Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Stride la vampa – Il Trovatore


The blaze crackles!
The unrestrained crowd
Runs to that fire
happy in appearance; 
shouts of joy
echo all around:           
Surrounded by henchmen
A woman approaches!

Menacingly shines        
On those horrible faces
That gloomy flame
That reaches to the heavens!    

The blaze crackles!
Here comes the victim,
Dressed in black,
Dishevelled and barefoot!
A fierce shout
Of death arises.           
The echo repeats
From cliff to cliff!

Menacingly shines        
On those horrible faces
That gloomy flame
That reaches to the heavens!    

Fiorenza Cossotto as Azucena in Verdi's Il Trovatore.

Firenze, 1977. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

No, no pazzo son – Manon Lescaut



No! No! I’m crazy!
Look, I’m crazy, look,
As I cry and I beg...
As I cry, look,
As I ask for pity!...
Listen! Take me
As a cabin boy or a lower position,
And I will come happily!... Accept me!
Ah! look, I cry and I beg!
Take my blood…my life!...
I implore you, I ask you for mercy!
Ah! mercy! I will not be ungrateful!

Placido Domingo as Des Grieux in Puccini's Manon Lescaut. For me one of his best roles.

Milan, 1978.