Ponies and Warhorses A concert of songs and opera arias by Mozart, Donizetti and Bellini

with

Elizabeth Parcells coloratura soprano and Alden Schell piano

Program

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Das Veilchen (1756-1791) Abendempfindung An Cloe

"Martern aller Arten" from the opera Entführung aus dem Serail

GAETANO DONIZETTI Amiamo (1797-1848) La Gondola Barcarola

"O nube! che lieve per l'aria ti aggiri" "Nella pace nel mesto riposa" from the opera Maria Stuarda

Lamento per la morte di Bellini

VINCENZO BELLINI Malinconia, Ninfa gentile (1801-1835) Vanne, o rosa fortunata Bella Nice, che d'amore Almen se non poss'io Per pietà, bell'idol mio Ma rendi pur contento

"Ah! non credea mirarti" "Ah, non giunge" from the opera La Sonnambula Texts

Das Veilchen The Violet A violet in the meadow stood_ Ein Veilchen auf der Wiese stand, with humble bow, demure and good, gebückt in sich und unbekannt: it was the sweetest violet. es war ein herzigs Veilchen. There came along a shepherdess with youthful step and happiness, Da kam ein' junge Schäferin who sang along the way this song. mit leichtem Schritt und munterm Sinn Oh! thought the violet, how I pine daher die Wiese her und sang. for natures beauty to he mine, if only for a moment,

Ach! denkt das Veilchen, wär ich nur for then my love might notice me die schönste Blume der Natur, and on her bosom fasten me, I wish, if but a moment long. ach, nur ein kleines Weilchen, But, cruel fate! The maiden came, without a glance or care for him, bis mich das Liebchen abgepflückt she trampled down the voilet. und an dem Busen mattgedrückt, He sank and died, but happily, ach, nur ein Viertelstündchen lang. and so I die, then let me die for her, beneath her darling feet. Ach, aber ach! Das Mädchen kam Poor little violet! It was the sweetest violet. und nicht in acht das Veilchen nahm, ertrat das arme Veilchen.

Es sank und starb, und freut' sich noch: und sterb ich denn, so sterb ich doch durch sie, zu ihren Füßen doch.

Das arme Veilchen! es war ein herzigs Veilchen. Wolfgang von Goethe

Abendempfindung Evening Sentiment Eventide, the sun is disappearing Abend ist's, die Sonne ist verschwunden and the moon beams silvery light; und der Mond strahlt Silberglanz; Thus it is that life's fairest hours are fleeting, like a dance in swiftest flight. so entfliehn des Lebens schönste Stunden, Thus it is that life's bright scenes are ending fliehn vorüber wie im Tanz. and the final curtain falls. Bald entflieht des Lebens bunte Szene, Now the play is done! Our friends lamenting at the grave, their tears will fall. und der Vorhang rollt herab. Soon perhaps, a quiet premonition Aus ist unser Spiel! des Freundes Träne gently wafting from the West, I shall end this life of pilgrim's mission, fließet schon auf unser Grab. Bald vielleicht, mir weht wie Westwind leise, fly away into the Land of Rest. Will then you be there among the mourners, eine stille Ahnung zu seeing my ashes, will you grieve? schließ ich dieses Lebens Pilgerreise, Then, o friends, my mem'ry will sustain you, fliege in das Land der Ruh. Heaven's peace your pain relieve. Shed a single tear for me Werd't ihr dann an meinem Grabe weinen, and on my grave one violet gently place, trauernd meine Asche sehn, and with looks so sad and full of feeling gaze on me with your sweet face. dann, o Freunde, will ich euch erscheinen Bless me with a single tear, but oh! und will Himmel auf euch wenn. do not he ashamed to let it fall, in the crown I wear for all eternity Schenk auch du ein Tränchen mir it shall be the fairest pearl of all. und pflücke mir ein Veilchen auf mein Grab, Poet unknown und mit deinem seelenvollen Blicke sieh dann sanft auf mich herab. Weih mir eine Träne, und ach! schäme dich nur nicht, sie mir zu weihn, o sie wird in meinem Diademe dann die schönste Perle sein. Dichter unbekannt

An Chloë To Clorinda When the flame of love is burning, Wenn die Lieb aus deinen blauen, shining in your eyes of blue, hellen, offnen Augen sieht, and I gaze at them with yearning, in my heart I feel it too, und fir Lust hinein zu schauen, and I hold and kiss you sweetly mir's im Herzen klopft und glüht, on your cheek so rosey warm, und ich halte dich und küsse darling maiden, then I sweetly hold you trembling in my arms! deine Rosenwangen warm, Dearest. then I press you liebes Mädchen, und ich schließe warmly, firmly to my heart, which will nevermore release you, zittern'd dich in meinen Arm! never more 'til death do part; Mädchen, und ich drücke then my raptured gaze is shadowed dich an meinen Busen fest, by a misty cloud of dew, and I find myself exhausted der im letzten Augenblicke hut contented close to you. sterbend nur von dich läßt; den berauschten Blick umschattet eine düstre Wolke mir, und ich sitze dann ermattet aber selig neben dir.

Aria "Martern aller Arten" Aria "Every kind of torture" Every kind of torture Martern aller Arten may indeed be my fortune, mögen meiner warten, I shall bear it, torment and pain. No, nothing shall confound me, ich verlache Qual und Pein. unless my truc love found me to he faithless at the end. Nichts soll mich erschüttern Let pity move you, have mercy on me. nur dann würd ich zittern Then I leaven's blessing you shall see. No, you are unfeeling, wenn ich untreu könnte sein. constant and unyielding Laß dich bewegen, verschone mich. I shall suffer pain and death. des Himmels Segen belohne dich. Call the guards, command them, shouting, beating, raging, Doch du bist entschlossen, at last my death will set me free. willig, unverdrossen wähl ich jede Pein und Not. Ordne nur, gebiete, lärme, tobe, wüte, zuletzt befreit mich doch der Tod.

Amiamo Let' love! Our youth is so inviting, Or che l'età ne invita, So let us find delight. Cerchiamo di goder. The time for pleasure passes away forever. Life can he solemn and dreary L'istante del piacer passa e non torna. If no one culls the flowers: Grave divien la vita For love can he adorned only with roses. Se non si coglie il fior; If you are lovely, the more you owe To love your offerings and your vows. Di fresche rose amor solo l'adorna. No other gift will do for love's devotion. Più bella sei, più devi Let's love, for time is flying. A day devoid of loving Ad amor voti e fé: Is just a day of woe, a day forgotten. Altra beltà non è che un suo tributo. Amiam ché i dì son brevi; È un giorno senza amore Un giorno di dolor, giorno perduto.

La Gondola The Gondola Quickly get into the gondola, Meco in barchetta celere Quickly, my lovely Cloris. Scendi, leggiadra Clori. Come, let us seek together The cooling zephyrs breezes Vieni, cerchiamo ai Zeffiri To relieve the heat of day. Conforto degli ardori Come now, the waves already Che riscaldano il dì. Mirror the silver moonlight, Just as the wind caresses Vieni, già l'onda tremola The peaceful water's surface, È specchio della luna, You will he kissed like that.

E come Paure baciano Come now, loosen your jet black hair La placida laguna The wind will set it waving. Te bacieran così. And make my heart beat with it, If two such things are likened, Then let them heat the same. Vieni, e il tuo crin nerissimo You'll see the clearest sky above Brilliant with stars and comets, In preda all'aure ondeggi, Two stars that shine most bright of all, E del mio core il palpito Sisters that God created Coll'ondeggiar pareggi, Which ornament your face. Se pareggiar si può. Come then, beautiful Cloris, Vedrai nel cielo limpido And you will see me joyful, My heart in tender ecstasy Brillar lucenti stelle, To have you sit beside me, A cui due luci fulgide With love to feed my soul. Then I will take your snow white hand Iddio creò sorelle, Upon my heart with tenderness, E il tuo bel viso ornò. And be allowed to clasp it there, Then you will feel how frequent is The beating of my heart. Scendi, vezzosa Clorinde, E me vedrai beato, E in estasi soavissima Di te seduto a lato Mi pascerò d'amor. E la tua destra c andida Al petto mollemente Fa che mi possa premere, E il palpito frequente Indenda del mio cor.

Barcarole Barcarole Upon the silent, dark water, Sull'onda cheta e bruna, Just before the moonrise, Pria che sorga la luna, With swiftness, O gondolier, Please set sail on your course li Veloce, o gondo er, But take good care that lightly Deh, solca il tuo sentier, Your prow caresses the sea. Ma veh che la tua prora, That my dear one Leonora Who sings so anxiously the while, Carezzi lieve il mar. Hears but my heart beating with love, A solo sol Leonora, Faithfull and true, rowing the oars. Che canta ansiosa ogn'ora, Oda del cor tra'l palpitar Del fido amante il remigar.

Aria "Regnava nel silenzio" Aria "Reigning in silent darkness" from Lucia di Lammermoor dell' opera Lucia di Lammermoor Regnava nel silenzio alta la notte e bruna, Reigning in silent darkness, shadowy night had fallen. Colpia la fonte un palido raggio di tetra luna, Striking the fountain's water one pale ray of Quando un sommesso gemito fra l'aure udir si fe' moonlight. Ed ecco su quel margine l'ombra mostrarsi a me! Then could be heard a sighing, mournful upon the wind, Qual di chi parla, muoversi il labbro suo vedea And here at the edge of the water a ghost E con la mano esanime chiamarmi a sèparea; motioned to me! Wanting to speak, I saw her moving her lips in Stette un momento immobile poi rata dileguò, silence, E l'onda pria sì limpida di sangue rosseggio. And with her hand so lifeless and cold, beckoned to me; Stood for a moment motionless and then she Egli è luce a' giorni miei, è conforto al mio penar. disappeared, Then the water, so clear before, ran red with blood. Quando rapito in estasi del più cocente ardore, He is the light of my days and the comfort of Col favellar del core, mi giura eterna fè, my sorrow. Gli affanni miei dimentico, gioja diviene il pianto, Carried away with the exstasy of such a burning Parmi, che a lui d'accanto si schiuda il ciel per me. ardor, Said in the language of the heart, he swore eternal faith, Emotion made me forget myself, joy mingled with tears. Likewise, when I am near him, the heavens open for me.

Lamento della morte di Bellini Lament for the death of Bellini On the wings of the Zephres Venne sull'ali ai zeffiri To Italy came a sigh: Agl'Itali un sospiro: It was the Orpheus of Sicily's Final and tragic breath; Era dell'Orfeo Siculo It was the farwell of a son Ultimo e triste spiro; Who died on foreign soil. Era l'addio del figlio Touched. Italy reacted Che muore in stranio suol. To such dreadful misfortune, Bewailed the cruel fate Which took her finest son Commossa, Italia al nunzio And the mourning of Italy Di così ria sventura Was echoed in foreign l ands. Piange sul fato barbaro, Now that to the choir of angels Che i suoi miglior le fura, You belong, o chosen spirit, E il pianto dell'Italia Unfold your mournful harmonies, Your songs of sweet emotion, Ha l'eco in stranio suol. And to hear you the angels Will hover suspended in flight. Ora che al coro angelico Perhaps the harmonious chords Ti unisti, o spirto eletto, That you tune in Paradise Spiega i concenti flebili, Will come down on Zephyrs wings To bring us solice and smiles, Il canto dell'affetto, May these be the farwell of our son E per udirti gl'angeli That has winged his way to heaven. Terran sospeso il vol. Forse i concenti armonici Che accordi in Paradiso Verran sull'ale ai zeffiri A confortarci al riso, E fiera l'addio del figlio Che al ciel si mosse a vol.

Sei Ariette Six Little Arias

Melancholy, gentle nymph, Malinconia, ninfa gentile, My life is consecrated to you; The one who disdains your charms La vita mia consa cro a te; Has not realized true pleasure. I tuoi piaceri chi tiene a vile, Fountains and hills are temples of gods; Ai piacer veri nato non è. Never the fountain of my desire, Never the mountain shall I traverse. Fonti e coline chiesi agli Dei; M'udiro alfine, pago io vivrò, Nè mai quel fonte co' desir imi( Nè mai quel monte trapasserò.

Vanne, o rosa fortunata, Go, o fortunate rose, To he placed on Nice's breast A posar di Nice in petto and as one to be with her Ed ognun sarà costretto I shall env' your fate. Oh, if I could only rt La tua so e invidiar. trade places with you for a moment: Oh, se in te potessi anch'io I could have no more contentment Trasformarmi un sol momento: than to sigh with that heart. But you might be dispised, Non avria più bel contento Pretty rose and become pale, Questo core a sospirar. You will lose your color from disdain and from sadness. Ma tu inchini dispettosa, Lovely rose, it is destined Bella rosa impallidita, that we will share the same fate: La tua fronte scolorita There we will both find death, You from envy and I from love. Dallo sdegno e dal dolor. Bella rosa, è destinata Ad entrambi un'ugual sorte: Là trovar dobbiam la mo rte, Tu d'invidia ed io d'amor.

Bella Nice, che d'amore Lovely Nice, which of love excites the quiver and desire, ah! Desti il fremito e il desir, ah! Lovely Nice, of my heart Bella Nice, del mio core sweet hope and sole sigh, Oh! Truly, not so distant Dolce speme e sol sospir, perhaps to me that day is near, Ahi! Verrà, nè si lontano when the cruel hand of death Forse a me quel giorno è già, will cut me down. When in the bosom tragic haunt Che di morte l'empia mano burden, oh! misery, I will be, Il mio stame troncherà. I beg you, remember with what faith Quando in grembo al feral nido this heart has loved you. Over my silent ashes Peso, ahi! misero, io sarò, if you scatter then a flower Deh! deh, rammenta quanto fido Lovely Nice, less sorrowful for me will be the grief. Questo cor ognor t'amo. I do not ask you with tears Sul mio cenere tacente to moisten my urn, ah! If only I might hope a little, Se tu spargi allora un for, I want to expire suddenly. Bella Nice, men dolente Dell'avel mi fa l'orror. Non ti chiedo che di pianto Venga l'urna mia a bagnar, ah! Se sperar potess'io tanto, Vorrei subito spirar.

Almen se non poss'io If I cannot travel With my dear love, Seguir l'amato bene, The affection of my heart Affetti del cor mio, Go with him in my place. Thus ever near to you Seguitelo per me. Surrounding you with love, Già sempre a lui vicino The uncertain roads you tread Raccolti amor vi tiene Will not seem strange at all. E insolito cammino Questo per voi non è.

Per pietà, bell' idol mio, For pity's sake, my dear idol, Do not say that I am ungratful; Non mi dir ch'io sono ingrato; Unhappy and hated Infelice e sventurato Heaven would reject me. That I am faithful to you, Abbastanza il Ciel mi fa. That my aspirations toward your eyes, Se fedele a te son io, Pale love, the Gods know it, Se mi struggo ai tuoi bel lumi, My heart, and yours know it. Sallo amor, lo sanno i Numi, Il mio core, il tuo lo sa.

Ma rendi pur contento But grant pure happiness To the heart of my dearest Della mia bella il core And if I lose her love E ti perdono amore If glad I am not. I fear her suffering Se lieto il mio non e. More than my own suffering L'affanno suoi pavento Because as much as she feels, Piu degli affanno miei Much more do I feel for her. Perche piu vivo in lei Di quell ch'io vivo in me.

La Sonnambula The Sleepwalker Who thought to see thee languish Ah, non credea mirarti And wither so quickly, O flower; sì presto estinto, o fiore; Like passion that has its hour, And one da y only will remain. passasti al par d'amore I may restore this flower che un giorno solo durò. By tears of bitter anguish, Potria novel vigore But to revive love's power These tears of mine are shed in vain. il pianto recarti, ma ravvivar l'amore Add no thought from the world of mortals To the rapture my hear is feeling: il pianto mio, ah, no, non può. What my senses are now revealing That you trust me is heaven above. Ah, non giunge uman pensiero Ah, embrace me, in me confiding, Reunited, in hope abiding. al contento ond'io son piena: Of the wide world, where fate may take us, a' miei sensi io credo appena; We shall make us a heaven of love. tu m'affida, o mio tesor. Ah, mi abbraccia, e sempre in sieme, sempre uniti in una speme, della terra in cui viviamo ci formiamo un ciel d'amor.