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SATURDEE OPRY LINKS 36:
Drinking Edition!
Juan Diego Florez, Diana Damrau, and the Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Saturdee Opry Links Overture!
"The Abduction from the Seraglio," by Mozart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvefmK6LNwc
1.
There is a reason this is an operatic cliche: it's brilliant. This is the "Largo
al factotum della citta," from Rossini's "Barber o Seville." "Make way for the
topman of the city!" Figaro, a Sevillian barber appears outside Dr. Bartolo's
house at daybreak, singing of the many talents that make him a good doctor,
barber, matchmaker, etc. Did he drink? Probably.
With English subtitles, this is from a Met production with baritone Peter Mattei.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ1nAAVjimA
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=30
Also: Tom and Jerry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5yeJM3HOek
Also: Louis Prima:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtoMjMAfylY
2.
As Jimmy Lennon used to day, "All right, boxing fans. . ." in searching for a
theme for today's opry links, I think I've hit on something. In my senility,
I've probably done it before, but in your senility, you won't remember, anyhow.
And I need something upbeat to drown out the damn tile saw screaming outside. So
here is item number one. See if you can guess the theme!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBXW8QjBxT4 The soprano is Violette
Polchi.
From Offenbach's comic opera, "La Perichole," here is "Ah! quel diner je viens
de faire."
Translation:
French:
Ah! quel diner je viens de faire!
Et quel vin extraordinaire!
J'en ai tant mangé... mais tant et tant,
Que je crois bien que maintenant
Je suis un peu grise...
Mais chut!
Faut pas qu'on le dise!
Chut!
Si ma parole est un peu vague,
Si tout en marchant je zigzague,
Et si mon oeil est égrillard,
Il ne faut s'en étonner, car...
Je suis un peu grise...
Mais chut!
Faut pas qu'on le dise!
Chut!
English:
Ah! what a diner I just did!
And what an extraordinary wine!
I have eaten so much ... but so much
That I believe that now
I am a little gray ...
Quiet!
Do not be told!
Hush!
If my word is a little vague,
If while walking I zigzag,
And if my eye is scratchy,
Do not be surprised, because ...
I am a little gray ...
Quiet!
Do not be told!
Hush!
How it can look on stage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAXIYU1ols0
3.
Were Lerner and Lowe inspired to write "The Night They Invented
Champagne" by this? Here is the wacky, whimsical "Champagne Song" from "Die Fledermaus," by Strauss. "Im Feuerstrom der Reben." ("In the fire stream of the
vines.") Hic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ZOpP_yXSY
Translation:
http://www.mainlineopera.org/fledermaus-champagne-song.htm
4.
What do you do with a drunken sailor, I mean, tenor? Let him sing! From
Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana," here is "Here's to the frothing wine!" Or
"Viva il vino spumeggiante." With the great Franco Corelli.
Synopsis: Turiddu, a soldier, the son of Lucia sings a drinking song---on Easter
Sunday, in the main square of a Sicilian village, Italy, late 1800s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4yIO01go6Q
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=601
5.
This would be the stupendous baritone, Leo Nucci (who is still singing, as of
this writing, at 76!) with a
terrific Verdi booze paean, "Inaffia l'ugola! Trinca, tracanna." Or "Come,
wet your whistle!" Of course, this invitation comes from Iago, so I’d think
twice about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdHxIZuyBo
Translation: (search for "Inaffia"):
http://www.murashev.com/opera/otello_libretto_english_italian
Synopsis:
Iago proposes a toast to Otello and his wife, while Cassio praises Desdemona (Iago,
Cassio, Chorus, Roderigo: Roderigo, beviam! / "Roderigo, let's drink!"). Iago
offers Cassio more wine, but Cassio says he has had enough. Iago pressures him
and offers a toast to Otello and Desdemona. Cassio gives in. Iago sings a
drinking song and continues to pour Cassio wine (Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, chorus:
Inaffia l'ugola! / "Wet your throat").
6.
But back to champagne. Here is a quick toast to women, courtesy of Don Giovanni
in Mozart's opera of the same name. "Till they get some wine in them" is the
sentiment expressed here. Not to worry, ladies, the Don is eventually dragged
to hell by a statue-come-to-life. Much as the Don in D.C. will eventually be
dragged to hell by the statue of Abraham Lincoln inside the Lincoln Memorial.
Bryn Terfel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T4z6MI4hkU
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=89
Synopsis: As Don Giovanni arrives at his palace with the peasants awaiting the
wedding party of Masetto and Zerlina inside, he declares that there shall be an
incredible party with much wine and many women.
7.
You might know the polka hit, "In Heaven, There is No Beer" (thank you, Dr.
Demento.) But you might not know the equivalent from Smetana's "The Bartered
Bride," which translates to "It's beer, it certainly is a gift from heaven."
("To pivečko, to věru je nebeský dar.") There is actually a bit of a debate
going on in this scene. The assertion that beer is a gift from heaven is
countered by someone who insists that love is superior. Eventually someone adds
that money tops both. Perhaps they anticipated 21st century America.
Translation: (scroll way down)
https://manganpaper.wordpress.com/tag/to-pivecko/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b-btT90vq0
Synopsis: The men of the village join in a rousing drinking song ("To beer!"),
while Jeník and Kecal argue the merits, respectively, of love and money over
beer. The women enter, and the whole group joins in dancing a furiant. Away from
the jollity the nervous Vašek muses over his forthcoming marriage in a
stuttering song ("My-my-my mother said to me"). Mařenka appears, and guesses
immediately who he is, but does not reveal her own identity. Pretending to be
someone else, she paints a picture of "Mařenka" as a treacherous deceiver. Vašek
is easily fooled, and when Mařenka, in her false guise, pretends to woo him ("I
know of a maiden fair"), he falls for her charms and swears to give Mařenka up.
National Theatre Prague, 1981. Jeník: Peter Dvorský Marenka: Gabriela
Beňačková Kecal: Richard Novák Krušina: Jindřich Jindrák Háta: Marie Mrázová
Mícha: Jaroslav Horáček Ludmila: Marie Veselá Vašek: Miroslav Kopp Esmeralda:
Jana Jonášová Pricipál: Alfréd Hampel Indián: Karel Hanuš.
"In Heaven There is No Beer" (Polka!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzC_koWckdY
8.
And yet more bellowing praise for demon rum in "Martha," by Flotow," as sung by
the German bass, Josef Greindl. Wait---Greindl's bio shows that he was a Nazi.
Gad. never mind. Okay, here is the duly vaunted Alexander Kipnis instead.
Ukrainian-born U.S. citizen. If you are noticing that these various drinking
songs are similarly carousing, rousing, rollicking, you are a very incisive
opera appraiser! "Lasst mich euch fragen" (Porterlied).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYY0CObgFd4
About Alexander Kipnis:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kipnis
Translation:
PLUMKET
Say, if you can, sir,
Give me the answer.
Why are the fighting men
Of England
All so brave and strong?
That is because their drink is ale.
Englishmen drink it by the pail
When they are fighting England's fight
Both near and far, by day or night. Ha!
An English lad who is worth his salt
Is weaned on English hops and malt!
Hurrah for hops, hurrah for malt
For they are life's spice and salt!
Hurrah! Tralala!
CHORUS
Hurrah!
PLUMKETT
While we are drinking,
Maybe you're thinking
What is the power that helps us
Hold a note so loud and long?
That is because our drink is ale,
That's why our voices never fail,
And that is the reason
Why the season never stops
For malt and hops.
Ha! Away with wine and foreign slops,
Give me my English malt and hops!
Hurrah for hops, hurrah for malt
For they are life's spice and salt!
Hurrah! Tralala!
CHORUS
Hurrah, hurrah for ale!
And here is how it sounds, sung in English:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=32&v=3SJKKZfZG00
9.
There is a reason this is a cliche: it's brilliant. (Didn’t someone already say
this today?) And you thought this aria was about bullfighting, didn't you? So
did I. Well, it is, but it starts out with a toast. Here is our penultimate
operatic drinking song, or quasi-drinking song, "Votre toast je peux vous le
rendre (Toreador Song) ," from "Carmen," by Bizet. Mighty Samuel Ramey is the
baritone."Toreadore, don't spit on the floor-e, use a cuspidor-e, that's what
it's for-e."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoV2YOjFowY
Translation, setting:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=46
FINAL BOW:
Of course, "Libiamo," the brindisi (drinking song) from Verdi's "La Traviata."
Roberto Alagna and Tiziana Fabbricini (I chose this one merely for the soprano's
name.)
Sing along!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX5lR9I3Vyo
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=311
Or, if that isn't festive enough for you. . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7eHO_PEWLk
Saturdee Opry Links Drinking Song Encore!
"Lay me to snooze in the mud and the ooze. . .with plenty of booze to warm me. .
."
From Rudof Friml's "The Vagabond King." Sung here by Mario Lanza, in his later,
darker voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-KCr5cVQL4
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