Rosa Ponselle: Verdi - Il Trovatore, 'D'amor sull'ali rosee... Miserere' video free download

Rosa Ponselle (January 22, 1897 -- May 25, 1981), was an American operatic soprano with a large, opulent voice. She sang mainly at the New York Metropolitan Opera and is generally considered by music critics to have been one of the greatest sopranos of the past 100 years. Rosa Ponselle made her Metropolitan Opera debut on November 15, 1918, just a few days after the Great War had finished, as Leonora in Verdi's La forza del destino, opposite Caruso. It was her first performance on any opera stage. She was quite intimidated for being in the presence of Caruso, and in spite of an almost paralyzing case of nervousness (which she suffered from throughout her operatic career), she scored a tremendous success, both with the public and with the critics. New York Times critic James Huneker wrote: 'What a promising debut! Added to her personal attraciveness, she possesses a voice of natural beauty that may prove a gold mine. It is vocal gold, anyhow, with its luscious lower and middle tones, dark, rich and ductile, brilliant in the upper register.' In addition to Leonora, Ponselle's roles in the 1918-19 season included Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, Rezia in Weber's Oberon, and Carmelita in the (unsuccessful) world premiere of Joseph Carl Breil's The Legend (a role and opera that Ponselle loathed so much that she later burned the score and said the opera "would smell up a cat's box"). In the following Met seasons, Ponselle's roles included the lead soprano roles in La Juive (opposite Caruso's Eléazar, his last new role before he died), William Tell, Ernani, Il trovatore, Aida, La Gioconda, Don Carlos, L'Africaine, L'amore dei tre re, Andrea Chénier, La vestale, and in 1927 the role that many considered her greatest achievement, the title role in Bellini's Norma. In addition to her operatic activities, which were centered at the Met, Ponselle had a lucrative concert career. A tour of the West coast included an appearance at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara on March 14, 1927 in the Artist Series of the Community Arts Association's Music Branch, accompanied by pianist Stuart Ross... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Ponselle

Lyrics & English Translation

The night was still and quiet

and beautiful in the terse sky

the silvery moon

showed her glad and full face...

Suddenly the stillness of the night

was broken by

weal and sweet harmony -

the notes of a lute -

(and a troubador sang a melancholy song.)

Those verses were humble like the invocation

of a man praying to God.

(In that song a name was constantly repeated...mine!...)

So I rushed to the balcony...

It was him! It was him!...

I felt the joy that only angels

are allowed to feel!...

To my heart, to my blissful glance,

the earth seemed like Paradise.

Have mercy on a soul about to set out

Upon hat journey from

Which there is no returning!

Have mercy on it, divine bounty,

May it not fall prey to death!

That sound, those sad and

Solemn prayers fill the air

With sombre terror!

The anguish with which I am filled

Checks the breath on my lips and stops

My very heartbeat!

[Oh! Death is ever

Slow in coming

To him who longs to die!

Farewell.]

Oh heaven!

[Farewell, Leonora, farewell!

I feel my senses fail me...]

Have mercy on a soul about to set out

Upon that journey from

Which there is no returning!

Have mercy on it, divine bounty,

May it not fall prey to hell!

Above the dreadful tower.

[Have mercy!

Alas! It seems as if death...

Have mercy!

On wings of darkness

Have mercy!]

Oh, those portals, perhaps,

Have mercy!

Will open for him

Only when his body

Is already cold,

...when his body is cold!

[Have mercy!

I am paying with my blood

The love I centred on you!

Do not forget me

Leonora, farewell,

Leonora, farewell, farewell!]

I forget you! Me, forget you!

Have mercy!

I am paying with... my blood...

You, you! Forget you!

Have mercy!

the love I centred on you!

A link to this wonderful artists personal web site: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rosa-ponselle-mn0000926920

Please Enjoy!

I send my kind and warm regards,