Vado, ma dove?

Vado, ma dove? by W.A. Mozart

Vado, ma dove? Oh Dei!
Se de' tormenti suoi,
se de' sospiri miei
non sente il ciel pietà!

Tu che mi parli al core,
guida i miei passi, amore;
tu quel ritegno or togli
che dubitar mi fa.

I go, but where? Oh, gods!
For his torments,
for my sighs
Heaven has no pity!

You who speak to my heart,
guide my steps, Love;
take away the hesitation
that makes me doubt.

According to NPR, when Mozart was working on Così fan tutte, he had to audition some singers. He wrote “Vado, ma dove” as an audition piece for his sopranos.14 In this aria, Madame Lucilla is bewildered and uncertain about the course her love is taking.