The great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti sings Recondita armonia and E lucevan le stelle from Tosca, an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Recorded on December 19, 1989, at The Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan.
Recondita armonia
Recondita armonia” is a famous tenor aria from the first act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Tosca.” Sung by the character Mario Cavaradossi, a painter, the aria expresses his admiration for the beauty of his lover, the singer Floria Tosca, while comparing it to the beauty of a blonde woman he is painting.
The aria highlights Cavaradossi’s deep feelings for Tosca and sets the stage for the intense and tragic narrative of the opera. “Tosca” is known for its dramatic music and compelling story, with “Recondita armonia” being one of its most recognized and celebrated pieces.
Recondita Armonia lyrics [text]
Italian
Recondita armonia di bellezze diverse!
È bruna Floria, l’ardente amante mia.
E te, beltade ignota, cinta di chiome bionde,
Tu azzurro hai l’occhio,
Tosca ha l’occhio nero!
L’arte nel suo mistero,
le diverse bellezze insiem confonde…
Ma nel ritrar costei,
Il mio solo pensiero,
Ah! Il mio sol pensier sei tu,
Tosca, sei tu!
English translation
Concealed harmony of contrasting beauties!
Floria, my ardent lover, is dark-haired.
And you, unknown beauty, crowned with blond hair,
You have blue eyes,
Tosca has black eyes!
Art, in its mysterious way,
blends the contrasting beauties together…
But while I’m painting her,
My only thought,
My only thought is of you,
Tosca, it is of you!
E lucevan le stelle
“E lucevan le stelle” is a poignant tenor aria from the third act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Tosca.” This aria is sung by the character Mario Cavaradossi, a painter, as he awaits execution. Reflecting on his love for Tosca and the beauty of life, Cavaradossi sings this aria with a mix of passion and despair.
It’s one of the most emotionally charged moments in opera, highlighting the character’s intense feelings of love, loss, and the cruel twist of fate. The opera “Tosca” is celebrated for its dramatic and powerful musical narrative, and “E lucevan le stelle” is among its most moving and memorable arias.
E lucevan le stelle lyrics [text]
Italian
E lucevan le stelle…
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!
English translation (literal)
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!
English translation (free)
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 the 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!
Sources
- Tosca on Wikipedia
- E lucevan le stelle on Wikipedia
- Recondita armonia on Wikipedia
