Montserrat Caballé & Shirley Verrett: Bellini - Norma, 'Mira, o Norma'

Dame Montserrat Caballé (Catalan: [munsəˈrat kəβəˈʎe], Spanish: [monseˈrat kaβaˈʎe]) (born 12 April 1933) is a Spanish operatic soprano. She has sung a wide variety of roles, but is best known as an exponent of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi. Caballé's international breakthrough came in 1965 when she substituted for an indisposed Marilyn Horne in a semi-staged performance of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at New York's Carnegie Hall, which earned her a 25-minute standing ovation... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montserr...

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Shirley Verrett (May 31, 1931 -- November 5, 2010) was an African-American operatic mezzo-soprano who successfully transitioned into soprano roles... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_...


Lyrics & English Translation


ADALGISA
Were you calling me, Norma? How pale
And sad your face!

NORMA
The pallor of death
I must confess my shame to you. I ask
One thing, which you will do
If my present grief and my grief to come
Deserves pity.

ADALGISA
I promise to do anything.

NORMA
Swear!

ADALGISA
I swear!

NORMA
Then hear me. I have resolved
To cleanse this earth
Of my existence. I cannot take these poor children
With me: I entrust them to you.

ADALGISA
Oh Heaven!
To me?

NORMA
Take them to the Roman camp.
To him whom I dare not name.

ADALGISA
What are you asking?

NORMA
May he be
Less cruel a husband to you. I forgive him,
And now I shall die.

ADALGISA
Husband! No, never!

NORMA
For his children's sake, I beg you.
Ah, take them with you,
Succour them, protect them.
I do not ask for glory and Honours ?
That will be for your own sons.
I ask only that my children
Be not abandoned to wretchedness and slavery.
Remember that it was for you
That I was betrayed and cast aside!...

ADALGISA
Norma, ah Norma! for me
You will always be a beloved mother.
Keep your children. May I never
Leave this land.

NORMA
You swore -

ADALGISA
Yes I swore ?
But only to do good for you.
Now I shall go to the Roman camp
And assail him with your laments.
The compassion you have stirred in me
Will speak out in sublime tones.
Do not despair ? you will see
Love and nature reawakened in him.
I am sure I know his heart ?
And Norma, there, shall reign again!...

NORMA
I should beg him? Ah no ? never.

ADALGISA
Norma ? do not resist.

NORMA
I no longer hear you ? go now, go!

ADALGISA
No, never!...

ADALGISA
See, o Norma, at your knees,
These dear, dear children.
Let pity for them move you,
If you feel no pity for yourself...

NORMA
Ah, why do you try to weaken me
With such soft feelings?
Such illusions, such hopes
Are not for one about to die...

ADALGISA
Relent, ah yield!

NORMA
Ah, leave me.
He loves you.

ADALGISA
And already he repents

NORMA
And you?

ADALGISA
I loved him ? now I feel
Nothing but friendship.

NORMA
Child ? what will you do?

ADALGISA
Return to you what is yours,
Or hide myself, with you, from God and man.

NORMA and ADALGISA
You have won ? embrace me.
I have found my friend again.
For the rest of my life
I shall always stay with you.
The earth is big enough
To shelter us both from love.
Together with you, courageously,
We shall fight outrageous Destiny,
As long as in our breasts
Our loving hearts shall beat...


Please Enjoy!

I send my kind and warm regards,