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SATURDEE OPRY LINKS 55:
Farewell (Sniff) Edition
Dame Maggie Teyte
Jose Cura (A Caucasian Otello? What next, a Caucasian "Butterfly?")
Saturdee Opry Links Overture!
Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lrKuZKV-Q
1.
Today we present songs of
farewell. Here is. . ."Addio, Fiorito Asil," or "Farewell, flowery refuge," from
Puccini's "Madama Butterfly," in which the impressionable scoundrel, Pinkerton,
bids farewell to Japan---and poor Butterfly, to whom he will never return. Sung
here by the great Mario del Monaco, the man who could not sing softly. (But who
would want him to?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS4Z9ESGJKE
Setting: Butterfly's house
Synopsis: Pinkerton comes to Butterfly's house and, after speaking to Suzuki,
decides that it would be too painful to say goodbye to Butterfly directly. He
bids adieu to the house in which he and Butterfly spent many happy hours.
Translation:
http://operainenglish.blogspot.com/2013/08/addio-fiorito-asil-madama-butterfly.html
2.
Here is "Addio del
Passato," or "Farewell to the past," from Verdi's "La Traviata," in which poor,
terminally ill Violetta sings a farewell to happiness. Maria Callas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmcG8fcVWkk
Setting: Violetta's bedroom
Synopsis: Violetta is now poor and about to die. She receives a letter from
Alfredo's father saying that Alfredo has discovered why she lied about her love
for him and is coming to her. She knows that it is too late, though, and sings a
farewell to her happiness with Alfredo.
Translation;
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=310
3.
Toward the end of Puccini's "La Boheme," Mimi has collapsed on the staircase to
the attic garret, and is carried inside by her friends. In her last moments, she
says that her hands are cold. In order to buy her something for warmth, Musetta
pawns her jewelry and Colline decides to pawn his beloved old overcoat, to which
he sings farewell. This is "Vecchia Zimarra," or "old coat," here sung in an
Australia Opera production by one David Parkin. With English subtitles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQxW8_o47JI
Translation:
http://lucylou.livejournal.com/219756.html
4.
Here is a lovely rarity, the aria, "Adieu, cher Louise," from the 18th century
opera comique, "Le Deserteur," by one Pierre Alexandre Monsigny. No translation
available, but none, really, is needed. The soprano is Dame Maggie Teyte, who
specialized in French song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gRAlrHPHSQ
About Maggie Teyte:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Teyte
About the opera:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_d%C3%A9serteur
5.
"May the wind be gentle." A lovely sentiment, especially in
Southern California, home of the devil's own Santa Anas. From Mozart's utterly
insanely plotted 'Cosi Fan Tutte," here we have soldiers who pretend they are
going off to war (long story having to do with proving romantic fidelity.) As
they leave, one Alfonso (who has bet the soldiers that their women will be
unfaithful) and two fiances, Dorabella and Fiordiligi, bid them farewell.
Despite the absurdity of the circumstance, the aria---trio, actually---is one of
the most lovely in all opera. "Soave sia il vento." Here is a clip from the 1988
film, with Edita Gruberova (Fiordiligi), Delores Ziegler (Dorabella), Ferruccio
Furlanetto (Guglielmo.) Trio begins at 1:23 in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBXy9N3Frkk
Gentle be the breeze,
Calm be the waves,
And every element
Smile in favour
On their wish.
Translation:
http://www.opera-arias.com/mozart/cosi-fan-tutte/soave-sia-il-vento/
Summary: In a cafe, Ferrando and Guglielmo (two officers) express certainty that
their fiancées (Dorabella and Fiordiligi, respectively) will be eternally
faithful. Don Alfonso expresses skepticism and claims that there is no such
thing as a faithful woman. He lays a wager with the two officers, claiming he
can prove in a day's time that those two, like all women, are fickle. The wager
is accepted: the two officers will pretend to have been called off to war; soon
thereafter they will return in disguise and each attempt to seduce the other's
lover. The scene shifts to the two women, who are praising their men (duet: Ah
guarda sorella—"Ah look sister"). Alfonso arrives to announce the bad news: the
officers have been called off to war. Ferrando and Guglielmo arrive,
brokenhearted, and bid farewell (quintet: Sento, o Dio, che questo piede è
restio—"I feel, oh God, that my foot is reluctant"). As the boat with the men
sails off to sea, Alfonso and the sisters wish them safe travel (trio: Soave sia
il vento—"May the wind be gentle").
6.
From the opera, "Manon," by Jules Massenet, this is "Adieu, notre petite table,"
(Goodbye, our little table"), but sung in Italian by Mirella Freni, in a
wonderful clip from 1966. Note: the aria, here titled "Addio, o nostro picciol
desco," begins at 2:15. There is a preceding declaration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsNCgzLNK6c
Setting: Apartment of Chevalier Des Grieux, Paris, France, 18th century
Synopsis: Manon has been told by a nobleman that her love Des Grieux will soon
be kidnapped by his father's men in order to get him away from her. She knows
that the happy days they have spent in Des Grieux's apartment will soon be at an
end and takes the opportunity to bid adieu to the table at which she and her
love ate many meals together.
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=610
And here it is in Francais, sung by Maria Callas late in her career:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0_LKGp_h10
7.
Here is the stately, lilting "Adieu, Mignon," from
the opera, "Mignon," by Ambroise Thomas. The wonderful lyric tenor, from 1931,
is one Andre D'Arkor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1GKsLxflos
Setting: Philine's dressing room in a German castle, late 1700s
Synopsis: After Mignon has been following him around for a long time, Wilhelm
decides that it is time to tell Mignon that he isn't interested in her. He does
this in a kind way, telling her that he must leave her.
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=1072
EXTRA:
But for WWII, D'Arkor would have had a much greater career:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/andr%C3%A9-darkor-mn0002274098
8.
Puccini's "Girl of the Golden West" was exotic fare in Italy in its time---a
real horse opera. In this scene, Dick Johnson (yes, that is the character's
name), who is actually the outlaw, Ramerrez, is about to be executed. He
explains his final wish passionately : that the woman he loves, Minnie, be told
that he was actually set free. This is the powerful "Ch'ella mì creda libero"
("Let her think I am free and far away"), his last words to the world. Here is
Jose Cura (who is also a conductor these days.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmHSxQGfF2Q
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=717
9.
Farewell, dreams of glory
farewell, castles in the air.
With dull rancor I look at my writing desk.
I try, but in vain, to drive away the monotony.
Gee, do I identify! This is forgotten tenor Gianni Poggi with the wonderful
Italian song, "Addio sogni di gloria."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5SjkcGx_IQ
Translation:
http://lyricstranslate.com/en/addio-sogni-di-gloria-goodbye-dreams-glory.html
About Gianni Poggi:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianni_Poggi
FINAL BOW: The little tenor, Joseph Schmidt, one of several to earn the
title, "The Pocket Caruso." Exiled throughout the '30's as a concert performer
because opera halls deemed him too short at 4' 11' (really!), Schmidt, a Jew,
was to die of infection and heart failure after being interred in a Swiss
refugee camp while fleeing the Nazi invasion of France. Here he is with the
great Tosti song, "Addio."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHTJXei7J3w
Translation:
http://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=37781
About Joseph Schmidt:
http://greatoperasingers.blogspot.com/2011/07/joseph-schmidt-great-tenor-and-terrible.html
Saturdee Opry Links Farewell Edition Encore! Yes! One more addio! Here is the
tremendous voice of Franco Corelli with "Addio a la Mamma," from "Cavaleria
Rusticana," by Mascagni.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW4OQZ215zM
Synopsis : Turiddu has been challenged to a duel by Alfio. He is drunk and does
not believe that he will live through the duel. He tells his mother that he is
going out and asks her to take care of his beloved Santuzza if he doesn't come
back.
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/translations/cavrusti06_mamma.txt
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