"La mamma morta" (The dead mother) is a soprano aria from act 3 of the 1896 opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano. [1] It is sung by the character Maddalena di Coigny to Gérard about how her mother died protecting her during the turmoils of the French Revolution. [2]
It was recorded in 1954 by Maria Callas. [3] This version used in the soundtrack to 1993 drama film Philadelphia. Subsequent notable recordings include Anna Netrebko in 2016. [4]
It was performed by ten-year old opera singer Emanne Beasha on the 2019 final of televised American talent show America's Got Talent season 14. [2]
Libretto
editLa mamma morta m'hanno
alla porta della stanza mia
Moriva e mi salvava!
poi a notte alta
io con Bersi errava,
quando ad un tratto
un livido bagliore guizza
e rischiara innanzi a' passi miei
la cupa via!
Guardo!
Bruciava il loco di mia culla!
Così fui sola!
E intorno il nulla!
Fame e miseria!
Il bisogno, il periglio!
Caddi malata,
e Bersi, buona e pura,
di sua bellezza ha fatto un mercato,
un contratto per me!
Porto sventura a chi bene mi vuole!
Fu in quel dolore
che a me venne l'amor!
Voce piena d'armonia e dice
Vivi ancora! Io son la vita!
Ne' miei occhi è il tuo cielo!
Tu non sei sola!
Le lacrime tue io le raccolgo!
Io sto sul tuo cammino e ti sorreggo!
Sorridi e spera! Io son l'amore!
Tutto intorno è sangue e fango?
Io son divino! Io son l'oblio!
Io sono il dio che sovra il mondo
scendo da l'empireo, fa della terra
un ciel! Ah!
Io son l'amore, io son l'amor, l'amor
E l'angelo si accosta, bacia,
e vi bacia la morte!
Corpo di moribonda è il corpo mio.
Prendilo dunque.
Io son già morta cosa
They killed my mother
at the door of my room
She died and saved me.
Later, at dead of night,
I wandered with Bersi,
when suddenly
a bright glow flickers
and lights were ahead of me
the dark street!
I looked –
My childhood home was on fire!
I was alone!
surrounded by nothingness!
Hunger and misery
deprivation, danger!
I fell ill,
and Bersi, so good and pure
made a market, a deal, of her beauty
for me –
I bring misfortune to all who care for me!
It was then, in my grief,
that love came to me.
A voice full of harmony says,
"Keep on living, I am life itself!
Your heaven is in my eyes!
You are not alone.
I collect all your tears
I walk with you and support you!
Smile and hope! I am Love!
Are you surrounded by blood and mire?
I am Divine! I am oblivion!
I am the God above the world
I descend from the empyrean and make this Earth
A heaven! Ah!
I am love, love, love."
And the angel approaches with a kiss,
and he kisses death –
A dying body is my body.
So take it.
I am already dead matter!
References
edit- ^ Giordano: Andrea Chénier, Act 3, "La Mamma Mo... | AllMusic, retrieved 2024-11-06
- ^ a b "AGT operatic finalist Emanne Beasha stuns with 'otherworldly' rendition of 'La mamma morta'". Classic FM. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ KernKonzepte. "La mamma morta – Maria Callas, 1954". Opera Guide. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ Huizenga, Tom (11 August 2016). "Deceptive Cadence". NPR Classical. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
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External links
edit- "La mamma morta", Aria Database
- La mamma morta on YouTube, Renata Tebaldi, 1960
- "La mamma morta" on YouTube, Maria Callas