Opera title: | Otello |
Composer: | Giuseppe Verdi |
Language: | Italian |
Synopsis: | Otello Synopsis |
Libretto: | Otello Libretto |
Translation(s): | English Deutsch |
Type: | aria |
Role(s): | Iago |
Voice(s): | Baritone |
Act: | 2.03 |
| Previous scene: | Vanne la tua meta gia vedo |
| Next scene: | Eccola Cassio a te |
It's not widely known that Ruffo recorded three short films for Metro Movietone (uh...I don't know why I used the Vitaphone logo here). Only one—his film of Largo al factotum—is confirmed to have been presented on screen (as part of the reels before showings of Madame X at the Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York). Though none of the kinescopes are known to exist, the disc incisions of the films' audio have survived. As a belated birthday gift to Signor Ruffo, I'm happy to share the Movietone audio of his Credo, here at the correct pitch for the first time on YouTube.
JAGO
allontanandosi dal verone seza più guardar Cassio che sarà scomparso fra gli alberi
Credo in un Dio crudel che m'ha creato
simile a sè e che nell'ira io nomo.
Dalla viltà d'un germe o d'un atòmo
vile son nato.
Son scellerato
perchè son uomo;
e sento il fango originario in me.
Sì! questa è la mia fe'!
Credo con fermo cuor, siccome crede
la vedovella al tempio,
che il mal ch'io penso e che da me procede,
per il mio destino adempio.
Credo che il guisto è un istrion beffardo,
e nel viso e nel cuor,
che tutto è in lui bugiardo:
lagrima, bacio, sguardo,
sacrificio ed onor.
E credo l'uom gioco d'iniqua sorte
dal germe della culla
al verme dell'avel.
Vien dopo tanta irrision la Morte.
E poi? E poi? La Morte è il Nulla.
è vecchia fola il Ciel.
Si vede passare nel giardino Desdemona con Emilia. Jago si slacia al verone, al di là del quale è appostato
IAGO
(walking away from the terrace without another glance
at Cassio, who has now vanished among the trees)
I believe in a cruel God
who created me in his image
and who in fury I name.
From the very vileness of a germ
or an atom, vile was I born.
I am a wretch because I am a man,
and I feel within me the primeval slime.
Yes! This is my creed!
I believe with a heart as steadfast
as that of the widow in church,
that the evil I think
and that which I perform
I think and do by destiny’s decree.
I believe the just man to be a mocking actor
in face and heart;
that all his being is a lie,
tear, kiss, glance,
sacrifice and honour.
And I believe man the sport of evil fate
from the germ of the cradle
to the worm of the grave.
After all this mockery then comes Death.
And then?... And then?
Death is nothingness,
heaven an old wives’ tale.
(Desdemona appears, walking in the garden with Emilia.
Iago darts to the terrace, on the other side of which
Cassio is standing.)

Titta Ruffo
| Sheetmusic for aria | |
| Sheetmusic for opera | |
| MP3's for this aria | on Amazon.com |
| DVD/CD's for this opera | on Amazon.com |