Ah, vorrei trovar parola a spiegar com'io t'adoro.

This will be brief since I intended to write on a different subject, but then the beautiful lines in the post's title came into my head, and I became distracted. Nothing new.

LA SONNAMBULA by Vincenzo Bellini is probably my second favorite opera after Bellini's NORMA. They were written in the same year, 1831, and are testaments to Bellini's versatility. NORMA is a heroic, passionate, organically human and tremendously overlooked work of art of undervalued significance. LA SONNAMBULA is pastoral, sensitive, deceptively complex in its simplicity and idiotically castigated as irrelevant, frivolous, and obsolete.

I believe that it is SONNAMBULA's lack of pretense and Bellini's ability to create genuine human emotion in a beautiful display of economy of means that makes it relevant, poignant, and relatable despite what some may call an overly idyllic and improbable plot.

Anyway, the music is simply gorgeous. The melodies are almost folklike in their simplicity set to a deliberately, purposeful accompaniment and orchestration owing to Bellini's divine ability to effortlessly realize textual meaning in musical device. The duets between Amina and Elvino are textbook examples of characterization through music and poetry dictating music.

I could go on for hours, but let us now listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH5jzYjXP0g

Elvino confesses that he was jealous of this old dude who came to town who took interest in Amina. He says "I am jealous of the errant breeze that plays with your hair, et cetera, et cetera," and Amina replies "I love the breeze because I confide your name to it." (A literal and unpoetic translation, forgive me.) It is just fabulous. Historical note: Callas revived and OWNED this role. Divine.

And now Scotto and Kraus sing the same duet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=Q78JdqkK0bs&feature=related

I am not doing this chronologically, my apologies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=AWHvwOUAYNE&feature=related

Elvino presents the engagement ring to Amina.

Later in the scene. Callas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=Ctn42xk3bB8&feature=related

So Amina gets herself into some trouble! She sleepwalks (Sonnambula/Sonnambulist) into that old guy's bedroom thinking that she was going to see Elvino. Hey, she was asleep! Anyway, the jealous Lisa tells all to Elvino who then promptly calls off the engagement. Amina says "I'm not guilty of a stray thought or action." Glorious.

Callas and the elegant Cesare Valletti:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=LPEvQm40MrI&feature=related

A fresh-voiced (and diction less) Joan Sutherland with the outstanding Nicolai Gedda:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=TqqB9LQony4&feature=related

And, lastly, if you are still paying attention by now, I give you Amina's two arias.

Come per me sereno (Scotto). Basically, "I am really happy with life!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxfwR6q6zws

And her sleepwalking scene "Ah, non credea mirarti," which basically means "O, flowers I didn't think you'd die so fast," you know, flowers being a metaphor for love, blah blah.

I give you Callas at the end of her career and her voice, because it is THE best interpretation of this aria. Every note and word is imbued with meaning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRhBY0X4sv8

And, the cabaletta to that aria. Elvino says "Oh, I was wrong!" and Amina says "Oh, yay! I am most happy!" as evident in the massive amount of coloratura. (Note: The many E-flats were not penned by Bellini, but were most likely written for Jenny Lind or Adelina Patti in the late nineteenth century. They've stuck.)

A younger Callas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=jDDDRyYMkKc&feature=related

Cecilia Bartoli gives a very personal, successful and "mezzo" rendition of the cabaletta:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM1d-b_SpaM

Enjoy. Please leave comments! Note: Every time I listen to "D'un pensiero," I am overcome by music's ability to express that which cannot be said.

In my life news:

1. I had my second interview at Borders today. The manager basically told me that I have the job, but I have to wait for official notice once she talks to the general manager. Let us hope it works out!

2. Not chronological. Jennifer's Body is about to come on TV. Oy very!

3. Telemarketing is not so bad. In fact, it is highly amusing most of the time. The people I work with her are MASSIVELY hilarious.

Bbye.