Wednesday, August 24, 2016

What's in a name

Hello All,

Welcome to Blog number two.  So, here are two video links I would like you to watch/listen to, while following the words or score below.  Si.  Mi chiamano Mimi is Mimi's first act aria from "La Boheme" here sung by two Italian sopranos - Mirella Freni (from Modena) and Renata Scotto (from the coast of Liguria). Interestingly, they grew up only about 200 miles from one another and yet they don't always agree on what vowels are open and closed.  Notice right off the bat how different their [a] vowels are.  Having said that, I want you to notice all their vowels as well and how they handle the language in general.  It's not a short aria (a little over 5 minutes) but there is a lot of Italian which is good for us!  Start noticing how diphthongs are handled and glides and so forth – how words are connected to one another; almost as if sentences are made up of one long word.  Mostly I want you to get used to seeing words and knowing how they sound as well as learning about Italian style.  Please write on your own blog any observations you might have.  Your observations can be that you like one over the other but please say why that might be. 

The words and the translation are below.  I’ve also provided a link of the full score if you want to follow along with the score.

                                                        Enjoy - R

Renata Scotto


Mirella Freni


Sheet music






Sì. Mi chiaman Mimi,                  Yes, they call me Mimi,
ma il mio nome è Lucia.               But my name is Lucy
La storia mia è breve.                My history is brief
A tela o a seta                       With cloth or to silk
ricamo in casa e fuori...             I embroider at home or outside...
Son tranquilla e lieta                I am peaceful and happy
ed è mio svago                        And it is my pastime
far gigli e rose.                     To make lilies and roses
Mi piaccion quelle cose               I like these things
che han sì dolce malìa,               That have so sweet a smell,
che parlano d'amor, di primavere,     That speak of love, of spring,
di sogni e di chimere,                That speak of dreams and of chimera
quelle cose che han nome poesia...    These things that have poetic names
Lei m'intende?                        Do you understand me?

Mi chiamano Mimì,                     They call me Mimi,
il perché non so.                     And why I don't know.
Sola, mi fo                           Alone, I make
il pranzo da me stessa.               The same lunch for myself.
Non vado sempre a messa,              I do not always go to mass,
ma prego assai il Signore.            But I pray a lot to the Lord.
Vivo sola, soletta                    I live alone, alone.
là in una bianca cameretta:           There is a white little room
guardo sui tetti e in cielo;          I look upon the roofs and heaven.
ma quando vien lo sgelo               But when the thaw comes
il primo sole è mio                   The first sun is mine
il primo bacio dell'aprile è mio!     The first kiss of April is mine!
Germoglia in un vaso una rosa...      Rose buds in a vase
Foglia a foglia la spio!              Leaf and leaf I watch it!
Cosi gentile il profumo d'un fiore!   That gentle perfume of a flower!
Ma i fior ch'io faccio,               But the flowers that I make
Ahimè! non hanno odore.               Ah me! they don't have odor!
Altro di me non le saprei narrare.    About me I would not know how to tell
Sono la sua vicina che la vien fuori Sono la sua vicina che la vien        I am your neighbor who comes unexpectedly
fuori d'ora a importunare.            to bother you.

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