This blog is a creative space for all those passions of opera and fantasy I wish to share with you, with the hope they bring a silver lining to every cloud that passes by.
A maiden from 15th Century Mantua in Italy. This could be Gilda in Rigoletto.
La divina Maria Callas sings Gilda's "Caro nome". One of my favorite performances as well as my favorite soprano arias. In this posting we shall also include other wonderful artists as well, like Natalie Dessay. At the end of this program, you can tell me which one is your favorite!
"Caro Nome" from Verdi's opera Rigoletto: --Italian Text-- Caro nome che il mio cor
festi primo palpitar,
le delizie dell'amor
mi dêi sempre rammentar!
Col pensiero il mio desir
a te ognora volerà,
e pur l' ultimo sospir,
caro nome, tuo sarà.
--English Translation-- Sweet name, you who made my heart
throb for the first time,
you must always remind me
the pleasures of love!
My desire will fly to you
on the wings of thought
and my last breath
will be yours, my beloved.
This is a drawing I doctored up a bit with Photoshop to make this Turkish Jannissary look like the character Osmin as I imagine him in Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio. Osmin is another Orientalist stereotype of the European imagination. He is the ruthless and sadistic "Terrible Turk" which one finds in many European dramas and operas.
Mozart must have been exposed to Turkish music at some time in his life. The Janissaries that marched around the walls of Vienna blaring their martial music a hundred years ago must have left enough traces in the city. The Austrians did share a border with the Ottoman Empire. Listen to some very Middle-Eastern sounding notes in Osmin's aria:
Lyrics to:
SOLCHE HERGELAUFNE LAFFEN
Osmin's Air from Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio
OSMIN: Solche hergelaufne Laffen...............These immoral puppies Die nur nach ...................................Who do nothing den Weibern gaffen,........................But ogle women. Mag ich vor den Teufel nicht;..........I'd rather have the devil; Ist uns auf den Dienst zu passen:.....For all they ever do Denn ihr ganzesTun und Lassen......Is watch us at our work Doch mich trügt kein solch Gesicht..But a face like that. Eure tücken, ,....................................Doesn't deceive me Eure Ränke........................................Your tricks, your wiles, Eure Finten, eure Schwänke.............Your schemes. your guiles, Sind mir ganz bekannt.......................All are known to me, Mich zu hintergehen,.........................You'll have to get up early. MüBt ihr früh aufstefen,...................To get the better of me Ich hab' auch Verstand......................For I know what's what! Drum, beim Barte des Propheten!.....By the beard of the Prophet Ich studiere Tag und Nacht,...............I'll not rest day and night Ruh' nicht, bis ich seh'dich töten,.......Till I find a way to kill you Nimm dich, wie du willst, in acht........Watch out, if you can!
PEDRILLO: Aber was habe ichbrannt,..............But what have I, dir denn getan?...............................Ever done to you?
OSMIN: Erst geköpft,.......................First beheaded Dann gehangen,...................Then hanged Dann gespielt.......................Then impaled Auf heiße Strangen,.............On red-hot spikes Dann verbrannt....................Then burned, Dann gehunden....................Then bound, Und getaucht;.......................Then drown Zuletzt geschunden...............Finally flayed
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Here is Osmin singing in Hungarian! I think he sounds rather good in Magyar - I would love to see a Turkish version of Mozart. Why not?
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ROOF
British Contralto Clara Butt ~ Love's Old Sweet Song (1923)
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Love's Old Sweet Song
Music by J.L. Molloy;
words by G. Clifton Bingham
Song Lyrics
Once in the dear dead days beyond recall, When on the world the mists began to fall,
Out of the dreams that rose in happy throng Low to our hearts Love sang an old sweet song;
And in the dusk where fell the firelight gleam, Softly it wove itself into our dream. Just a song a twilight, when the lights are low, And the flick'ring shadows softly come and go, Tho' the heart be weary, sad the day and long, Still to us at twilight comes Love's old song, comes Love's old sweet song. Even today we hear Love's song of yore, Deep in our hearts it dwells forevermore.
Footsteps may falter, weary grow the way, Still we can hear it at the close of day.
So till the end, when life's dim shadows fall, Love will be found the sweetest song of all.
Just a song a twilight, when the lights are low, And the flick'ring shadows softly come and go, Tho' the heart be weary, sad the day and long, Still to us at twilight comes Love's old song, comes Love's old sweet song.
Here is La Divina singing the Seguedille from Carmen - The immortal Maria Callas!
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LYRICS:
LA SEGUIDILLA
From Bizet's Carmen
CARMEN: Près des remparts de Séville, Near the ramparts of Seville Chez mon ami, Lillas Pastia At the place of my friend, Lillas Pastia J'irai danser la Séguedille I will go to dance the Seguedilla Et boire du Manzanilla. And to drink Manzanilla. J'irai chez mon ami Lillas Pastia. I will go to the place of my friend, Lillas Pastia.
Oui, mais toute seule on s'ennuie, Yes, but all alone, one gets bored, Et les vrais plaisirs sont à deux; And the real pleasures are for two; Donc, pour me tenir compagnie, So, to keep me company, J'emmènerai mon amoureux! I will take away my lover. Mon amoureux, il est au diable, My lover, he has gone to the devil, Je l'ai mis à la porte hier! I put him out yesterday!
Mon pauvre coeur très consolable, My poor heart, very consolable, Mon coeur est libre comme l'air! My heart is free, like the air! J'ai des galants à la douzaine, I have suiters by the dozen, Mais ils ne sont pas à mon gré. But, they are not to my taste. Voici la fin de la semaine; Here it is the weekend;
Qui veut m'aimer? Je l'aimerai! Who wants to love me? I will love him! Qui veut mon âme? Elle est à prendre. Who wants my soul? It's for the taking. Vous arrivez au bon moment! You're arriving at the right time! J'ai guère le temps d'attendre, I have hardly the time to wait, Car avec mon nouvel amant, For with my new lover,
Près des remparts de Séville, Near the ramparts of Seville Chez mon ami, Lillas Pastia! At the place of my friend, Lillas Pastia!
DON JOSE: Tais-toi! je t'avais dit Shut up! I told you de ne pas me parler! Not to talk to me!
CARMEN: Je ne te parle pas, I am not talking to you, Je chante pour moi-même! I am singing for myself!
Et je pense. And I'm thinking. Il n'est pas défendu de penser! It's not forbidden to think!
Je pense à certain officier, I am thinking of a certain officer, Je pense à certain officier, I am thinking of a certain officer,
Qui m'aime. Et qu' à mon tour Who loves me and whom in turn Oui, qu' à mon tour, je pourrai bien aimer. yes, whom in turn, I could really love.
DON JOSE: Carmen!!
CARMEN: Mon officier n'est pas un capitaine; My officer is not a captain; Pas même un lieutenant, Not even a lieutenant,
Il n'est que brigadier, He is only a corporal, Mais c'est assez pour une Bohémienne, But, that's enough for a gypsy,
Et je daigne m'en contenter. And I deigne to be contented with him.
DON JOSE: Carmen, je suis Carmen, I am Comme un homme ivre, like a man intoxicated, Si je cède, si je me livre, if I give in, if I surrender, Ta promesse, tu la tiendras? Your promise, will you keep it? Ah! si je t'aime, Carmen, Ah! if I love you, Carmen, Carmen, tu m'aimeras? Carmen, will you love me?
CARMEN: (with Don Jose) Oui, nous danserons la Séguedilla Yes, we will dance the Seguedilla En buvant du Manzanilla. While drinking Manzanilla.
Près des remparts de Séville, Near the ramparts of Seville Chez mon ami, Lillas Pastia At the place of my friend, Lillas Pastia J'irai danser la Séguidille I will go to dance the Seguidilla Et boire du Manzanilla. And to drink Manzanilla. Tra. la. la. la. la. etc.
DON JOSE: (with Carmen) Chez Lillas Pastia, tu le promets. At Lillas Pastia's place, you promise. Carmen, tu le promets! Carmen, you promise!
CARMEN: Ah! Près des remparts de Séville, etc. Ah! Near the ramparts of Seville, etc.
An interesting poster of Turandot: the drowsy opium eyes are typical of orientalist typecasting at the turn of the century.
This is my favorite version of this aria. Sung by the powerful Maria Callas. There is partly a sentimental reason for that. It was my first introduction to both Turandot and Maria Callas at the Lakewood Public Library. The picture on the cover was love at first sight!
This is a very interesting version of Turandot. The princess almost looks doll-like in appearance. The background is incredibly surreal. Gwyneth Jones gives a spectacular performance here!
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Some people say that the Wagnerian soprano Birgit Nilsson was the best Turandot ever. Well, I just may agree, even though the Maria Callas version will always be close to my heart for sentimental reasons. Birgit Nilsson gives a stunning performance here with Franco Corelli.
Other people assert that there is no greater Turandot than Dame Eva Turner. So many opinions! I dare say, that I might be convinced. Her voice is perfect for that role, icy, yet vulnerable. That high C she hits chills me to the bone as much as the Prince of Persia facing the block!
LYRICS:
IN QUESTA REGGIA
Turandot's Aria in Italian
Visit the Metropolitan Opera Site for an analysis of Turandot's problem as expressed in this aria. She does not come into the opera until this pivotal scene.
In questa reggia, or son mill'anni e mille
Un grido disperato risonò. E quel grido, traverso stirpe e stirpe, Qui nell’anima mia si rifugiò!
Principessa Lo-u-Ling Ava dolce e serena che regnavi Nel tuo cupo silenzio in gioia pura, E sfidasti inflessibile e sicura, (L’aspro dominio, Oggi rivivi in me!)
Fu quando il Re dei Tartari Le sette sue bandiere dispiegò. Pure nel tempo che ciascun ricorda, Fu sgomento e terrore e rombo d’armi. Il regno vinto! Il regno vinto! E Lo-u-Ling, la mia ava, trascinata Da un uom come te, come te, Straniero, là nella notte atroce Dove si spense la sua fresca voce! (Da secoli ella dorme Nella sua tomba enorme.)
O Principi, che a lunghe carovane
D’ogni parte del mondo
Qui venite a gettar la vostra sorte,
Io vendico su voi, su voi
Quella purezza, quel grido e quella morte!
Mai nessun m’avrà!
L’orror di chi l’uccise vivo nel cuor mi sta.
No, no! Mai nessun m’avrà!
Ah, rinasce in me l’orgoglio
Di tanta purità! Straniero!
Non tentar la fortuna!
Gli enigmi sono tre, la morte una!
IN THIS PALACE
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF TURANDOT'S ARIA
In this palace, thousands of years ago,
A desperate cry rang out.
And that cry, passing down the generations
Found refuge here in my soul!
Princess Lo-u-Ling,
Sweet and serene ancestress, you who reigned
In your deep silence in pure joy
And defied, unyielding and confident,
The harsh domination (of men),
Today you live again in me!
(It was when the King of the Tartars
Unfurled his seven banners) And yet in the time that everyone remembers, There was dismay and terror and the roar of arms.
