O mio babbino caro, from Gianni Schicchi (1918)
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Alexis Raymond, soprano
Beth Christensen, piano
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O mio babbino caro,
Mi piace bello, bello;
Vo’andare in Porta Rossa
A comperar l’anello!
Si! Si! Ci voglio andare!
E se l’amassi indarno,
Andrei sul Ponte Vecchio,
Ma per buttarmi in Arno!
Mi struggo e mi tormento!
O Dio, vorrei morir!
Babbo pieta, pieta!
Translation:
My dear father,
I like him, he’s beautiful, beautiful;
I want to go to Porta Rossa
And buy the ring!
Yes! Yes! I want to go!
And if my love is in vain,
I would go to the Ponte Vecchio,
Only to jump into the Arno River!
I long for him and torment myself!
Oh God, I would like to die!
Father, have pity, have pity!
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Giacomo Puccini was born in the small town of Lucca, Italy, and would become one of the most influential and important Italian composers of his time. Puccini’s desire to compose operas wouldn’t occur until his viewing of Verdi’s Aida in, and his first opera Le Villi (1884) was composed shortly after. The immensely positive response to his first premiere sparked a long line of operatic standards like La bohéme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot.
This aria comes from Puccini’s one act opera Gianni Schicchi - one of three short operas Puccini grouped together to form Il Trittico. Loosely based on a handful of lines from Dante’s Inferno, this opera follows a greedy family at the mercy of a cunning father when it comes to their inheritances. This aria is sung by the title character’s daughter, Lauretta at the height of chaos within the family’s estate. The over-the-top comedic drama within the story joined with Puccini’s gorgeous melodies make for what is now one of the most famous arias.
-Notes by Alexis Merry
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Beth Christensen MM Collaborative Piano Recital
May 4, 2024 - 7:30pm - White Recital Hall
University of Missouri-Kansas City
18 сен 2024
