Credeasi, misera – I Puritani

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.