Della crudele Isotta

DONIZETTI L'Elisir d'Amore
Adina's aria “Della crudele Isotta”

Adina......GRAZIELLA SCIUTTI
Nemorino...GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO

Vienna Volksoper – 6 June 1965
Conductor.....ARGEO QUADRI

ADINA in Italian...........................ADINA
(ridendo..........................................(laughing)
Benedette queste carte! ................Blessed be these pages!
È bizzarra l'avventura.....................The adventure is bizarre.

GIANNETTA/CHOIR in German
Warum lachst du?..........................Why are you laughing
Laß doch hören! ............................Let us hear!
Sag', was machte(?)........................Tell, what makes
dich so lachen?(?).............................you laugh so?

ADINA in Italian
È la storia di Tristano,......................It is the story of Tristan,
è una cronaca d'amor......................It is a chronicle of love.

GIANNETTA/CHOIR in German
Lies doch! lies doch!........................... Read it! Read it!
ei, so lies doch!....................................oh, do read it!

ADINA in Italian
(legge)...........................................(reads)
«Della crudele Isotta.....................”Of the cruel Isolde
il bel Tristano ardea,.....................Tristan was enamoured
né fil di speme avea .....................Nor a thread of hope had he
di possederla un dì. ......................To own her one day.
Quando si trasse al piede ............Then he reached the foot
di saggio incantatore,.....................Of a wise enchanter
che in un vasel gli diede .................Who, in a vial, gave him
certo elisir d'amore, ........................A certain elixir of love
per cui la bella Isotta .......................Wherefore the beautiful Isolde
da lui più non fuggì.» .......................From him no longer fled.”

ADINA in Italian
Elisir di sì perfetta, ............................Elixir of such perfect
di sì rara qualità,................................Of such rare quality,
ne sapessi la ricetta,.........................I wish I knew the recipe
conoscessi chi ti fa!..........................I wish I knew who makes you!.

GIANNETTA/CHOIR/NEMORINO(?)in German
Könnten wir doch nur ergründen,......if only we could establish
Ob der Wundermann noch lebt;......whether the enchanter still lives
Nirgends ist er mehr zu finden,.........nowhere is he still to be found
Und verloren sein Rezept,...................and lost is his recipe
Ja, sein Rezept. - Lies doch! ..............Yes, his recipe.- Read on!
Lies doch weiter!.................................Do read on!

ADINA in Italian
«Appena ei bebbe un sorso ............”No sooner had she tasted
del magico vasello ..........................Of the magic vial
che tosto il cor rubello.....................At once the stony heart
d'Isotta intenerì. ..............................Of Isolde yielded
Cambiata in un istante,...................Changed in an instant
quella beltà crudele ....................... That cruel beauty
fu di Tristano amante,.....................became Tristan’s lover,
visse a Tristan fedele; .....................lived faithful to Tristan;
e quel primiero sorso ......................And that first sip
per sempre ei benedì.» ....................He forever blessed.”

ADINA in Italian
Elisir di sì perfetta, ...........................Elixir of such perfect
di sì rara qualità,...............................Of such rare quality,
ne sapessi la ricetta,........................I wish I knew the recipe
conoscessi chi ti fa!..........................I wish I knew who makes you
GIANNETTA/CHOIR/NEMORINO(?)in German
Könnten wir doch nur ergründen,........if only we could establish
Ob der Wundermann noch lebt;......whether the enchanter still lives
Nirgends ist er mehr zu finden,.........nowhere is he still to be found
Und verloren sein Rezept,....................and lost is his recipe

N.B. roughly literal translation, not metric and some words not intelligible