Radio KAOM: Pavarotti performs "E Lucevan Le Stelle"

 The MAESTRO 

from 1900

Luciano Pavarotti

"E Lucevan Le Stelle"

from Puccini's Tosca

from the Metropolitan Opera

"This aria shows how underrated Pavarotti's actor's side was, This is one of the saddest moments opera ever had. It shows the last night of an innocent man doomed by an evil political system. Not concerned for his own fate, he regrets that he will never see his lover again. Pavarotti manages to move us all." (YouTube Comment)

Lyrics in English

"E Lucevan Le Stelle"

"And the stars were shining"

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!

Luciano Pavarotti

"E Lucevan Le Stelle" from Tosca

YouTube Direct Link: https://youtu.be/p8-APBmCQyQ

MUSIC: "Vissi d'arte" performed by Angela Gheorghiu

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I sigh each time I hear this beautiful aria

This performance is divine

When I hear it, now having seen CMBYN,

I think this must be the sound of

Elio's spirit expressing his feelings for Oliver

A little background for this aria:

Tosca and the painter, Cavaradossi, are lovers

Cesare Angelotti is an escaped political prisoner

The police are after Angelotti

Cavaradossi has helped hide him

The Chief-of-Police Baron Scarpia has Cavaradossi arrested

They torture him and prepare to execute him

Baron Scarpia tells Tosca

Give yourself to me and I'll free Cavaradossi

Tosca sings this aria as a prayer to God

Asking why God has abandoned her in her hour of need

Lyrics in English:

I lived for art, I lived for love,

I never harmed a living soul!

With a discreet hand

I relieved all misfortunes I encountered.

Always with sincere faith

my prayer

rose to the holy tabernacles.

Always with sincere faith

I decorated the altars with flowers.

In this hour of grief,

why, why, Lord,

why do you reward me thus?

I donated jewels to the Madonna's mantle,

and offered songs to the stars and to heaven,

which thus did shine with more beauty.

In this hour of grief,

why, why, Lord,

ah, why do you reward me thus?

Angela Gheorghiu

"Vissi d'arte" 

from Puccini's opera, Tosca

YouTube Direct Link: https://youtu.be/gnqa94oeGfw

MUSIC: "Vesti La Giubba" performed by Pavarotti

GLORIOUS!!!!!

You know this melody:

"No more Rice Krispies

We've run out of Rice Krispies

No more Snap, Crackle, Pop"

(one of the most memorable TV commercials)

:  )

Canio discovers his wife's infidelity, 

but must nevertheless prepare 

for his performance as Pagliaccio (a clown)

because "the show must go on".

"Laugh, clown, at your broken love

Laugh at the grief that poisons your heart?"

Luciano Pavarotti

"Vesti La Giubba"

(Put on the Costume)

from the opera, 

Pagliacci

by Ruggero Leoncavallo

YouTube Direct Link: https://youtu.be/-kbi1EMcD3E

MUSIC: Kathleen Battle sings "Ach, ich fühl's" from Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'

EXQUISITE BEAUTY!

Parmina's (Kathleen Battle) heart is broken when her boyfriend, Tamino, refuses to speak to her, not knowing that he has taken a vow of silence in order to pass a test to win her love. When she approaches him and he apparently ignores her, she sings that she feels as if her life is over.

Ah, I feel it, it has disappeared

Forever gone love¹s  happiness!

Nevermore will come the hour of bliss

Back to my heart!

See, Tamino, these tears,

Flowing, beloved,  for you alone!

If you don't feel the longing of love

Then there will be peace in death!

~*~

Mozart

"Ach, ich fühl's" 

from

The Magic Flute

performed by

Kathleen Battle

James Levine

conducting

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra