This aria, Lascia Ch'io Pianga sung in Farinelli Il Castrato was my personal favorite piece. I fell in love with it instantaneously. No matter how many times I had listened to it, I just wouldn't get tired of it. It's like each time I hear it, fresh emotion was evoked. This aria is deliciously painful and sad. Yet... I am loving every second of it. Welcoming the pain as it floods my mind and body, torturing my soul. I felt connected to it somehow... to the cries of the singer, as I too longed to be free again someday. This aria is like an emotional release for my soul.
- See my previous blog post on this endearing film here.
Actually I really like the whole soundtrack of this film. Especially these few arias:
Ombra Fedele Anch'io - Air de Dario (Idaspe)
Alto Giove - Air d'Acio (Polifemo)
Cara Sposa - Air de Rinaldo (Rinaldo)
Generoso Risuegliati O Core - Air de Poro (Cleofide)
- Visit my collection on Farinelli Il Castrato here.
Here's the lyrics and its translation for Lascia Ch'io Pianga:
Lyrics
Lascia ch'io pianga
mia cruda sorte,
E che sospiri la libertà!
E che sospiri,
e che sospiri la libertà!
Lascia ch'io pianga
mia cruda sorte,
E che sospiri la libertà!
Il duolo infranga
queste ritorte
de miei martiri
sol per pietà,
de miei martiri
sol per pietà.
Lascia ch'io pianga
mia cruda sorte,
E che sospiri la libertà!
E che sospiri,
e che sospiri la libertà!
Lascia ch'io pianga
mia cruda sorte,
E che sospiri la libertà!
Translation
Let me weep over
my cruel fate,
And that I long for freedom!
And that I long,
and that I long for freedom!
Let me weep over
my cruel fate,
And that I long for freedom!
The
duel infringes
these images
of my sufferings
I pray for mercy.
for my sufferances.
I pray for mercy.
Let me weep over
my cruel fate,
And that I long for freedom!
And that I long,
and that I long for freedom!
Let me weep over
my cruel fate,
And
that I long for freedom!
Lascia ch'io pianga
from Act II, Scene 2 of the Italian opera, Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel
Libretto : Aaron Hill, translated into Italian by Giacomo Rossi
* Role : Almirena, daughter
of Goffredo
* Voice Part : soprano Fach : lyric coloratura
* Setting : a garden in Argante's palace, , , during the Crusades
* Range : F4 to G5. Tessitura : G4 to F5
* Synopsis : Almirena has been abducted by the sorceress Armida and imprisoned in the palace. She laments her fate.
* This aria appears in both Handel's first
and second versions of the opera. The range listed is for the first version of
the opera.
Visit Aria-Database for more info.
As none of our current era contemporary singers can sing like Farinelli. Who has a wide vocal range (over 4 octaves) and a massive lung capacity to produce 250 notes in a single breath. Producers of this movie had to use a process called sound morphing to blend both a soprano and a countertenor voices into a single voice to create this magnificent singing voice of Farinelli.
If you are interested to learn more on how it was done, please visit SONY Classics.
[this is good]
mm...i like it...
imagining myself sitting on the top deck of the opera house....dressed in a big POOFY dress..hahaha....
Posted by: ペギー | 03/27/2007 at 11:27 PM
[this is good] Sounds very interesting! I will have to investigate on my "weekend" (THU/FRI/SAT). I hope that the soundtrack is available at the iTunes Store.
I just bought the actual CD of the movie soundtrack of
My Fair Lady
from Amazon Resellers, so I have those songs to share since I just ripped the songs into my PC...
Posted by: Mikey | 03/28/2007 at 12:59 PM
LOL. I once heard someone said he would give a kidney or liver to hear the real voice of Farinelli or to hear other castrati perform again. I had the same rush of feelings there :P
It's just my fascination.
ps: Pretty poofy dresses I don't mind. LOL. It must be pretty though. Don't wanna look like a "Puffy Jellyfish" you know.
Posted by: Kleio the Muse | 03/30/2007 at 12:13 PM
You really like it then? I was really hoping you would. None of my regular friends and even my family members like this sort of music. They say it's only for high society kind of people to enjoy. I totaly disagree. Music is for everyone. There shouldn't be any class catergorisation on what sort of incoming group should listen to what sort of music.
OMG, I am babling here ain't I.
Posted by: Kleio the Muse | 03/30/2007 at 12:40 PM
Just joined a male voice choir. Singing Lascia ch'io pianga in our current rep.
Never heard it before. Love it. Wouldn't recommend hermit lifestyle. Went nuts and lived like that for years. Just returning to the "normal" world.
Posted by: ceallaigh | 02/27/2009 at 09:20 PM
Congrats on you being a member of a choir. It's a nice pursue to express self. And wow, you are singing this rep! You must be very good then :)
Posted by: Kleio the Muse | 04/08/2009 at 02:58 PM
[this is good]
Found this post when I was looking for a translation myself.
I figured out a more correct translation, thought you might like to know.
lascia ch'io pianga
let me (leave me to, allow me) to
Posted by: Namdnal Siroj | 05/20/2010 at 05:49 AM
Found this post when I was looking for a translation myself.
I figured out a more correct translation, thought you might like to know.
lascia ch'io pianga
let me (leave me to, allow me) to weep (over)
mia cruda sorte,
my harsh (raw, rough) fate
e che sospiri la libertà
and (allow me, leave me, let me) to long for freedom
il duolo infranga
(so that, may) (the, my) grief break
queste ritorte
these chains (restraints)
dei miei martiri
of my sufferings
sol per pietà
(if) only out of mercy (pity)
So:let me to weep
my harsh fate
and to long for freedom
grief break
these chains
of my sufferings
only out of mercy
Posted by: Namdnal Siroj | 05/20/2010 at 05:52 AM
BTWthe verbs in this lyric all subjective.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_moodExcept lasciare, which is imperative.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperative_mood
tu lascia che io (let me)che io pianga (let me weep)che io sospiri (let me long for)che il duolo infranga (let grief break)
Posted by: Namdnal Siroj | 05/20/2010 at 06:06 AM