Sì, ritrovarla io giuro – La Cenerentola

Yes, I swear I will find her.

Love, love, move me:

If she were in the lap of Jupiter

I would find her.

Beloved, dear proof

That at least gratifies me

Ah! The lip and the breast

How I will cling to you!

We will fly, we will ask,

We will seek, we will find.

Sweet hope, cold fear,

Inside my heart

They are fighting;

Love, love,

Give me guidance.

Ramon Vargas in Rossini's Cenerentola.

Met, 1997

Tu qui, Santuzza – Cavalleria Rusticana

Turiddu
You’re here, Santuzza?

Santuzza
I’ve been waiting here for you.

Turiddu
It’s Easter,
Aren’t you going to church?

Santuzza
I don’t want to.
I had to talk with you…

Turiddu
I’ve been looking for mother.

Santuzza
I had to talk with you...

Turiddu

Not here! Not here!

Santuzza
Where were you?

Turiddu
What do you mean?
In Francofonte!

Santuzza
No, that’s not true!

Turiddu
Santuzza, believe me...

Santuzza
No, don’t lie to me;

I saw you turn

Off the path...

And this morning, at dawn,
They saw you

At Lola’s door.

Turiddu
Ah! You were watching me?

Santuzza
No, I swear to you.
Alfio, her husband

Told us

A little while ago.

Turiddu
And this is how you repay

The love that I have for you?

Do you want to kill me?

Santuzza
Oh! I don’t mean...

Turiddu
Let me alone then, let me alone;
Vain attempt to quell

Your righteous indignation
With your pity.

Santuzza
Do you love her then?

Turiddu
No...

Santuzza
She’s much more beautiful.

Turiddu
Stop it, I don’t love her.

Santuzza
You love her...
Oh! damn!

Turiddu
Santuzza!

Santuzza
That awful woman
Stole you from me!

Turiddu

Control yourself, Santuzza,
I am not a slave
To your vain jealousy!

Santuzza
Beat me, insult me,
I’ll love and forgive you,
But my anguish

Is too much to bear.

Fiorenza Cossotto and Placido Domingo in the first half of the great duet from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. With Gabriella Novielli as Lola.

Tokyo, 1976.

Ave Signor - Mefistofele

Hail Lord.
Pardon me if my gibberish
Is not quite up to par with
The supreme hymns of paradise;
Pardon me if my face
Doesn’t carry the beam
That garlands the ringlets
Of high cherubim;
Pardon me if in speaking
I run the risk of  
Being irreverent!

The God of the sweet little earth
Descends and wanders evermore,
And, like the cricket
Jumps, at random
Pushing his nose between the stars.
Then with superbly tenacious folly
Trills in the grass.
Arrogant dust! Haughty atom!
The phantom of man
Which makes
That inebriated illusion
That he calls: Reason, Reason.
Ah! Yes, Divine Master,
In utter darkness
The lord of the world degenerates,
And I have no heart left,
It is so weakened,
Than to tempt him to evil.

Up and coming star Ildebrando d'Arcangelo surprisingly sings the bass part of Mefistofele from Boito's opera.

Ravenna, 2005. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.