Addio, fiorito asil – Madama Butterfly

Yes, all in an instant

I see my mistake and I feel

That from this torment

I will have no respite.

Forever that mild countenance

I will see, with excruciating agony,

Forever that sweet voice

I will hear mourning.

Farewell flowery refuge

Of joy and love

I cannot bear your misery

I must run away, I must run away – I am vile.

Peter Dvorsky as Pinkerton in Puccini's Madame Butterfly. With Richard Stilwell as Sharpless.

Chicago, 1985.

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.

Vissi d'arte - Tosca

I lived for art, I lived for love,
I never hurt a living soul!
With a secretive hand
I helped every misfortunate soul I encountered.

With sincere faith
My prayer always
Ascended to the holy shrines.
With sincere faith
I always gave flowers on the altar.
In the hour of pain
Why, why, Lord,
Why do you reward me like this?
I gave jewels for Madonna’s mantle,
And I gave a song to the stars, to the heavens,
that smiled full of beauty.
In the hour of grief
Why, why, Lord,
Ah, why do you reward me like this?

Mezzo Elena Obraztsova sings the soprano aria, "vissi d'arte" from Puccini's Tosca.

Tokyo, 1980.

Sono andati? - La Boheme

Mimi

Are they gone? I was pretending to sleep
So I could be alone with you
I have so many things that I want to say to you
Or just one, but it’s as big as the sea
As deep and infinite as the sea
You are my love and my whole life ...

Rodolfo
Ah, Mimì, my beautiful Mimì!

Mimì
Am I still beautiful?

Rodolfo
As beautiful as the dawn.

Mimì
You made the wrong comparison.
You meant: as beautiful as a sunset.
"They call me Mimì,
They call me Mimì
I don’t know why."

Rodolfo
He returned the swallow and the chirps to the nest.

Mimì
My bonnet, my bonnet!
Ah! Do you remember when
I came here, that first time, there?

Rodolfo
I remember it!

Mimì
The light had gone out…

Rodolfo
You were so upset!
And then you lost the key.

Mimì
You were looking so hard for it.

Rodolfo
Looking and looking.

Mimì
My dear sir,
I can tell you now:
You found it very quickly.

Rodolfo
I was helping destiny.

Mimì
It was dark and you could not see me blushing
"What a cold little hand
If you warm it up!..."
It was dark and you took my hand.

Placido Domingo and Mirella Freni in the final act of Puccini's La Boheme.

Tu che di gel sei cinta – Turandot

You, encircled with ice,
Are defeated by numerous flames
You will love him, even you!
Before this dawn
I close my tired eyes

Because if he yet wins...
Not to see him anymore!

Katia Ricciarelli gives a very moving performance as Liu. Jose Carreras is Calaf, Eva Marton is Turandot and John Paul Bogart is Timur.

Vienna, 1983. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.

Nessun dorma - Turandot

Calaf

No one shall sleep! No one shall sleep!
Not even you, o, Princess
In your cold room,
Look at the stars
That tremble with love
And hope.

But my secret is hidden within me,
No one will know my name!
No, no, I will say it on your mouth
when the light shines!

And my kiss will melt the silence
That makes you mine!

Chorus

No one will know his name!...
And, alas, we must die!

Calaf

Vanish, o night!

Fade away, stars!

Fade away, stars!

At dawn I will win!

I will win, I will win!

Placido Domingo sings Nessun dorma from Puccini's Turandot. A different version to the one posted several times already.

La Scala, 1983. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.

Signore, ascolta - Turandot

Sir, listen! Ah, sir, listen!
Liu can bear no more!
Her heart is breaking! My, how long I’ve walked
With your name in my soul
With your name on these lips!
But if your destiny
Tomorrow, will be decided,

We will die on the road of exile.
He’ll lose his son

I, the shadow of a smile.
Liù can bear no more! Ah! Ah!

Katia Ricciarelli sings Liu's first act aria in Puccini's Turandot.

Vienna, 1983. Conductor: Lorin Maazel.

Che gelida manina - La Boheme

What a cold hand,

Let it warm up.

What's the use of looking?

You won’t find it in the dark.

But fortunately

It’s a full moon tonight,

And here the moon

We have nearby.

Wait, Miss

I want to say some things

Who I am, and what I do,

How I live. Would you like to hear them?

Who am I? I am a poet.

What do I do? I write.

And how do I live? I live.

In poverty, my happiness

Lavished by a great Lord,

rhymes and hymns of love.

For dreams and chimeras

And castles in the air,

I have the soul of a millionaire.

One time, from my chest

They stole all my jewels

Two thieves, with sharp eyes.

They came in with you just now,

And both my used up dreams

And my good dreams,

Quickly disappeared!

But I won't take the theft to heart

Since, since you’ve been in the room

there's hope!

Now that you know me,

You talk, eh! Come on. Who are you?

Say whatever you like!

Placido Domingo sings this famous aria from Puccini's La Boheme.

Paris, 1977.

O mio babbino caro - Gianni Schicchi

O my dear sweet father,

I love him, he’s wonderful, wonderful;

I want to go to the Red Gate

to buy the ring!

Yes, yes, I want to go!

And if I've loved him in vain,

I'll go under the Old Bridge,

To throw myself into the Arno!

I fret and torment myself!

O God, I want to die!

 Father, pity, pity!...

Renata Scotto sings this famous aria from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi.
Metropolitan Opera, 1981.