Dracula (Czech musical)

Dracula is a musical created by Czech composer Karel Svoboda. Its world premiere was in Prague on 13 October 1995 with Daniel Hůlka in the title role.

The story begins in the 16th century with farmers who seek protection in a monastery. They are running from Count Dracula's "Black Knights", and Dracula himself (Mercy). The priest tells the farmers not to worry, and that Dracula wouldn't dare touch a monastery. A young monk disagrees, doubting Dracula's values. The priest scolds him for not having faith in the power of Christ (Stand Up, My Brother). Dracula, of course, doesn't mind the fact that it is a monastery. He robs it and orders his Knights to kill everyone (Black Knights). The monk tries to stop him and protests Dracula's actions. But Dracula kills him without a second thought. The priest is furious and curses Dracula, saying "Even if he prays for death, he will never receive it, not even by his own hand. And his lips, reddened by bloodshed, will now thirst only for that same blood,".

In the meantime, the Countess Adriana, Dracula's pregnant wife and love, is sad about not seeing her Count. She asks the court jester to take her mind off of it and to cheer her up. He does so by pointing out a butterfly in the castle, and saying that it's a terrible "intruder" (The Jester and Adriana). Then, Dracula and Countess Adriana sing "Vim, ze jsi se mnou" (I Know You're With Me), where they express their love for one another, saying that even with the great distance, nothing changes. They say that "the first flame, the first days of hope, the first touches of bonding," will be in them forever.

Dracula returns home, satisfied with his "mission". For a while he jokes around with the jester, saying that his task in life is to "clean the earth from all the unworthy filth" (Bowl and Cord). When he arrives to Adriana, she is dying from complications of child birth. Dracula learns that their newborn son is also dead. He is furious with the midwives, and shouts at them for not calling the doctor.

The jester, who despises his master, answers that he had run to get the doctor, but the doctor wasn't there, because he was at the monastery Dracula had attacked. This infuriates Dracula beyond all thought. He orders the knights to put the jester in the , to have a "long, cruel" night. He then yells at the rest to disappear from his line of sight. Once he is left alone, he prays for Adriana to wake again (To Eternal Gates). When that doesn't happen, he blames God for her death (Unfair God). After some accusations shouted at God, he tries to commit suicide. No matter how many times he tries, his wounds instantly heal without scarring. This is when he learns that the curse from the priest is very much real; he is immortal (Dracula's Realization of his Immortality).

...
Wikipedia