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from Act I of the Italian opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano
Libretto: Luigi Illica

Role: Andrea Chénier, a poet
Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto
Setting: The Ballroom in the Coigny's château
Synopsis: The Countess has asked Chénier to recite a poem but he refuses untill Maddalena asks him. He contrasts the beauty of nature with the evilness and misery created by man. He denounces those in authority as self-serving.
Range: Tessitura:
not enterednot entered
Translations/Aria Texts:
Translation into English by Randall Garrou (added 1999-01-18)
Un di all'azzurro spazio, Andrea Chénier's aria from Andrea Chénier

Colpito qui m'avete			You have struck me here
ov'io geloso				where I, jealous,
celo il più puro palpitar dell'anima.	conceal the most pure beating of my soul
Or vedrete, fanciulla, qual poema 	Now you will see, young lady, what a poem
è la parola "Amor," 			is the word "Love," 
qui causa di scherno! 			here a reason for ridicule!

Un di all'azzurro spazio 		One day to the blue spaces 
guardai profondo, 			I looked profoundly,
e ai prati col mi di viole, 		and to the fields filled with violets, 
piove va l'oro il sole,			rained the gold of the sun,
e folgorava d'oro il mondo;		and illuminated of gold the earth,
parea la Terra un immane tesor,		it seemed the Earth an immense treasure,
e a lei serviva di scrigno, 		and to her the skies served as a coffin.
	il firmamento.	
Su dalla terra a la mia fronte 		Up from the earth to my face
veniva una ca'rezza viva, un bacio.	came a lively carress, a kiss.
Gridai, vinto d'amor:			I shouted, overcome by love.
T'amo, tù che mi baci,			I love you who kiss me
divinamente bella,			divinely beautiful,
o patria mia!				my homeland!
E volli pien d'amore pregar! 		And I wanted, with great love, to pray!
Varcai d'una chiesa la soglia; 		I passed through a door at a church;
là un prete nelle nicchie dei santi	There a priest, in the alcove of the saints
e de la Vergine, accumulava doni...	and of the Virgin, he was gathering gifts... 
e al sordo orecchio 			and to the deaf ear,
un tremulo vegliardo invano 	 	an old man, trembling, in vain
chiedeva pane, 				was asking for bread, 
e invan stenddea la mano!		and in vain extended his hand
Varcai degli abituri l'uscio;		I went into a workman's hut;
un uom vi calunniava bestemmiando 	a man there was offending, swearing at the earth
	il suolo	
che l'erario a pena sazia		that the treasury barely fills
e contro a Dio scagliava, 		and against God he was swearing, 
e contro a li uomini			and against men
le lagrime dei figli.			the tears of his children.
In cotanta miseria la patrizia prole, 	In so much misery the patrician line, 
	che fa?					what do they do?
Sol l'occhio vostro 			Only your eye 
esprime umanamente qui, 		expresses humanely here, 
un guardo di pietà,			a look of pity,
ond' io guardato ho a voi sì 		where I looked at you, 
come a un angelo.			you like an angel
E dissi:				And I said;
Ecco la bellezza della vita!		Here the beauty of life!
Ma, poi, alle vostre parole,		But, then, to your words 
un novello dolor,			a new sadness
m'ha còlto in pieno petto... 		has gripped my heart 
O giovinetta bella, 			Oh beautiful young lady, 
d'un poeta non disprezzate il detto:	don't discredit the words of a poet
Udite!					Listen!
Non conoscete amor,			You don't know love.
amor, divino dono, no lo schernir,	love, a divine gift, don't scoff at it,
del mondo anima e vita è l'Amor!	the life and soul of the world is love!

Translation by Randall Garrou (randygarrou@earthlink.net)
Sounds:
MIDI version by Fraser Rubens. Notes: no vocal line
Sheet Music/Scores:
The Ultimate Tenor Aria Album (Version 2.0). Published by CD Sheet Music. Available at Amazon.com and Sheetmusicplus.com.
Franco Corelli - Voices of the Opera Series. Published by Ricordi. Available at Amazon.com and Sheetmusicplus.com.
Recordings:
none
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