Russian operatic soprano Aida Garifullina and Peruvian operatic tenor Juan Diego Flórez sing “E il sol dell’anima” (English: “Love is the sunshine of the soul”) from Rigoletto, an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. From Juan Diego Flórez and Friends in Concert for Sinfonía por el Perú. Vienna, 2015.

Aida Garifullina and Juan Diego Flórez sing “E il sol dell’anima” (English: “Love is the sunshine of the soul”) from Rigoletto, an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. From Juan Diego Flórez and Friends in Concert for Sinfonía por el Perú. Vienna, 2015.

Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by the Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s’amuse by Victor Hugo.

“…the Duke appears and overhears Gilda confess to her nurse Giovanna that she feels guilty for not having told her father about a young man she had met at the church. She says that she fell in love with him, but that she would love him even more if he were a student and poor. As she declares her love, the Duke enters, overjoyed. Gilda, alarmed, calls for Giovanna, unaware that the Duke had sent her away. Pretending to be a student, the Duke convinces Gilda of his love: “È il sol dell’anima” (“Love is the sunshine of the soul”).

E il sol dell’anima Lyrics

Italian

GILDA
Signor né principe io lo vorrei;
sento che povero più l’amerei.
Sognando o vigile sempre lo chiamo,
e l’alma in estasi gli dice: t’a…

DUCA
(esce improvviso, fa cenno a Giovanna d’andarsene, e
inginocchiandosi ai piedi di Gilda termina la frase)

T’amo!
T’amo; ripetilo sì caro accento:
un puro schiudimi ciel di contento!

GILDA
Giovanna? Ahi, misera! Non v’è più alcuno
che qui rispondami! Oh Dio! nessuno?

DUCA
Son io coll’anima che ti rispondo.
Ah, due che s’amano son tutto un mondo!

GILDA
Chi mai, chi giungere vi fece a me?

DUCA
Se angelo o demone, che importa a te?
Io t’amo.

GILDA
Uscitene.

DUCA
Uscire!… adesso!…
Ora che accendene un fuoco istesso!
Ah, inseparabile d’amore il dio
stringeva, o vergine, tuo fato al mio!
È il sol dell’anima, la vita è amore,
sua voce è il palpito del nostro core.
E fama e gloria, potenza e trono,
umane, fragili qui cose sono,
una pur avvene sola, divina:
è amor che agl’angeli più ne avvicina!
Adunque amiamoci, donna celeste;
d’invidia agli uomini sarò per te.

GILDA (da sé)
Ah, de’ miei vergini sogni son queste
le voci tenere sì care a me! ecc.

DUCA
Amiamoci,
d’invidia agl’uomini sarò per te, ecc.
Che m’ami, deh, ripetimi.

GILDA
L’udiste.

DUCA
Oh, me felice!

GILDA
Il nome vostro ditemi…
Saperlo a me non lice?
(Ceprano e Borsa compariscono sulla strada.)

CEPRANO (a Borsa)
Il loco è qui.

DUCA (pensando)
Mi nomino…

BORSA (a Ceprano)
Sta ben.
(Ceprano e Borsa partono.)

DUCA
Gualtier Maldè.
Studente sono, e povero…

GIOVANNA (tornando spaventata)
Rumor di passi è fuori!

GILDA
Forse mio padre…

DUCA (da sé)
Ah, cogliere potessi il traditore
che sì mi sturba!

GILDA
Adducilo
di qua al bastione… or ite…

DUCA
Di’, m’amerai tu?

GILDA
E voi?

DUCA
L’intera vita… poi…

GILDA
Non più, non più… partite.

TUTT’E DUE
Addio! speranza ed anima
sol tu sarai per me.
Addio! vivrà immutabile
l’affetto mio per te.
Addio, ecc.
(Il Duca esce scortato da Giovanna. Gilda resta
fissando la porta ond’è partito.)

English

GILDA
I hope he’s not a gentleman or a prince;
I think I should love him more if he were poor.
Sleeping and waking, I call to him,
and my soul in ecstasy cries: I lo…

DUKE
(rushing out and waving Giovanna away, he kneels
before Gilda and finishes the sentence for her)

I love you!
I love you! Speak those dear words once more
and a heaven of joy will open before me!

GILDA
Giovanna? Alas! There is no one here
to answer me! Oh, God! No one?

DUKE
I am here, and my very soul answers you.
Ah, two who love are a world in themselves!

GILDA
Who, whoever brought you here to me?

DUKE
Whether angel or devil, what does it matter?
I love you!

GILDA
Leave me.

DUKE
Leave you?… Now?…
Now that both of us burn with a single fire!
Ah, the god of love has bound
our destinies together, inseparably!
Love is the sunshine of the soul, ’tis life itself!
It’s voice is the beating of our hearts.
Fame and glory, power and thrones,
are but fragile, earthbound things beside it.
One thing alone is unique, divine:
’tis love that bears us heavenwards!
So let us love, my angel-woman;
you would make me the envy of all mankind.

GILDA (to herself)
Ah, these are the tender, longed-for words
I have heard in my maiden dreams! etc.

DUKE
Let us love,
you would make me the envy of all mankind, etc.
You love me, say it once again.

GILDA
You eavesdropped…

DUKE
How happy you’ve made me!

GILDA
Tell me your name…
Am I permitted to know it?
(Ceprano and Borsa appear in the street below.)

CEPRANO (to Borsa)
This is the place.

DUKE (racking his brains)
My name is…

BORSA (to Ceprano)
Good.
(He and Ceprano leave.)

DUKE
Walter Maldè.
I am a student, and poor…

GIOVANNA (returning in a state of alarm)
I can hear footsteps outside!

GILDA
My father, perhaps…

DUKE (to himself)
Ah, if I should catch the traitor
who cost me such a chance!

GILDA
Show him out
through the garden gate… Go now…

DUKE
Tell me, will you love me?

GILDA
And you?

DUKE
For the rest of my life… then…

GILDA
No more, no more… you must go.

TOGETHER
Farewell… my heart and soul
are set on you alone.
Farewell… my love for you
will last for ever.
Farewell, etc.
(He leaves, escorted by Giovanna. Gilda stands
watching the gate through which he disappeared.)

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

Published by M. Özgür Nevres

I am Özgür Nevres, a software engineer, a former road racing cyclist, and also an amateur musician. I opened andantemoderato.com to share my favorite music. I also take care of stray cats & dogs. This website's all income goes directly to our furry friends. Please consider supporting me on Patreon, so I can help more animals!

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