't elaborate.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act I, Track 04 - Signs are here

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Today we meet Johanna Orsini, who was already mentioned in the last track. She is the main antagonist of the story and played by Chiara Malvestiti, an Italian soprano singer whom people who have seen Therion live in recent years will be well-aquainted with.

Another fun fact that you may or may not care about: Chiara started singing for Therion due to a recommendation by Melissa Ferlaak, who plays her mother in this work!

Chiara Malvestiti photographed by Federica Moretti

Born in Rome and remarkably gifted in many aspects already as a little girl, [Johanna] did choose to join the official school of the Catholic Church. When her parents and sister moved to Berlin, she demanded to stay in Rome and was left in the care of a fanatic religious sisterhood. As an adult she has become the leader of the same group, which has very strong bonds to the now restored Vatican state.

In this track, Johanna has a meeting with her order (which seems to include men too at this point). Also present are her two assistants and confidantes Agnes and Mare. I will write more about them later so this post doesn't become too long. The song starts out in a tranquil and solemn mood, I picture candles being lit in a gorgeous church.

[All:] In the grace of God we trust In the grace of God we trust In the grace of God we trust In the grace of God we trust

However, the members of the order are actually disquieted and the song becomes more tense:

[All:] Watching the sign of the Capricorn Daughters and sons of Adam Darkness, Johanna No longer sworn to cross the path of heaven [Agnes:] Enter night, enter night, fallen angel Satan Praised Master Jesus, enter thy dawn Hallelujah [Johanna:] I am ...still your Johanna

Sinners are, clearly, everywhere. What is a religious order to do? What will Johanna, being their leader, advise?

[Johanna:] Stand, dearest Agnes, by my side And Mare join her in the light Come, let our prayer rise and shine The flame of holy war ignite [All:] Jesus, save us, children of God! [Johanna:] Signs are here to tell of Antichrist [All:] Jesus, save us, children of God! [Johanna:] Stars align to form the end of time

Johanna sees very clearly that the Antichrist will soon arise and that they need to be vigilant. She speaks of holy war. I can see her walk around while speaking, addressing each person in turn. The song ends on a calmer note, with a call to unity:

[Men:] Two paths diverge in time Choose the one light travels by

[All:] Free thy soul and unchain thy heart Free thy soul and unchain thy heart In the grace of God we trust In the grace of God we trust In the grace of God we trust In the grace of God we trust

Clearly, Johanna is doing a fine job keeping her order focused and motivated. But where is she leading them? We will see...

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 09 - Remaining Silent

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This is where it all goes wrong. Oh dear. This is where it all goes wrong.

We start out in the jubilant mood that has characterized the last... half hour? of this work. The music is exuberant, flowing, strong. However, Seth must now face his critics, most notably Johanna and her faithful friends as well as the Pope. Agnes voices her suspicions and Seth tries to charm her and the rest of the audience:

[Agnes:] Dubious thunder, Lord, creates thy sword [Seth:] I tell you all this simple thing - winter changes to spring Join me here upon the stage if you do recognize my soul Join me as my warm embrace bid you welcome all

This scene is very long in the Solovyov book: The (unnamed) Antichrist appeals to the Christians who still doubt him multiple times to trust him, he grants them special favours and asks them what else they want from him. Everyone who trusts in him should come to the stage, to his part of the room. Most of the Christians go to him, but the Pope, the Orthodox leader Elder John, and the Protestant representative Professor Pauli, among others, remain unconvinced.

In Beloved Antichrist, Seth also tries a second time to charm his critics:

[Pope Pete II:] So much that you have done - it's true, but still... [Johanna:] ...it may be true what you have done But what is your true will? [Seth:] Join me here upon the stage if you do recognize my soul Join me as my warm embrace bid you welcome all

Johanna points out that results aren't all that matters - this is also about intentions, about who he truly is. Pope Pete II, played by Samuel Jarrick, speaks for the first time here. I would strongly assume that his name is a reference to Saint Peter, who could be called the first Christian pope. Solovyov calls his pope "Peter", with an r that is missing in BA. Solovyov notes that Peter II "mistrusted and was ill-disposed toward the universal leader", also because his own predecessor had made Apollonius (who was a bishop when he first appeared) a cardinal and mysteriously died soon after. It seems like Johanna is not the only one anymore who thinks there's something wrong with Seth and will say so.

Seth invites them upon the stage again. Most Christians have joined him, but not all. The Pope now asks him point-blank for the thing he needs to do:

[Pope Pete II:] Filled with our true gratitude, we now ask you To bow before Jesus Christ and his reign over you

Seth, "enraged with envy at the worship of Jesus Christ", responds angrily:

[Seth:] I have come as the true Messiah; silent I remain Not again will I bow, never again

He is met with shocked silence, having in an instant confirmed all the worst suspicions of his critics by putting himself above Jesus and declaring himself the "true Messiah". It says in the scene description that when the Pope makes his demand, Seth feels "the same hellish storm" within him as when he was about to throw himself off a cliff in Act I.

How will this play out for him? If you want a hint - the next track is called "Behold Antichrist!"