Sat-II. The Bass: a Devilish Voice! LYRICS to Son Lo Spirito Che Nega

Our selection: Boito's Mefistofeles. In this devilishly delicious aria, "Sono il spirito qui niega", the character of Mefistofeles obscenely whistles and laughs in a irreverent and perverted song, an antithesis of everything that is beautiful and the sacred.

SON IL SPIRITO QUI NIEGA

Mefistofeles's aria from Boito's Mefistofeles
Son lo Spirito
Che nega sempre, tutto;
L'astro, il fior.
Il mio ghingno e la mia bega
Turbano gli ozi al Creator.
Voglio il Nulla e del Creato
La ruina universal,
E' atmosfera mia,
E' atmostera mia vital,
Ciò che chiamasi,
Ciò che chiamasi peccato,
Morte e Mal.
Rido e avvento questa sillaba:
"No!"
Struggo, tento, ruggo, sibilo:
"No!"
Mordo, invischio,
Struggo, tento, ruggo, sibilo:
Fischio! Fischio! Fischio!
Eh!
Parte son d'una latebra
Del gran tutto: Oscurità.
Son figliuol della Tenebra
Che Tenebra tornerà.
S'or la luce usurpa e afferra
Il mio scettro a ribellion,
Poco andrà,
Poco andrà la sua tenzon:
V'è sul Sol,
V'è sul Sole e sulla Terra,
Distruzion!
Rido e avvento questa sillaba:
"No!" ecc.

English Translation

I'm the Spirit that denies
All things, always, stars or flowers.
That by sneers and strife supplies
Cause to vex the Heavenly power.
I'm for chaos; as for creation
ruin and universal plague!
My very life and being! My very life and breath!
Is what here they call transgression, sin and death!
Shouting and laughing out this word I offer:
spitting, roaring, hissing, on I go,
slandering, soiling, wasting, howling.
On I go whistling, whistling, whistling and whistling!
I am of that demeanor!

I hide in obscurity,
a child of darkness and ambition.
Shadows, hiding, wait for me.
If the light usurps, contending,

on my rebel specters right.
Not prolonged will be the fight!
I travel over sun and over earth.
Over sun and earth is pending
Endless night!
Shouting and laughing
out this word I throw:
Blasting, singing, roaring, On I go,
Wasting, spoiling, whistling, whistling, etc!

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