English translations of Drei Lieder von Metastasio, opus 83

by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828)

1. L'incanto degli occhi (Die Macht der Augen)
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "L'incanto degli occhi (Die Macht der Augen)", op. 83 (Drei Lieder von Metastasio) no. 1, D 902 no. 1 (1827), published 1827 [ bass, piano ], second setting; Tobias Haslinger, VN 5061, Wien
Language: Italian (Italiano) 
Da voi, cari lumi,
Dipende il mio stato:
Voi siete i miei Numi:
Voi siete il mio fato:
A vostro talento
Mi sento cangiar.

Ardir m'inspirate,
Se lieti splendete;
Se torbidi siete,
Mi fate tremar.

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The text appears in Attilio Regolo, atto II, scena V, Aria di Licinio.

by Pietro Antonio Domenico Bonaventura Trapassi (1698 - 1782), as Pietro Metastasio
1. On you, fair stars
Language: English 
On you, fair stars
Does my life hang;
You are my gods,
You are my Fate.
I feel myself bending
To your will.

You inspire courage
When blessedly you shine
But when you appear unsettled,
It makes me tremble.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Italian (Italiano) to English copyright © by Thomas Dawkins, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 39

Translation © by Thomas Dawkins
2. Il traditor deluso (Der getäuschte Verräter)
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Il traditor deluso (Der getäuschte Verräter)", op. 83 (Drei Lieder von Metastasio) no. 2, D 902 no. 2 (1827), published 1827 [ bass, piano ], Tobias Haslinger, VN 5062, Wien
Language: Italian (Italiano) 
Recitativo
Ahimè,  ...  Io tremo, io sento
Tutto inondarmi il seno
Di gelido sudor... Fuggasi... Ah quale...
Qual' è la via! Chi me l'addita? Oh Dio,
Che ascoltai! Che m'avvenne! Ove son io!

Aria
Ah l'aria d'intorno
Lampeggia, sfavilla,
Ondeggia, vacilla
L'infido terren!

Qual notte profonda
D'orror mi circonda!
Che larve funeste,
Che smanie son queste!
Che fiero spavento
Mi sento nel sen!

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The text appears in Gioas Re di Giuda, parte II, Aria di Atalia.

by Pietro Antonio Domenico Bonaventura Trapassi (1698 - 1782), as Pietro Metastasio
2. The deluded traitor
Language: English 
Recitative
 Woe is me, I tremble!
 All over, I feel waves
 Of freezing sweat in my breast!
 Flee from here! But where?
 What is the way?
 Where do I turn?
 O God! What do I hear?
 What comes here?
 O God! What do I hear?
 Where am I?
 
Aria 
 Ah, around me the air flames and sparks;
 The faithless earth trembles and undulates!
 What dark night
 Of horror surrounds me!
 What mournful ghosts,
 What frenzy this is!
 What fierce fright
 I feel inside!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Italian (Italiano) to English copyright © by Thomas Dawkins, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 83

Translation © by Thomas Dawkins
3. Il modo di prender moglie (Die Art ein Weib zu nehmen)
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Il modo di prender moglie (Die Art ein Weib zu nehmen)", op. 83 (Drei Lieder von Metastasio) no. 3, D 902 no. 3 (1827), published 1827, stanzas 3-8 [ bass, piano ], Tobias Haslinger, VN 5063, Wien
Language: Italian (Italiano) 
 ... 

Orsù non ci pensiamo,
Corraggio, e concludiamo:
Alfin s'io prendo moglie
So ben perchè lo fo.

Lo fo per pagar i debiti,
La prendo per contanti,
Di dirlo, e di ripeterlo,
Difficoltà non ho.

Fra tanti modi, e tanti
Di prender moglie al mondo,
Un modo più giocondo
Del mio trovar non so.

Si prende per affetto,
Si prende per rispetto,
Si prende per consiglio,
Si prende per puntiglio,
Si prende per capriccio
E' vero sì, o nò?

Ed io per medicina
Di tutt'i mali miei
Un poco di sposina
Prendere non potrò?

Ho detto e'l ridico,
Lo fo per li contanti;
Lo fanno tanti, e tanti;
Anch' io lo farò.

 ...

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The text appears in the play Il contraccambio ovvero L'amore alla pruova, atto I, scena VIII, as the aria of Duca Alberto di Kalitz. The author of the libretto is unknown, the play has been set by Luigi Carlini and has been staged 1823 in Naples, where the libretto has been printed (see above).

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author and sometimes misattributed to Pietro Antonio Domenico Bonaventura Trapassi (1698 - 1782)
3. The way of taking a wife
Language: English 
[ ... ]

I do it to pay my debts!
I'll take a wife for cash,
I say it and then repeat it
I shall have no difficulty.

There are many, many ways
To take a wife,
And a more joyful way
I will not find.

One marries for love,
One marries for respect,
One marries on advice
One marries out of stubbornness,
One marries on a whim,
'Tis true, yes or no?

And I, for medicine
For all that ails me,
A little bit of wife
Shall I not take?

I have said it and I repeat it,
I am doing this for the money,
They make much of it,
And I will make it too!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Italian (Italiano) to English copyright © by Thomas Dawkins, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Translation of title "Il modo di prender moglie (Die Art ein Weib zu nehmen)" = "The way of taking a wife"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 27
Word count: 142

Translation © by Thomas Dawkins