O mio babbino caro
"O mio babbino caro" ("Oh my dear daddy") is a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918) by Giacomo Puccini to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between her father Schicchi and the family of Rinuccio, the boy she loves, have reached a breaking point that threatens to separate her from Rinuccio. It provides an interlude expressing lyrical simplicity and love in contrast with the atmosphere of hypocrisy, jealousy, double-dealing, and feuding in medieval Florence. It provides the only set-piece in the through-composed opera.
Florence Easton as Lauretta at the world premiere of Gianni Schicchi, 14 December 1918
The aria was first performed at the premiere of Gianni Schicchi on 14 December 1918 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York by the popular Edwardian English soprano Florence Easton. It has been sung by many sopranos. Dame Joan Hammond won a Gold Record in 1969 for 1 million sold copies of this aria.[1]
The aria is frequently performed in concerts and as an encore in recitals by many popular and crossover singers. It is used in several films, and some bands cover the aria in their own style.
Contents
1 Music
2 Lyrics
3 References
4 External links
Music
The short aria consists of 32 bars and takes between 2 1⁄2 and 3 minutes to perform. It is written in A-flat major with the time signature of 6
8 and a tempo indication of andantino ingenuo (
= 120). The vocal range extends from E♭4 to A♭5, with a tessitura of F4 to A♭5. The five-bar orchestral prelude, in E-flat major and 3
4 time, consists of octave tremolos by the strings; in the opera, these five bars are Gianni Schicchi's words (Niente!) at the end of his preceding dialogue with Rinuccio. Many recital arrangements start with a presentation of the melodic theme; the remaining accompaniment uses strings and a harp playing broken chords.
Lyrics
 | "O mio babbino caro" Sung by Frances Alda in 1919 |
Problems playing this file? See media help. | |
| Italian | Literal translation | Singable English |
|---|---|---|
O mio babbino caro, | Oh my dear papa, | Oh my beloved father, |
References
^ Hammond, Joan (1970). A Voice, a Life. Victor Gollancz. p. 238. ISBN 0-575-00503-3..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
External links
"O mio babbino caro": Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
"O mio babbino caro" at The Aria Database
"O mio babbino caro", score (piano and voice)
"O mio babbino caro" on YouTube, sung by Joan Hammond (in English as "Oh, my beloved father")
"O mio babbino caro" on YouTube, sung by Victoria de los Ángeles
"O mio babbino caro" on YouTube, sung by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
"O mio babbino caro" on YouTube, sung by Maria Callas
"O mio babbino caro" on YouTube, sung by Sissel Kyrkjebø
"O mio babbino caro" on YouTube, whistled by Woodstock in She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown
Giacomo Puccini | |
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| Operas |
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| Arias |
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| Other works |
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| Related articles |
|
 List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini Category:Giacomo Puccini | |
