Il balen del suo sorriso

Leo Nucci (born April 16, 1942) is an Italian operatic baritone, particularly suited to Verdi roles. Born at Castiglione dei Pepoli, near Bologna, he studied with Giuseppe Marchese and made his stage debut in Spoleto, as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, in 1967, he then joined the chorus of La Scala in Milan, and made his solo debut there in 1975, again as Figaro. His career quickly took an international turn with debut at the Royal Opera House in London, as Miller in Luisa Miller, in 1978, and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as Renato/Ankarström in Un ballo in maschera, in 1980. Renato was also his debut role at the Paris Opéra in 1981, and the Salzburg Festival in 1989, under Herbert Von Karajan. His career is remembered for famous performances in the opera world, including works with Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Plácido Domingo and others. His repertoire encompasses the entire Italian repertory from bel canto to verismo, but his sonorous voice, secure technique and dramatic abilities are best displayed in Verdi - notably as Rigoletto, Macbeth, Count di Luna, Giorgo Germont, Rodrigo, Amonasro, Iago, and Falstaff. He has sung the role of Rigoletto alone more than 400 times..

Lyrics & English Translation

Daring, they asked me
about maddening love
and wounded pride.
My rival dead,
when every hindrance seemed removed
from the achievent of my wishes
she now lies out a new and a most
difficult obstacle.
The altar! Oh no, let not
Leonora be but mine!
Leonora is mine!

The flashing of her smile
shines more than a star!
The radiance of her beautiful features
Gives me new courage!
Ah! Let the love that burns inside me
speak to her in my favour!
Let the sun's glance clear up
the tempest raging in my heart.
What a noise!...oh heavens...


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