I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s when we had maybe 12 TV channels. One of those was PBS. PBS was known at the time to record and sometimes broadcast opera’s from the Met. Maybe I did not watch the opera’s in their entirety but I had exposure growing up in North Dakota. I now live outside Chicago and yes, I attend the Lyric Opera and one opera I have been privileged to see at the Lyric: Tosca. These reactions will expose hopefully a new generation of potential opera fans and we will gain a new generation of opera and musical enthusiasts.
Literal translation And the stars were shining, And the earth was scented. The gate of the garden creaked And a footstep grazed the sand... Fragrant, she entered And fell into my arms. Oh, sweet kisses and languorous caresses, While trembling I stripped the beautiful form of its veils! Forever, my dream of love has vanished. That moment has fled, and I die in desperation. And I die in desperation! And I never before loved life so much, Loved life so much!
He is about to be executed and he sings that he dies in dispair and has never loved life so much. Singing of his love for Tosca. The marks on him are supposed to be blood where he has been tortured. Pavarotti doesnt just sing with his mouth - his eyes always show that he is somewhere else. He performed this aria 60 times in his lifetime and it always looked like the first time.
Tosca , a very strong opera from Giaccomo Puccini . E lucevan le stelle , ( And the stars were shining ) an aria in 3 rd act of the opera , when Cavaradossi , the painter , lover of Tosca , a very jealous primadonna , is in prison and waits to be executed by the men of baron Scarpia , the police commander , cause of his envolvement at the run away of a prisoner , who is political danger , brother of the countess Attavanti , who was incaptured by the police cause of his political ideas! Luciano as always sublime performance ! RIP, Luciano ! Here , the character of Luciano , Cavaradossi , sings about his love about Floria Tosca , when he remembers the past !
Translated it`s And the Stars Were Shining ( a love song) from Puccini`s opera Tosca (Tosca meaning rough, unpolished, uncouth,, like me) Main character is Floria Tosca, it`s set in Rome around 1800 and is a love story full of intrigue, misunderstanding suspicion and death set against the French wars of Napoleon, that`s put it very simply. My recommendation today is George Michael One More Try, it`s a beautiful song from a man who is very much missed.
Great song, which obviously moved you. ed olezzava la terra stridea l'uscio dell'orto ... e un passo sfiorava la rena ... Entrava ella fragrante, mi cadea fra le braccia. O! dolci baci, o languide carezze, mentr'io fremente le belle forme disciogliea dai veli! Svanì per sempre il sogno mio d'amore. L'ora è fuggita, e muoio disperato! E muoio disperato! E non ho amato mai tanto la vita, tanto la vita!........................ ,.............. And the stars were shining, And the earth was scented. The gate of the garden creaked And a footstep grazed the sand... Fragrant, she entered And fell into my arms. Oh, sweet kisses and languorous caresses, While trembling I stripped the beautiful form of its veils! Forever, my dream of love has vanished. That moment has fled, and I die in desperation. And I die in desperation! And I never before loved life so much, Loved life so much!
Oooh yes. And after that I have several suggestions, I don’t even know where to begin. Maybe Vesti la giubba. And Bella figlia dell’amore or Possente amor. The contrast is huge and worth to see… he was a blessing. Both for music and people. ❤️
Free translation When the stars were brightly shining ... And faint perfumes the air pervaded, Creaked the gate of the garden ... And footstep its precincts invaded ... 'Twas hers, the fragrant creature. In her soft arms she clasped me... With sweetest kisses, tenderest caresses, A thing of beauty, of matchless symmetry in form and feature! My dream of love is now dispelled forever. I lived uncaring and now I die despairing! Alas I die despairing! And never was life so dear to me, no never, So dear, no never!
Beautiful - apart from the amazing voice, his face is so expressive that you don’t even need to understand the words. This link explains what is going on and gives a translation: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_lucevan_le_stelle
