Barbara Strozzi: Libertà (Pegasus Early Music and NYS Baroque)

Pegasus Early Music and NYS Baroque present
Venice
Barbara Strozzi: Libertà
Andrew Fuchs, Jonas Budris, tenors; Steven Hrycelak, bass
Emily Walhout, viola da gamba; Naomi Gregory, harpsichord;
Michael Leopold, theorbo; Deborah Fox, baroque guitar
Recorded live in concert November 4, 2018

Libertà
Non ci lusinghi più
con la tua dolce spene,
vezzosa servitù:
Libertà, libertà, non più catene!

Dunqu'era il mio bene,
dunqu'era il mio core,
una donna infedel priva d'amore.

Oh stolido errore,
per breve gioire
corteggiar pene e vagheggiar martire.

O basso desire,
o alto arrischiato
chi gode nell'inferno esser dannato.

Non ci lusinghi più...
(Giulio Strozzi)

Freedom
Stop enticing me
with your sweet hopes,
fickle servitude:
freedom, freedom, no more chains!

She was my beloved,
she was my heart:
an unfaithful woman without love.

Oh foolish mistake,
to court pain and welcome suffering
for brief enjoyment.

Oh low desire,
oh high risk,
to enjoy being damned in Hell.

Stop enticing me...
~translation Richard Kolb