Opera in English

Mamma, quel vino è generoso – Cavalleria Rusticana

2012-02-26T06:50:00.000-08:00

Mother, Mother!

That wine is ample, and of course

I have drunk

Too many glasses today.

I’m going out in the open.

But first I want

You to bless me

Like the day

When I left to be a soldier.

And then, mother, listen ...
If I should not return,

You must be

A mother to Santa,
Whom I have sworn

To lead to the altar.

You must be

A mother to Santa
If I should not return.

Oh, never mind!

It’s the wine talking!

The wine suggested it!

Pray to God for me!
A kiss, a kiss, mother!
One more kiss, farewell!
If I should not return,

Be a mother to Santa.

One kiss, mother, farewell!

Placido Domingo as Turridu sings 'Mamma, quel vino e generoso' from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana.

Tokyo, 1976.

Il balen del suo sorriso – Il Trovatore

2012-02-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

The flashing of her smile
Outshines a star!
The splendour of her lovely face
Infuses new courage in me!...
Ah! love, enflaming love
Speak to her in my favour!
May the light of her gaze chase away
The tempest of my heart.
What a sound!... Oh heavens...

Leo Nucci sings the great baritone aria from Verdi's Il Trovatore.

La Scala, 2001. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

Il Grande Inquisitor - Don Carlo

2012-02-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

The Count of Lerma

The Grand Inquisitor!

Inquisitor

Am I before the king...?

Filippo

Yes; I summoned you, my father!
I am in doubt,
Carlo has filled my heart
with a bitter sadness.
The child is rebelling against me,
Arming himself against his own father.

Inquisitor

What method of punishment will you choose?

Filippo

Extreme measures.

Inquisitor

Tell me.

Filippo

That he would escape... that he would be executed...

Inquisitor

Well?

Filippo

If I send my son to his death,
Will you absolve me?

Inquisitor

The peace of the empire is worth one rebel.

Filippo

Can I sacrifice my own son for the world
Me, a Christian?

Inquisitor

God sacrificed His Son to redeem us.

Filippo

But can you enforce a law that harsh?

Inquisitor

The same harshness is everywhere,
if it was there on Calvary.

Filippo

Could nature
And love keep silent in me?

Inquisitor

All must be silent to exalt the faith.

Filippo

Very well.

Inquisitor

Does the king have nothing more to ask me?

Filippo

No.

Inquisitor

Well then, I will speak with you, Sire.
Heresy has never ruled Spain,
But there is a man who wishes to undermine
the divine structure;
The king’s friend, his faithful companion,
The demon tempter who leads him to ruin.
Carlo’s betrayal has angered you
But that is a silly game by comparison.
And I, the Inquisitor,
I have often raised
My mighty hand above hordes of vile criminals,
For the great men of this world, should I forget my faith,
And quietly let a great rebel go free...
even for the king?

Filippo

To pass through the sorrows in which we live
I searched in vain within my Court
But I have found what I longed for,
A man! A loyal heart! I have found him!

Inquisitor

Why do you need a man?
Why do you hold the title of king,
Sire, if there is an equal for you?

Filippo

That’s enough, priest!

Inquisitor

The innovator’s ideas have taken root in you!
With your weak hand, you want to break the tare
Of the holy yolk, extended above the Roman orb...!
Return to your duty;
The church for the man who hopes,
for the man who repents,
Can offer a full pardon;
I ask you for Posa.

Filippo

No, never!

Inquisitor
O King, if I weren’t here with you in this secret meeting
This very day, I swear before God,
Tomorrow you would be brought to the Grand Inquisitor
At the supreme tribunal.

Filippo

Priest!
I have suffered your harsh words long enough!

Inquisitor

Why are you evoking the ghost of Samuel?
Henceforth I have given two royals
The reign of your kingdom...!
You want to destroy all that work, madman!
Why am I here?
What does the king want from me?

(To leave)

Filippo

My father, let there be peace between us yet.

Inquisitor

Peace?

Filippo

You must forget what has passed.

Inquisitor

Perhaps!

(Leaving)

Filippo

(Alone)
So the throne
must always bow to the altar!

Jerome Hines as the Grand Inquisitor and Paul Plishka as King Phillip in Verdi's Don Carlo.

Met, 1980. Conductor: James Levine.

Deh, vieni alla finestra – Don Giovanni

2011-12-23T01:13:00.001-08:00

We’ll see.

These are the windows.

Let’s sing now.

Come to the window,

O my darling!

Come to dry

my tears.

If you refuse to give me

some restoration,

in front of your eyes

I will want to die.

You have a mouth

sweeter than honey.

You carry

sugar in your heart.

Don’t be, my joy,

cruel with me.

Let me at least see you,

my fair love!

Simon Keenlyside sings the serenade from Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Sogno soave e casto – Don Pasquale

2011-12-23T00:53:00.000-08:00

Ernesto
This madness
will overthrow my plans!
Sweet and chaste dream
from my early years, farewell.
I longed for wealth and splendor
just for you, my love:
poor, abandoned,
fallen to a low state,
ere seeing you miserable,
dear, I must renounce you.

Don Pasquale
Really, how original!
That obstinate oaf!
Well, thank goodness,
he seems sober.
Well, I know where his weakness is,
but that is what he wants,
he himself
cannot blame others!

Juan Diego Florez as Ernesto in Donizetti's Don Pasquale. With Ruggero Raimondi as Don Pasquale.

This is just incredibly gorgeous. Florez is the perfect Ernesto.

Zurich, 2007.

Ecco, ridente in cielo – Il Barbiere di Siviglia

2011-12-18T02:22:00.000-08:00

Here, laughing in heaven
emerges the beautiful dawn,
and you are not awake yet
you can sleep like this?
Arise, my sweet hope,
come, my dear idol;
Render less painful, oh God,
The arrow that wounds me.
Oh destiny! I see now
that dear countenance;
this loving soul
has obtained mercy.
Oh moments of love!
Oh sweet contentedness!
Precious moment
It has no equal!

Juan Diego Florez sings Almaviva's first aria from Rossini's Barber of Seville. I'm not sure what those hopping Vulcans are supposed to represent.

La Scala, 1999. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.

Si può – Pagliacci

2011-11-29T00:57:00.001-08:00

May I? I may
Ladies! Gentlemen!
Excuse me if I alone introduce myself
I am the Prologue:
Since yet in the scene
The author uses ancient masks;
In part he wants to bring back the old customs,
And send me back to you.
But not to tell you as before:
“The tears we cry are false!
Of spasms and our martyrs
Do not be alarmed!”
No! No. The author has sought instead
To depict a glimpse of life.
He believes utmost that the artist is a man
And that he must write for men,
And be inspired by the truth.
A nest of memories
Was singing at the bottom of his soul one day,
And he wrote with genuine tears,
And his sobs beat the tempo!
And so, you will see love
As human beings love each other;
You will see the sad fruits of hate.
The spasms of pain,
Shouts of rage, you will hear,
And also laughter!
And you, rather than
Our poor actors’ changes,
Consider our soul,
Since we are men of flesh and bone,
And from this orphan world
We breathe the same air as you!
I’ve told you the concept...
Now listen as it is carried out.
Let’s go. Begin!

Tito Gobbi as Tonio in a 1946 film version of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.

O del mio dolce ardor – Paride ed Elena

2011-11-20T05:23:00.001-08:00

Oh my sweet ardor
Coveted object,
The air that you breathe,
I breathe at last.

Everywhere I turn, I see
Your vague semblance
Painting in me love:
My thought imagines
The most joyful of hopes;
And with this desire

Filling my heart
I’m looking for you, calling you, I hope and I sigh.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings this aria from Gluck's opera Paride ed Elena.

Moscow, 1991.

Ah, la paterna mano - Macbeth

2011-11-15T10:04:00.001-08:00

O sons, o my children!
That tyrant has killed you all,
And together with you,
Your unfortunate mother!
Ah, in the claws of that tiger
Did I leave mother and sons?

Ah, the paternal hand didn’t shield you,
O my dears,
Treacherous killers have mortally
wounded you!
And as for me, I escaped, while I hid
You were calling in vain
With your last gasps, with your last breaths.
Ah! lead me to the tyrant,
Lord, if he should escape from me
May he, in Your open arms,
Find forgiveness.

Placido Domingo in great voice singing the tenor aria from Verdi's Macbeth.

Concert for Romania, 1990.

Tu che di gel sei cinta – Turandot

2011-11-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

You, encircled with ice,
Are defeated by numerous flames
You will love him, even you!
Before this dawn
I close my tired eyes

Because if he yet wins...
Not to see him anymore!

Katia Ricciarelli gives a very moving performance as Liu. Jose Carreras is Calaf, Eva Marton is Turandot and John Paul Bogart is Timur.

Vienna, 1983. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.

Nessun dorma - Turandot

2011-10-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

Calaf

No one shall sleep! No one shall sleep!
Not even you, o, Princess
In your cold room,
Look at the stars
That tremble with love
And hope.

But my secret is hidden within me,
No one will know my name!
No, no, I will say it on your mouth
when the light shines!

And my kiss will melt the silence
That makes you mine!

Chorus

No one will know his name!...
And, alas, we must die!

Calaf

Vanish, o night!

Fade away, stars!

At dawn I will win!

I will win, I will win!

Placido Domingo sings Nessun dorma from Puccini's Turandot. A different version to the one posted several times already.

La Scala, 1983. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.

Chi mi frena – Lucia di Lammermoor

2011-10-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

Edgardo
(Who’s stopping me in such a moment?
Who’s cutting short the course of anger?
Her pain, her fear
They are the proof of remorse!
But, that fading rose,
She is between life and death...
I am overcome... I am moved!...
I love you, ungrateful woman, I love you still!)

Enrico
(Who is trying to stop my fury

And the hand that’s stroking the sword?
In favor of the poor girl
A cry arose in my breast!
She is my blood! I have betrayed her!
She is between life and death...
Oh! I cannot prevent
My heart’s remorse.)

Lucia

(I had hoped that my fear
would have ended my life...
But death is no help to me...
I still live for my torment!
The veil has fallen from my eyes,
Heaven and earth have betrayed me!
I would like to weep, but I can’t...

Even my tears have abandoned me!)

Raimondo, Arturo

(What a terrible moment!
I am without words...
A dense cloud [veil] of fear
Is covering the rays of the sun!
Like a wilting rose
She is between life and death
Whoever is not moved for her
Has a heart of stone.)

The great sextet from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Edgardo: José Carreras
Lucia: Katia Ricciarelli
Enrico: Leo Nucci
Raimondo: John Paul Bogart
Arturo: John Dickie
Alisa: Waltraud Winsauer

Bregenz, 1982. Conductor: Lamberto Gardelli.

Signore, ascolta - Turandot

2011-10-22T03:26:00.000-07:00

Sir, listen! Ah, sir, listen!
Liu can bear no more!
Her heart is breaking! My, how long I’ve walked
With your name in my soul
With your name on these lips!
But if your destiny
Tomorrow, will be decided,

We will die on the road of exile.
He’ll lose his son

I, the shadow of a smile.
Liù can bear no more! Ah! Ah!

Katia Ricciarelli sings Liu's first act aria in Puccini's Turandot.

Vienna, 1983. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.

Credeasi, misera – I Puritani

2011-10-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Arturo
She believed it, poor thing!
That I had betrayed her,
Leading her life
With that suffering!
I defy the lightning,
I spurn fate,
If you are beside me
I can die!

Elvira
Which funeral
Fatal voice
Is shaking, arousing me from sleep
From my martyrdom!
If I was so barbaric
As to bring about this end
But I will be his wife
In death!

Giorgio
That mournful sound
Feral rumble
It strikes my bosom,
It freezes my heart!
It has no more tears -
My grief.

Some soldiers
That mournful sound,
That opens a tomb,
Rumbles deeply,
It strikes my heart.
And the terrifying God
In his revenge
Strikes down the wicked
With rigor.

Other soldiers
That mournful sound,
That opens a tomb,
Rumbles deeply,
It strikes my heart.
And God wills it
Without pity!

Riccardo
That mournful sound
That opens a tomb
Strikes my heart,
Their horrible fate
It strikes my heart.
Ah, pity.

Women
That mournful sound
From the trumpet strikes our hearts.
Despite the tears
It gives us hope,
Yes, that God
Comes to us with pity.

Arturo
Leading her life
With that suffering!
I defy the lightning,
I spurn fate,
If you are beside me
I can die!

Soldiers
What are you waiting for?
Vengeance!

Elvira
Arturo!

Arturo
Elvira, Elvira!

Riccardo, Giorgio, Women
Only ferocity now speaks with volume!

Soldiers
God commands to His children
That by now justice should be rendered
The avenging sword falls at last
Hand over the traitor!

Elvira
Arturo! Arturo, you still live!

Riccardo, Giorgio, women
You should learn the pity of God!

Arturo
I am with thee.

Elvira
Forgive me!
I am dying, o my Arturo!

Arturo
Ah one embrace!

Elvira
Yes, my dear

Arturo
Ah, farewell!

Elvira
Farewell!

Arturo
Stop, stand aside,
Cruel, cruel men!
She is trembling,
She is fading,
Wicked souls,
Deaf to pity.
One single moment,
Ah, hold back your wrath,
Then you can satisfy yourselves
with cruelty.

Riccardo, Giorgio
Cease, cease for one moment!
One moment, have pity!
Please! Cease!

Soldiers
Vengeance hastens, God wills it,
It won’t be long!

Women
O God, cease, have pity,
One moment, please, cease!

Juan Diego Florez in a scene from Bellini's I Puritani. No high F from him.
With Mariola Cantarero.
Las Palmas, 2004.

Esultate - Otello

2011-10-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Esultate - Otello

Cypriots
He is saved! He is saved!

Inner Voices
Throw out the skiffs!
Hands to the ropes! Stop!

Cypriots
Stronger with the oars! To the shore!

Inner Voices
To the shore! To the shore!

Cypriots
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

Othello
Rejoice! The pride of the Muslim’s
is buried in the sea; the glory is ours and the heavens!
First the army then the hurricane brought victory.

Cypriots
Hooray Othello! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Victory! Victory! Victory!

Placido Domingo sings 'Esultate' from the first act of Verdi's Otello.
Paris, 1976. Conductor: George Solti.

Ella giammai m'amò – Don Carlo

2011-08-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

She never loved me...!
No, that heart is closed to me,
She has no love for me...!
I can still see her
How sad she seemed
The day she saw my white hair
When she came here from France.
No, she has no love for me.

Where am I...? Those torches
They’ve nearly burned out...!
The sunrise brightens my balcony!
Dawn is already breaking!
I see my days passing slowly!
Sleep, O God!
Vanished from my languishing eyes!
I will sleep alone in my royal mantle
When my day has reached evening;
I will sleep alone under the dark vault
There, in the Escurial tomb!
If the regal crown could give me power
To read the hearts, that God alone can see...!
If the prince is sleeping, the traitor is waking;
The king loses his crown, and his honor!

Boris Christoff sings King Phillip's aria from Verdi's Don Carlo.
His voice is not quite in its prime, but still has incredible and unique qualities.
Vienna, 1980s.

Notte e giorno faticar – Don Giovanni

2011-08-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Leporello
Laboring night and day,
For a man who is never happy,
To endure the wind and rain,
To eat badly, to sleep badly.
I want to become a gentleman
And I don’t want to serve anymore...
Oh what a dear great man!
He wants to stay inside with the beauty,
While I have to keep watch!
I want to become a gentleman
And I don’t want to serve anymore…
I think I hear people coming
I don’t want to make a sound.

Donna Anna
Don’t hope, if you don’t kill me,
I’ll never let you go!

Don Giovanni
Mad woman! Vain cries,
You’ll never know who I am!

Leporello
What a rucuss! Oh heavens, what cries!
The master is in new trouble.

Donna Anna
People! Servants! Get the traitor!

Don Giovanni
Be quiet and tremble at my fury!

Donna Anna
Villain!

Don Giovanni
Watch yourself!

Leporello
Wait and see, the villain
Will cast me down!

Donna Anna
Like a desperate fury
I will know you and follow you!

Don Giovanni
This desperate fury
Wants to cast me down!

Il Commendatore
Leave her alone, wretch!
Fight me!

Don Giovanni
Go away, I won’t condescend
To fight with you.

Il Commendatore
Do you think you can run away from me?

Leporello
I could at least leave here!

Don Giovanni
Wretch, wait,
If you want to die!

Il Commendatore
Ah, rescue me! I am betrayed!
The assassin has injured me,
And from the throbbing breast
I feel the soul depart.

Don Giovanni
Ah, already the unfortunate has fallen,
Labored and agonizing,
Already from the throbbing bosom
I see the soul depart.

Leporello
What mischief! What excess!
Within a breast full of fear
I feel my heart trembling!
I don’t know what to do, what to say.

Bryn Terfel as Leporello, Simon Keenlyside as Don Giovanni, Matti Salminen as the Commendatore, and Carmela Remigio as Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni.
Ferrara, 1997. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.

Ah! lo vedi – Cavalleria Rusticana

2011-08-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

Turiddu
Ah! you see,
What did you say...?

Santuzza
What you wanted, and it was fine.

Turiddu
Ah! God!

Santuzza
My heart is breaking!

Turiddu
No!

Santuzza
Turiddu, listen!

Turiddu
No!

Santuzza
Be still.
To leave me -
Is that what you want?

Turiddu
Why are you following me,
Why are you spying on me
On the edges
Of the churchyard?

Santuzza
Your Santuzza
Is crying and begging you;
To banish her
Is that what you want?

Turiddu
Go away, I say
Go, don’t bore me,
Your repentance is worthless
After your offense!

Santuzza
Watch yourself!

Turiddu
I don’t care if you’re angry!

Santuzza
Have a miserable Easter, liar!

Fiorenza Cossotto and Placido Domingo in the second half of the great duet from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana.
Tokyo, 1976.

Inneggiamo – Cavalleria Rusticana

2011-08-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

Santuzza, Lucia and outside choir
We hail Him,
The Lord is not dead,
He is radiant
He has risen from the grave
We hail
The risen Lord
Today ascended
To the glory of heaven!

Choir
Pray for us, God.
Alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary.
Alleluia!
Because the Lord is risen indeed.
Alleluia!

Fiorenza Cossotto sings the Easter Hymn from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana.
Tokyo, 1976.

Il Mio Tesoro – Don Giovanni

2011-08-19T05:27:00.001-07:00

Meanwhile,
Go to console my sweetheart,
And those beautiful crying eyes
Try to dry them.

Tell her that her wrongs
I am going to avenge,
Only carnage and death
Will announce my return.

A rare clip of the great lyric tenor Luigi Alva in one of his best roles, that of Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni.
Aix, 1960.

Mad Scene – Lucia di Lammermoor

2011-08-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

The sweet sound of his voice struck me!

Ah, that voice it is here down in my heart!

Edgardo! I surrender to you. Edgardo! Ah! my Edgardo! Yes, I surrender!

I have escaped from your enemies.

A cold wind blows through my chest!

Shaking every fiber!

My foot falters!

Let’s sit down near the fountain awhile! Yes, let’s sit down near the fountain.

Alas, the terrifying ghost rises and separates us!

Let’s take shelter here, Edgardo, at the foot of the altar.

It is covered with roses!

A heavenly harmony, tell me, don’t you hear it?

Ah, the sound of the wedding song!

They’re preparing the ritual for us! Oh, I’m so happy!

Oh the joy that one feels, and can’t explain!

The incense is burning!

The sacred torches are blazing, shining all around!

Here is the minister!

Give me your right hand!

Oh glad day!

At last I am yours, at last you are mine,

A god is giving you to me.

Every wonderful pleasure

I want to share with you

A laugh from merciful heaven,

Life will be for us.

Katia Ricciarelli in the epic mad scene from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Bregenz, 1982. Conductor: Lamberto Gardelli.

Recondita Armonia - Tosca

2011-08-03T04:51:00.000-07:00

Oh the mysterious harmony of diverse beauties!

Floria is dark, my ardent lover,

And you, unknown beauty,

Have a ring of blonde hair!

Your eyes are blue

Tosca’s are black!

Art in all its mystery

Mixes various beauties together:

But while I’m painting her

my only thought,

ah! my only thought is you!

Tosca, it’s you!

This is from a 1992 production in which Tosca was performed in the exact places of the libretto, in something close to real time. The orchestra was a few miles away.

1992, Conductor: Zubin Mehta.

Non piangere liu – Turandot

2011-08-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

Don’t cry, Liù

If a long time ago

I smiled at you

For that smile,

My sweet girl

Listen to me

Your master

He will be, tomorrow,

Possibly, all alone in the world

Don’t leave him...

Take him with you.

In exile,

Sweeten the way for him

This...this,

O my poor Liù,

To your dear heart

That never fails

Pray for he

Who shan’t smile anymore.

Jose Carreras, Katia Ricciarelli and John Paul Bogart in the finale to act I of Puccini's Turandot.

Vienna, 1983. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.

Se il mio nome – Il barbiere di Siviglia

2011-08-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

If you long to know my name,

You will hear it from my very own lips.

I am Lindoro

Who faithfully adores you,

Who wishes to marry you,

to call you by name,

always speaking of you lovingly

from sunrise to sunset.

The loving and sincere Lindoro,

Who cannot give you, my dear, a treasure.

I am not rich,

But I give you my heart,

A loving soul

Constant and true

That yearns only for you

From sunrise to sunset.

Juan Diego Florez sings Almaviva's second aria from Rossini's Barber of Seville.

La Scala, 1999. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.

Un’aura amorosa – Così Fan Tutte

2011-08-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

A loving aura

Of our treasure

A sweet refreshment

Will come to the heart…

To the heart that, nourished

By hope, by love…

Of the best sustenance

It has no need…

Rising star Jonas Kaufmann in an early performance in Mozart's Così fan tutte.

Milan 1998.