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.

Recondita Armonia - Tosca

Oh the mysterious harmony of diverse beauties!

Floria is dark, my ardent lover,

And you, unknown beauty,

Have a ring of blonde hair!

Your eyes are blue

Tosca’s are black!

Art in all its mystery

Mixes various beauties together:

But while I’m painting her

my only thought,

ah! my only thought is you!

Tosca, it’s you!

This is from a 1992 production in which Tosca was performed in the exact places of the libretto, in something close to real time. The orchestra was a few miles away.

1992, Conductor: Zubin Mehta. 

Va, Tosca (Te Deum) - Tosca

Scarpia

Three guards... One carriage...

Quickly…follow her

Wherever she goes!... unseen!... be careful!

Spoletta

Alright! Where will we meet?

Scarpia

Palazzo Farnese!

Go, Tosca! Scarpia nestles in your heart!...

It’s Scarpia that

Arouses your jealousy.

There’s so much promise in your quick suspicion!

The crowd is forming into two wings.

Cardinal

In the name of the Lord, our God

Crowd

Who made heaven and earth

Cardinal

Blessed be His name

Crowd

From this time now and for evermore.

Scarpia

Two goals,

I must tend to, the leader of the rebels

And the most precious thing. Ah those victorious eyes

To see the flame

Languishing with pangs of love,

In my arms...

One to the gallows,

The other in my arms...

Crowd

We praise thee, O God:

We acknowledge thee to be the Lord!

Scarpia

Tosca, you make me forget God!

Everyone

All the earth doth worship thee:

The Father everlasting!

This is from a 1992 production in which Tosca was performed in the exact places of the libretto, in something close to real time. The orchestra was a few miles away.

With Mauro Buffoli as Spoletta (I like him, great Spoletta).

1992, Conductor: Zubin Mehta.

E lucevan le stelle - Tosca

And the stars shone,

And the earth was fragrant

The garden gate creaked

And a step brushed the sand.

Fragrant, she entered,

And fell in to my arms.

O sweet kisses, o lingering caresses,

While I, quivering, unveiled her beauty.

My dream of love has vanished forever.

Time is fleeing, I die despairing!

And I have never so loved life!

See Placido Domingo in a 1992 production in which Tosca was performed in the exact places of the libretto, in something close to real time. The orchestra was a few miles away.

 1992, Conductor: Zubin Mehta