Vincenzo Bellini - Se Romeo t’uccise un figlio (I Capuletti e i Montecchi,1830)

Rozanna Madylus (mezzo-soprano), acc. Fran Hills, at the HGO Summer Concert 2023.

In an attempt to make peace after the death of Capulet’s son, Romeo in disguise apologizes to Capulet, and offers to be a second son to him.

Se Romeo t'uccise un figlio
In battaglia a lui diè morte;
Incolpar ne dêi la sorte;
Ei ne pianse e piange ancor.
Deh! ti placa, e un altro figlio
Trovai nel mio signor.
La tremenda ultrice spada
A brandir Romeo si appresta :
Come folgore funesta
Mille morti apporterà.
Ma vi accusi al cielo irato
Tanto sangue invan versato;
Ma su voi ricada il pianto
Che alla patria costerà.

If Romeo killed your son
it was in battle that he killed him;
You must blame fate for it;
He wept about it and is still weeping.
Alas! may it please you that you will find
another son in my lord.
Romeo prepares to brandish
the terrible avenging sword;
like a baleful thunderbolt
it will bring a thousand deaths.
But an angry heaven will accuse you
for so much blood unnecessarily spilt;
and on you the blame will fall
for the blow to our homeland.