Quando le sere al placido – Luisa Miller

Oh! I wish I could deny my own eyes!

If heaven and earth, if mortals and angels

Were to swear to me that she is not guilty...

Lies! I should answer,

All lies...this is her hand!

So much treachery!  A black soul!

A liar! Well my father knew her!

But all the promises, the hopes, the joy,

the tears, the anguish?

Everything is a lie, betrayal, deception!

When in the evenings in the calm

Pale light of a starry sky

She gazed with me into the heavens

With a look of love,

And I felt this hand pressed

By her hand...

Ah! She betrayed me!

I was mute, ecstatic,

Hanging from her lips.

When she said in angelic tones

‘I love only you’,

It seemed like the world

Opened to my soul!

Placido Domingo sings the famous tenor aria from Verdi's Luisa Miller.

Covent Garden, 1979.

Eri tu che macchiavi – Un Ballo in Maschera

It isn’t her, no, not her

Fragile breast that I must strike.

Another, fine, another’s blood must wipe away

The offense! . . .

Your blood!

And I will draw the dagger

From your treacherous heart,

The avenger of my tears!

It was you who tainted that soul,

The delight of my soul;

Who confided in me and in one condemnable instant

Poisoned the universe for me!

Traitor! In such a manner you repay

The faith of your former friend!

O lost delights! O memories

Of an embrace that rendered happiness! . . .

When Amelia so beautiful, so pure

On my breast shone with love!

It is finished, nothing remains but hatred

And death in my widower’s heart!

O lost delights, O hopes of love!

Rolando Panerai sings Renato's aria from Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera.

Film, 1958.

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.

O patria mia – Aïda

Radamès is coming here!          

What does he want to tell me?  I’m trembling!

Ah! If you’re coming to bring me, o cruel man,

The final farewell,

The deep whirlpools of the Nile

Will give me a grave and maybe peace,          

and maybe peace and oblivion.

Oh my country, I will never see you again!

Nevermore! Nevermore will I see you!

O blue skies, o sweet native breezes

Where my morning shone peacefully,

O green hills, o fragrant shores,

Oh my country, I will never see you again!

Nevermore! Nevermore will I see you!

O cool valleys, o this blessed refuge

That once gave me a promise of love,

Now that the dream of love has disappeared,

O my country, I will never see you again.         

O my country, I will never see you again.

Leyla Gencer in Verdi's Aida.

Verona, 1963.

Il lacerato spirito – Simon Boccanegra

A final farewell to you,

Lofty palace,

The cold tomb of my angel!

You are not worthy to protect her!

Oh damn! Oh vile seducer!

And you, Virgin Mary, did you stand by,

While her virginal crown was taken?

Ah! What am I saying? Lunatic!

Ah, forgive me!

The wounded spirit of a sad parent

Was kept in the agony of shame and grief.

Give her, o heaven, a martyr’s garland.

Yield her to the splendour of the angels,

Pray for me, Mary.

Nicolai Ghiaurov sings the famous bass aria from Verdi's Simon Boccanegra.

Re dell’abisso, affrettati – Un Ballo in Maschera

Commoners

Quiet... you must not disturb the incantation.

The devil will be here to talk soon.

Ulrica

King of the Abyss, make haste,

Plunge down through the skies,

Without soaring, the lightning

Penetrates my roof.

Now three times, the hoopoe

Breathed on high;

The fire breathing salamander

Hissed three times...

And the groaning of the tombs

Spoke to me three times.

Riccardo

I’m going to the front!

Commoners

Villain, get in the back.

Oh, how everything shines with darkness!

Ulrica

It’s him, it’s him! Now I feel

The palpitations again.

The pleasure to burn again

In his awful embrace!

The light of the future

He holds in his left hand.

He was pleased with my spell

He blazes once again:

Nothing, nothing more will be hidden

From my gaze!

Commoners

Long live the witch!

Ulrica

Silence, silence!

Bulgarian contralto Mariana Pentcheva as Ulrica in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. Extraordinary performance! And a stunning low note at the end.

La Scala, 2001. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

Celeste Aida - Aida

If only I was
That warrior! If my dream
Would only come true!... An army of brave men
Led by me... and the victory... and the praise
Of all Memphis! And you, my sweet Aida,
To return crowned with laurels...
To say to you: I fought for you, I triumphed for you!
Heavenly Aida, divine form.
Mystical garland of light and flowers,
You are the queen of my thoughts,
You are the splendour of my life.
I want to give you back your beautiful sky,
The sweet breezes of your homeland;
To place a regal garland upon your head,
To raise up a throne for you near the sun.

Carlo Bergonzi sings Radames' first act aria from Verdi's Aida.

Tokyo, 1973.

O Carlo Ascolta – Don Carlo

*Includes prior recitative.

Rodrigo

It’s me, dear Carlo.

Don Carlo
O Rodrigo, I am so grateful to you
For coming to Carlo in prison.

Rodrigo

Dear Carlo!

Don Carlo
Well you know it! I have abandoned myself to the current!
For Isabella’s love, I torture and kill myself...
No, it’s not worth going on living!
But you can save them yet;
The Flanders are no longer oppressed.

Rodrigo

Ah! I can see clearly your affection!
Get out of this ghastly tomb.
I am happy just because I can embrace you!
I will save you!

Don Carlo
What are you saying?

Rodrigo

We’d better say farewell!

Don Carlo
Why do you speak of death?

Rodrigo

Listen, time is running out,
I have already turned the tremendous lightning to me!
You are no longer the rival of the King now…
The proud agitator of the Flanders…is me!

Don Carlo
Who would believe it?

Rodrigo

The evidence is tremendous!
Your papers were found in my possession...
The rebellion testimonies are clear
And this head already had a certain price set on it.

Don Carlo
I want to expose everything about the King.

Rodrigo

No, you side with Flanders,
You are for the great Serbian work.
You must do it. A new golden age
You will be reborn; you must reign

And I must die for you.

Don Carlo
Heavens! Death! Whoever for?

Rodrigo

For me!
The vendetta of the King could not delay!
Oh God!

O Carlo, listen, your mother awaits you
At San Giusto tomorrow; she knows everything...
Ah! I’m leaving the earth... dearest Carlo;
Give me your hand...!
I will die, but glad in heart,
That I could keep
Such a saviour for Spain!
Ah! ... don’t... forget... me...!

Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Posa's two arias from the last act of Verdi's Don Carlo.

Joseph Volpe Galla, 2006.

O don fatale – Don Carlo

O fatal gift, o cruel gift
That heaven, in its wrath, made me!
You make us so vain, so haughty,
I curse you, I curse you, o my beauty!
I can only pour out tears,
I have no hope, I will have to suffer!

My crime is truly horrible
I can never blot it out!
I curse you, I curse you, o my beauty,
O my Queen, I sacrificed you

To the foolish error of this heart.

Now only in a cloister from the world

Must I hide my grief!

Alas! Alas! O my Queen,
Oh heavens! Carlo! Going to his death tomorrow,

Great God! I will see him go to his death!
Ah, only one day remaining, hope smiles on me,
Ah, blessed be the heavens! I will save him!

Olga Borodina as Princess Eboli in Verdi's Don Carlo. Apologies for the black and white and blurry image.

Mia madre aveva una povera ancella - Otello

He seemed so to me.                                                    

He bid me get into bed and await him. 

                                                                                   

Emilia, I pray you,                                            

Lay out my spotless wedding garment

On my bed.                                                     

Listen! If I must die before you              

Bury me with one of those veils.                       

I am so desperately wretched.                                      

My mother had a poor servant girl                   

She was beautiful and in love

Her name was Barbara;

She loved a man but he abandoned her,

She sang a song;

The song of the willow.                                     

Take down my hair.                                         

This evening I have haunting memories 

Of that lullaby.                                    

"She wept, singing in the lonely heath                 

The sad girl wept.                                            

O Willow! Willow!  Willow!                                          

She sat bowing her head on her breast!                       

Willow! Willow! Willow!

Let’s sing! Let’s sing!                                          

The willow shall be my funeral garland."           

Hurry; Othello will be here soon.                      

"The streams flowed between the flowering banks               

She lamented that broken heart,                           

And the heart flowed out, from the eyes        

The bitter wave of tears,                           

Willow! Willow!  Willow!

Let’s sing! Let’s sing!                                          

The willow shall be my funeral garland."           

"The birds flew down from the dark branches            

Towards that sweet song.                                 

And her eyes wept so bitterly

That even the rocks were moved to pity."                                             

Put on this ring.                                    

Poor Barbara!                                                  

She would end her story with this simple line:    

"He was born for his own glory, I for love."

Listen. I hear a lament. Be quiet.                       

Who knocks on the door?                                

"I to love him and to die                                   

Let’s sing! Let’s sing!                                          

Willow! Willow! Willow!”

Emilia, farewell.                                                

How my eyes burn!                                          

It presages weeping.

Goodnight.                                                      

Ah! Emilia, Emilia, farewell!

Barbara Frittoli as Desdemona in Verdi's Otello.

Florence, 2003. Conductor: Zubin Mehta.          

Il balen del suo sorriso – Il Trovatore

The flashing of her smile
Outshines a star!
The splendour of her lovely face
Infuses new courage in me!...
Ah! love, enflaming love
Speak to her in my favour!
May the light of her gaze chase away
The tempest of my heart.
What a sound!... Oh heavens...

Leo Nucci sings the great baritone aria from Verdi's Il Trovatore.

La Scala, 2001. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

Il Grande Inquisitor - Don Carlo

The Count of Lerma

The Grand Inquisitor!

Inquisitor

Am I before the king...?

Filippo

Yes; I summoned you, my father!
I am in doubt,
Carlo has filled my heart
with a bitter sadness.
The child is rebelling against me,
Arming himself against his own father.

Inquisitor

What method of punishment will you choose?

Filippo

Extreme measures.

Inquisitor

Tell me.

Filippo

That he would escape... that he would be executed...

Inquisitor

Well?

Filippo

If I send my son to his death,
Will you absolve me?

Inquisitor

The peace of the empire is worth one rebel.

Filippo

Can I sacrifice my own son for the world
Me, a Christian?

Inquisitor

God sacrificed His Son to redeem us.

Filippo

But can you enforce a law that harsh?

Inquisitor

The same harshness is everywhere,
if it was there on Calvary.

Filippo

Could nature
And love keep silent in me?

Inquisitor

All must be silent to exalt the faith.

Filippo

Very well.

Inquisitor

Does the king have nothing more to ask me?

Filippo

No.

Inquisitor

Well then, I will speak with you, Sire.
Heresy has never ruled Spain,
But there is a man who wishes to undermine
the divine structure;
The king’s friend, his faithful companion,
The demon tempter who leads him to ruin.
Carlo’s betrayal has angered you
But that is a silly game by comparison.
And I, the Inquisitor,
I have often raised
My mighty hand above hordes of vile criminals,
For the great men of this world, should I forget my faith,
And quietly let a great rebel go free...
even for the king?

Filippo

To pass through the sorrows in which we live
I searched in vain within my Court
But I have found what I longed for,
A man! A loyal heart! I have found him!

Inquisitor

Why do you need a man?
Why do you hold the title of king,
Sire, if there is an equal for you?

Filippo

That’s enough, priest!

Inquisitor

The innovator’s ideas have taken root in you!
With your weak hand, you want to break the tare
Of the holy yolk, extended above the Roman orb...!
Return to your duty;
The church for the man who hopes,
for the man who repents,
Can offer a full pardon;
I ask you for Posa.

Filippo

No, never!

Inquisitor
O King, if I weren’t here with you in this secret meeting
This very day, I swear before God,
Tomorrow you would be brought to the Grand Inquisitor
At the supreme tribunal.

Filippo

Priest!
I have suffered your harsh words long enough!

Inquisitor

Why are you evoking the ghost of Samuel?
Henceforth I have given two royals
The reign of your kingdom...!
You want to destroy all that work, madman!
Why am I here?
What does the king want from me?

(To leave)

Filippo

My father, let there be peace between us yet.

Inquisitor

Peace?

Filippo

You must forget what has passed.

Inquisitor

Perhaps!

(Leaving)

Filippo

(Alone)
So the throne
must always bow to the altar!

Jerome Hines as the Grand Inquisitor and Paul Plishka as King Phillip in Verdi's Don Carlo.

Met, 1980. Conductor: James Levine.

Ah, la paterna mano - Macbeth

O sons, o my children!
That tyrant has killed you all,
And together with you,
Your unfortunate mother!
Ah, in the claws of that tiger
Did I leave mother and sons?

Ah, the paternal hand didn’t shield you,
O my dears,
Treacherous killers have mortally
wounded you!
And as for me, I escaped, while I hid
You were calling in vain
With your last gasps, with your last breaths.
Ah! lead me to the tyrant,
Lord, if he should escape from me
May he, in Your open arms,
Find forgiveness.

Placido Domingo in great voice singing the tenor aria from Verdi's Macbeth.

Concert for Romania, 1990.

Esultate - Otello

Esultate - Otello

Cypriots
He is saved! He is saved!

Inner Voices
Throw out the skiffs!
Hands to the ropes! Stop!

Cypriots
Stronger with the oars! To the shore!

Inner Voices
To the shore! To the shore!

Cypriots
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

Othello
Rejoice! The pride of the Muslim’s
is buried in the sea; the glory is ours and the heavens!
First the army then the hurricane brought victory.

Cypriots
Hooray Othello! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Victory! Victory! Victory!

Placido Domingo sings 'Esultate' from the first act of Verdi's Otello.
Paris, 1976. Conductor: George Solti.

Ella giammai m'amò – Don Carlo

She never loved me...!
No, that heart is closed to me,
She has no love for me...!
I can still see her
How sad she seemed
The day she saw my white hair
When she came here from France.
No, she has no love for me.

Where am I...? Those torches
They’ve nearly burned out...!
The sunrise brightens my balcony!
Dawn is already breaking!
I see my days passing slowly!
Sleep, O God!
Vanished from my languishing eyes!
I will sleep alone in my royal mantle
When my day has reached evening;
I will sleep alone under the dark vault
There, in the Escurial tomb!
If the regal crown could give me power
To read the hearts, that God alone can see...!
If the prince is sleeping, the traitor is waking;
The king loses his crown, and his honor! 

Boris Christoff sings King Phillip's aria from Verdi's Don Carlo.
His voice is not quite in its prime, but still has incredible and unique qualities.
Vienna, 1980s.