Too beautiful not to share! Australian Opera cellists working from home with Nadir's aria from The Pearl Fishers
Sunday, 22 March 2020
Australian Opera Orchestra cellist Teije Hylkema writes:
The Pearl Fishers is set in Hindu Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Two blokes are in love with the same girl - age old story.
One of them, Nadir is going to get the worse end of the deal - here's a rough English translation of what he's on about in the aria.
NADIR
What a turmoil within my whole being, at the sound of her voice!
What mad hope is this! How could I think I had recognized?...
Alas, before my poor insane eyes, already,
this same vision has too often floated by.
No, no, this is remorse, fever, madness!
Zurga must know everything! I should have told him all!
Breaking my troth, I tried to see her again;
I discovered her trail and I followed her;
hidden in the night and sighing under my breath,
I listened to her sweet chants borne away into space...
I think I can still hear,
hidden under the palm-trees,
her tender and sonorous voice
singing like a dove's.
O bewitching night,
exquisite rapture,
O delightful memory,
mad elation, sweet dream!
Under the light of the stars
I can almost see her
slightly opening her long veils
to the tepid evening breeze.
O bewitching night, etc.
ENDS
And to complete the picture, here's the Kiev Opera's Igor Borko singing the aria.