The Great Sopranos: texts of the arias and songs

To accompany the September issue Cover CD

Published: August 5, 2014 at 7:46 am

Track 1 Bizet: L'amour ext un oiseau rebelle (Love is a rebellious bird)

L’amour est un oiseau rebelle Que nul ne peut apprivoiser, Et c’est bien in vain qu’on l’appelle S’il lui convient de refuser.

Rien n’y fait, menace ou prière. 
L’un parle bien, l’autre se tait.
 Et c’est l’autre que je préfère.
 Il n’a rien dit mais il me plait.

L’amour! L’amour! L’amour! L’amour!

L’amour est enfant de Bohême, 
 Il n’a jamais jamais connu de loi.
 Si tou ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime.
 Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi!

Si tou ne m’aimes pas, si tou ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime,
 Mais si je t’aime, si je t’aime, prends garde à toi!

L’oiseau que tu croyais surprendere 
Battit d’aile et s’envola.
 L’amour est loin, tu peux l’attendre.
 Tu ne l’attends pas, il est là.

Tout atour de toi, vite vite, 
Il vient, s’en va, puis il revient.
 Tu crois le tenir, il t’evite. Tu crois l’eviter, il te tient.

L’amour! L’amour! L’amour! L’amour!

L’amour est enfant de Bohême,
 Il n’a jamais jamais connu de loi. 
Si tou ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime.
 Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi!

Si tou ne m’aimes pas, si tou ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime,
 Mais si je t’aime, si je t’aime, prends garde à toi!

Love is a rebellious bird

That nobody can tame,

And you call him quite in vain

If it suits him not to come.

Nothing helps, neither threat nor prayer.


One man talks well, the other's mum;


It's the other one that I prefer.


He's silent but I like his looks.

Love! Love! Love! Love!

Love is a gypsy's child,


It has never, ever, known a law;


Love me not, then I love you;


If I love you, you'd best beware! etc.

The bird you thought you had caught


Beat its wings and flew away ...


Love stays away, you wait and wait;

When least expected, there it is!

All around you, swift, so swift,


It comes, it goes, and then returns ...


You think you hold it fast, it flees


You think you're free, it holds you fast.

Love! Love! Love! Love!

Love is a gypsy's child,


It has never, ever, known a law;


Love me not, then I love you;


If I love you, you'd best beware!

Track 2 Bellini: Casta Diva (Pure Goddess)

Casta Diva, che inargenti


Queste sacre antiche piante,
 A noi volgi il bel sembiante
 Senza nube e senza vel... 
Tempra, o Diva, 
Tempra tu de' cori ardenti
 Tempra ancora lo zelo audace,
 Spargi in terra quella pace 
Che regnar tu fai nel ciel...


Pure Goddess, whose silver covers


These sacred ancient plants,


We turn to your lovely face


Unclouded and without veil...


Temper, oh Goddess,


The hardening of you ardent spirits


Temper your bold zeal,


Scatter peace across the earth


Thou make reign in the sky...

Track 3 Gluck: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice (I have lost my Eurydice)

J'ai perdu mon Eurydice,
 Rien n'égale mon malheur;
 Sort cruel! quelle rigueur! 
Rien n'égale mon malheur!
 Je succombe à ma douleur! Eurydice, Eurydice, Réponds, quel supplice!


Réponds-moi!
 C'est ton époux fidèle; 
Entends ma voix qui t'appelle.


 Eurydice, Eurydice!
 Mortel silence! Vaine espérance! 
Quelle souffrance! 
Quel tourment déchire mon cœur!




Ah! puisse ma douleur finir avec ma vie! 
Je ne survivrai pas à ce dernier revers.
 Je touche encor aux portes des enfers, 
J'aurai bientôt rejoint mon épouse chérie. 
Oui, je te suis, tendre objet de ma foi, 
Je te suis, attends-moi! 
Tu ne me seras plus ravie, 
Et la mort pour jamais va m'unir avec toi.

I lost my Eurydice, 


Nothing can match my misfortune;


Cruel fate! What hardship! 


Nothing can match my misfortune,


I succumb to my pain. 


Eurydice, Eurydice, 


Answer, what torture! 


Answer me! 


This is your faithful husband; 


Hear my voice calling you.

Eurydice, Eurydice! 


Deadly silence, vain hope.


What suffering, 


What torment tears my heart.

Ah! I want to end this pain with my life,


I will not survive this.


I touch again the gates of hell,


I will soon come to my beloved wife.


Yes, tender object of my faith,


I follow you, wait for me!


You will not be more pleased, 


And death will unite me forever with you.

Track 4 Puccini: Un bel di vedremo (One fine day)

Un bel dì, vedremo Levarsi un fil di fumo Sull'estremo confin del mare. E poi la nave appare. Poi la nave bianca Entra nel porto, Romba il suo saluto.

Vedi? È venuto!
 Io non gli scendo incontro. Io no.
 Mi metto là sul ciglio del colle e aspetto,
 E aspetto gran tempo
 E non mi pesa,
 La lunga attesa.

E uscito dalla folla cittadina,
 Un uomo, un picciol punto
 S'avvia per la collina.
 Chi sarà? chi sarà? 
E come sarà giunto
 Che dirà? che dirà?
 Chiamerà Butterfly dalla lontana. 
Io senza dar risposta 
Me ne starò nascosta
 Un po' per celia 
E un po' per non morire 
Al primo incontro; 
Ed egli alquanto in pena
 Chiamerà, chiamerà:
 "Piccina mogliettina,
 Oezzo di verbena "
I nomi che mi dava al suo venire.
 Tutto questo avverrà, 
Te lo prometto.
 Tienti la tua paura, 
Io con sicura fede l'aspetto.

One good day, we will see

Arising a strand of smoke

Over the far horizon on the sea

And then the ship appears

And then the ship is white

It enters into the port, it rumbles its salute.

Do you see it? He is coming!


I don't go down to meet him, not I.


I stay upon the edge of the hill


And I wait a long time


but I do not grow weary of the long wait.

And leaving from the crowded city,


A man, a little speck


Climbing the hill.


Who is it? Who is it?


And as he arrives


What will he say? What will he say?


He will call Butterfly from the distance
I without answering


Stay hidden


A little to tease him,


A little as to not die.


At the first meeting,


And then a little troubled


He will call, he will call


"Little one, dear wife


Blossom of orange"


The names he called me at his last coming.


All this will happen,


I promise you this


Hold back your fears -


I with secure faith wait for him.

Track 5 Verdi: D'amor sull'ali rosee (On the rosy wings of love)

Timor di me ?...sicura, 
Presta è la mia difesa. 
I suoi occhi figgonsi ad una gemma Che le fregia la mano destra. 
In quest' oscura Notte ravvolta, presso a te io son, 
E tu nol sai...Gemente 
Aura che intorno spiri, Deh, pietosa gli arreca 
 I miei sospiri ...

D' amor sull' ali rosee Vanne, sospir dolente: Del prigioniero misero Conforta l' egra mente... Com' aura di speranza Aleggia in quella stanza: Lo desta alle memorie, Ai sogni dell'amor! Ma deh! non dirgli improvvido, Le pene del mio cor!

Afraid of me? ... yes,

My defence is ready.

His eyes are attracted by a stone

She wears on her right hand.

Wrapped in the dark night,

I am near you,

And you don't know it ...

Wailing wind,

Carrry to him, mercifully, my sighs ....

On the rosy wings of love

Go pained sighs:

Go to alleviate the sick mind

of the wretch that lies imprisoned ...

Like a breeze of hope

Linger in that room:

Wake him up to remembrance,

To dreams of love!

Yet do not imprudently

reveal the woes of my heart!

Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Huntsman's Magic Horn)

Track 6 Rheinlegendchen (Rhine Legend)

Bald gras ich am Neckar, bald gras ich am Rhein; Bald hab' ich ein Schätzel, bald bin ich allein! Was hilft mir das Grasen, wenn d' Sichel nicht schneid't! Was hilft mir ein Schätzel, wenn's bei mir nicht bleibt.

So soll ich denn grasen am Neckar, am Rhein, So werf ich mein goldenes Ringlein hinein. Es fließet im Neckar und fließet im Rhein, Soll schwimmen hinunter ins Meer tief hinein.

Und schwimmt es, das Ringlein, so frißt es ein Fisch! Das Fischlein tät kommen auf's König sein Tisch! Der König tät fragen, wem's Ringlein sollt sein? Da tät mein Schatz sagen: das Ringlein g'hört mein.

Mein Schätzlein tät springen bergauf und bergein, Tät mir wiedrum bringen das Goldringlein mein! Kannst grasen am Neckar, kannst grasen am Rhein, Wirf du mir nur immer dein Ringlein hinein!

Now I reap by the Neckar, now I reap by the Rhine;

Now I have a sweetheart, now I am alone!

What use is my reaping if the sickle doesn't cut?

What use is a sweetheart if she won't stay?

So if I am to reap by the Neckar and by the Rhine,

then I'll throw in my golden ring.

It will flow with the Neckar and the Rhine,

And float right down into the deep sea.

And as it floats, the little ring, a fish will eat it!

The fish will then come to the King's table!

The king will ask whose ring it is,

and my sweetheart will say: "The ring belongs to me."

My sweetheart will hurry uphill and downhill,

and bring me back my ring!

"You can reap by the Neckar, and reap by the Rhine

if you will always throw your ring in for me!"

Track 7 Ablosung im Sommer (Change in Summer)

Kuckuck hat sich zu Tode gefallen An einer grünen Weiden, Kuckuck ist tot! Kuckuck ist tot! Wer soll uns jetzt den Sommer lang Die Zeit und Weil vertreiben?

Ei, das soll tun Frau Nachtigall, Die sitzt auf grünem Zweige; Die kleine, feine Nachtigall, Die liebe, süße Nachtigall! Sie singt und springt, ist allzeit froh, Wenn andre Vögel schweigen.

Wir warten auf Frau Nachtigall, Die wohnt im grünen Hage, Und wenn der Kukuk zu Ende ist, Dann fängt sie an zu schlagen!

The cuckoo has fallen to its death

On a green willow,

The cuckoo is dead! The cuckoo is dead!

No who can all summer long

Help us pass the time?

Oh, that should be Mrs. Nightingale!

She sits on a green branch!

The small, fine nightingale,

The lovely, sweet nightingale!

She sings and springs, is always joyous,

When other birds are silent!

We await Mrs. Nightingale,

Who lives in a green glen,

And when the cuckoo call is at its end,

Then she begins to sing!

Track 8 Wo die schonen Trompeten blasen (Where the beautiful trumpets blow)

Wer ist denn draußen und wer klopfet an, Der mich so leise, so leise wecken kann? Das ist der Herzallerliebste dein, Steh auf und laß mich zu dir ein!

Was soll ich hier nun länger stehn? Ich seh die Morgenröt aufgehn, Die Morgenröt, zwei helle Stern, Bei meinem Schatz, da wär ich gern, bei meiner Herzallerliebsten.

Das Mädchen stand auf und ließ ihn ein; Sie heißt ihn auch wilkommen sein. Willkommen, lieber Knabe mein, So lang hast du gestanden!

Sie reicht ihm auch die schneeweiße Hand. Von ferne sang die Nachtigall Das Mädchen fing zu weinen an.

Ach weine nicht, du Liebste mein, Aufs Jahr sollst du mein eigen sein. Mein Eigen sollst du werden gewiß, Wie's keine sonst auf Erden ist. O Lieb auf grüner Erden.

Ich zieh in Krieg auf grüner Heid, Die grüne Heide, die ist so weit. Allwo dort die schönen Trompeten blasen, Da ist mein Haus, von grünem Rasen.

Who is outside, and who is knocking,

Who can so softly, softly waken me?

It is your darling,

Arise and let me come in to you!

Why should I stand here any longer?

I see the dawn arrive,

The dawn, two bright stars,

With my darling I would gladly be,

With my heart's most beloved!

The maiden arose and let him in;

She welcomed him as well:

Welcome, my beloved boy,

You have stood outside so long!

She reached to him her snow-white hand.

From afar a nightingale sang;

The maiden began to weep.

Oh, do not cry, my darling,

Next year you shall be my own!

My own you shall certainly be,

Like no one else on earth.

O love on the green earth!

I go to war on the green heath,

The green heath that is so broad!

It is there where the beautiful trumpets blow,

There is my house of green grass!

Track 9 Wer hat dies liedlein erdacht (Who thought up this little song?)

Dort oben in dem hohen Haus, Da guckt ein fein's lieb's Mädel heraus, Es ist nicht dort daheime, Es ist des Wirts sein Töchterlein, Es wohnt auf grüner Heide.

Und wer das Mädel haben will, Muß tausend Taler finden Und muß sich auch verschwören, Nie mehr zu Wein zu gehen, Des Vaters Gut verzehren.

"Mein Herze ist wund, komm Schätzel mach's gesund! Dein schwarzbraune Äuglein, Die haben mich vertwundt!

Dein rosiger Mund Macht Herzen gesund. Macht Jugend verständig, Macht Tote lebendig, Macht Kranke gesund."

Wer hat denn das schöne Liedlein erdacht? Es haben's drei Gäns übers Wasser gebracht, Zwei graue und eine weiße; Und wer das Liedlein nicht singen kann, Dem wollen sie es pfeifen.

Up there on the mountain, in a high-up house,

a lovely, sweet girl looks out of the window.

She does not live there:

she is the daughter of the innkeeper,

and she lives on the green meadow.

And he who would have her

would find a thousand thalers,

but he would have to swear

never to have wine again

to have her father's property.

"My heart is sore!

Come, my treasure, make it well again!

Your dark brown eyes

have wounded me.

Your rosy mouth

makes hearts healthy.

It makes youth wise,

brings the dead to life,

gives health to the ill.

Who has thought up this pretty little song then?

It was brought over the water by three geese -

two grey and one white -

and if you cannot sing the little song,

they will whistle it for you!

Musorgsky: Nursery Songs

Track 10 With nanny

O tell me Njanjuschka (Nanny), O tell me the story,

you know, the werewolf, do you remember!

He crept around the house in the dark,

And the children he took to the forest and devoured them;

Until no bones remained,

And how the children shrieked and wailed ...

Njanjuschka! For a punishment he ate them,

because they were not obedient to their Njanjuschka,

Or their parents;

Who ate the wolf, Njanjuschka?

Or do you know: better yet tell me about the royal couples,

who lived in a beautiful castle by the sea.

Tell me of the man who was lame and always limped,

Where he stumbled, at once a fungus grew!

And the woman who always had a cold;

When she sneezed, she burst.

You know better Njanjuschka, do not tell of the wolf! Leave him in the forest!

And tell me the better, funny things!

Track 11

In the corner

Oh to be a bad habit!

It is undone, the scattered needles,

Oh you! All stitches severed!

I have sprayed ink on my knitting!

Shame that! Shame on you!

Bad habit!

I have not done anything yet, Njanjuschka,

I haven't touched your knitting,

I've only played with the cat,

and the needles slipped out there.

But Mischenka was good,

Mischenka has done nothing.

Only Njanja is very bad and stupid,

and Njanjas nose is quite dirty too;

Misha's hair is combed pretty smooth,

Njanjas hood always sits wrongly.

There is no reason to scold Njanja Mischenka,

There is no reason to stand him in the corner:

Now Mischa no longer loves his Njanjuschka, you see!

Track 12 The beetle

Njanja, Njanjuschka!

How terrible, dearest Njanjuschka!

Sitting playing on the sand,

In the arbour,

in the birch trees,

Building a beautiful house

You know, it was very well built.

The cottage was finished,

with one roof ... there!

Sitting on the gable was a beetle, think!

It was big, black and heavy,

It moved it's pincers all the time

and continually looked angrily at me!

Oh, I was scared! And suddenly he hummed loudly ....

spread his wings and flew up to me ....

and hit me on the forehead!

I ducked down, Njanjuschka,

And sat, hardly daring to breathe!

With only one eye, I glanced back ...

And just think! What do you think Njanjuschka:

The beetle is on its back,

Keeps his feet folded shut,

Is no longer angry, and does not move his pincers.

And no more buzzing, only the little wings tremble softly.

Is he dead? Or just hurt?

What may it be? How do you think Njanjuschka?

What may it be? He hits me, then falls down himself!

Is he just a beetle?

Track 13

With the doll

Tyapa, eia, Tyapa, asleep,

Close your little eyes, Tyapa! sleep, do you hear?

Tyapa, fall asleep, or you will not be well-behaved,

And the big bad wolf will come, carrying you in the woods!

Tyapa, sleep,

I want to tell you now what you want to dream:

The magic garden where, on every tree

Ripe fruits, sweetmeats grow,

Cakes and sweets, for you to take!

Alas, sleep, eia, Tyapa!

Track 14 Going to sleep

'Dear Lord, bless Daddy and Mommy

watch and bless them, Lord!

Lord, bless brother Vasinka

and sister Mishenka.

Lord bless dear Grandma, too.

Give her a good long life and health.

Grandma is so good

Grandma is so old, Lord!

And bless, dear God, Aunt Kate,

Aunt Natasha, Aunt Masha, Aunt Parasha

Aunts Libby, Varry, and Sasha,

and Olga, and Tanya, and Nadia,

Uncle Peter and Kolya, Uncle Valody,

and Grisha, and Sasha,

and Lord bless and protect them all,

and Fili, and Vani, and Miti, and Peti

and Dasha, Pasha, Sonja, Dunyushka...

Nana, oh Nana. What else, Nana?'

'Oh you careless thing, you!

How often do I need to tell you:

Lord, watch over and protect me too!'

'Lord, watch over and protect me too.

Like that, dear Nana?'

Track 15 On the hobby-horse

Hello! Hopp, hopp, hopp! Hopp, Hopp whoaa!

Hello! Hello! Whoaa! Hopp, hopp, hopp, hopp, hopp!

Hopp, hopp, hopp, hopp, hopp, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta,

Hello! Ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta,

Heidi! PRRRR ... halt! Vasya, you, Vasja!

Do you hear: please come to play today, but in time!

Go forward, hop! Farewell Vasya!

I must know how to ride very far ...

but before evening I'm definitely back ...

We have to go to bed early, unfortunately ...

So do not be late!

Ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta,

Hello! Ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta,

heidi! hopp! Hey, heidi! Hey, hey, heidi, hey, hey!

Here​​! Oi!

Oi, my foot hurts terribly!

Oi, my foot hurts terribly!

'Darling, laddie has hurt himself?

Well, just do not cry; it will pass.

Wait, get in time with your feet: right, my child.

Look there, isn't it lovely? You see, in the bush?

Oh, what a pretty little bird! What feathers!

Do you see? Now what? It's all right? '

All right! I rode away very far,

I must go home now, I must hurry ...

Hop, hop! The guests arrive, hop, I've got to hurry ...

Track 16

The cat sailor

Ai, ai, ai, ai, mother, dear mother!

My shady umbrella has gone,

It is terribly hot - I've searched and searched the whole house,

I can't find it anywhere!

Not on the table and not on the chest of drawers,

Did I put him on the windowsill?

I see our cat, our prince,

As he sneaks towards the birdcage.

And the bird quakes, flitting at all angles and calling.

Oh, I was angry!

So, the bird needs a friend,

Yes, watch out!

I pretended to notice nothing, I remained standing,

Looking to the side, squinting furtively to see

what he would do:

but just think!

He calmly looked at me

While stretching out a paw to the cage;

He was ready to grab the bird and

I slapped his paw, schwaps!

But mother, the cage is hard!

I hurt my finger, mother!

Here right at the tip, mother,

It burns and stings so ...

No! What a silly cat, mother!

Track 17 Sjögren: Klinge, klinge, mein Pandero (Ring, ring, my tambourine)

Ring, ring, my tambourine,

Yet, my heart dwells on other things.

If you, merry thing, could understand

And appreciate my suffering,

Each sound, that you produce,

Would bemoan my pain.

With each twist and dip of the dance

I mark the beat of the swirling frenzy,

To silence the thoughts

That only remind me of my pain.

O then, comrades, with wings

My breast longs to burst forth,

And my singing becomes a cry of anguish,

For my heart dwells on other things.

Track 18 Sjögren: Jahrlang mocht'ich so Dich halten (All year long I would like to keep you)

All year long I would like to keep you,

To be embraced by you,

Your secret power

Streams in on me.

The treetops rustle,

Birds hopping from branch to branch,

And the wild roses listen,

To what have you to say to me.

Oh! They hear little words,

If we embrace,

At the beautiful places

Let's hold each other.

There is a riddle blooming on your lips,

And blessed are they who solve it!

At this time

Many things inspire me.

Track 19 Sjögren: In dem schatten meiner Locken (In the shadow of my tresses)

In the shadow of my tresses

My beloved has fallen asleep.

Shall I awaken him now? Ah, no!

Carefully I comb my ruffled

Locks, early every day;

Yet for nothing is my trouble,

For the wind makes them dishevelled yet again.

The shadows of my tresses, the whispering of the wind,

Have lulled my darling to sleep.

Shall I awaken him now? Ah, no!

I must listen to him complain

That he pines for me so long,

That life is given and taken away from him

By this, my brown cheek,

And he calls me a snake;

Yet he fell asleep by me.

Shall I awaken him now? Ah, no!

Track 20 Thrane: Norwegian Echo Song

Come Sukky! Come bossy cow!

Hoah! Hoah! Hoah! Hoah! Trrrrah!

Come cow, come calf, come bossy!

Come Brindle and Cherry and Flossy!

The smith, with his tongs and his hammer is here,

He'll put the brand on my bossies dear.

The naughty old sheriff so orders.

Hoah! Hoah! Hoah! Come all ye bossies dear!

Poor bossies!

O'er the hill down drops the sun,

Longer grow the shadows,

Stealing onward, one by one,

Far across the meadows

Lowing herds have sought the fold

Soon my daily tasks are told.

Come Sukky! Come bossy cow!

Hoah! hoah! hoah! hoah! Trrrah ho,

Ho - ah! Ah! Ah!

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