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BARNABA La canzon ve lo dicea: Un pescator che attende la marea. Ho la barca laggiù nell'acqua bassa. È tempora domani, e si digiuna, (Per mia fortuna) La mensa magra il pescatore ingrassa. MARINAI ridendo Ha! Ha! BARNABA ad Isèpo (Siam salvi! Han riso. Sono ottanta Fra marinari e mozzi. Han tre decine Di remi e nulla più; due colubrine Di piccolo calibro. Or va, con quanta Lena ti resta, e disponi le scolte Colà dove le macchie son più folte. Io qui rimango a far l'ufficio mio. Vanne con Dio.) Isèpo esce BARNABA Pescator, affonda l'esca E sia l'onda a te fedel, Lieta sera e buona pesca Ti promette il mare e il ciel. Va, tranquilla cantilena, Per l'azzurra immensità; Questa notte una sirena Nella rete cascherà. CORO ridendo Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Questa notte una sirena Nella rete cascherà. BARNABA tra sè (Spia coi fulminei Tuoi sguardi accorti, E fra le tenebre Conta i tuoi morti. Sì, da quest' isola Deserta e bruna Or deve sorgere La tua fortuna. Sta in guardia! e il rapido Sospetto svia, E ridi e vigila E canta e spia.) Ripigliando la canzone Pescator, propizio è il vento, Tenta il mare, o pescator. Là, fra l'alighe e l'argento, Guizzan pinne d'ambra e d'ôr. Brilla Venere serena In un ciel di voluttà. Una fulgida sirena Nella rete cascherà. CORO ripete ridendo Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Una fulgida sirena Nella rete cascherà.
Text Authorship:
- by Arrigo Enrico Boito (1842 - 1918)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Amilcare Ponchielli (1834 - 1886), "La canzon ve lo dicea", first performed 1876, from opera La Gioconda [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "As the song says", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2020-01-01
Line count: 63
Word count: 237
BARNABA As the song says: Like a fisherman who waits for the tide, I have a boat over there in the shallows. Tomorrow we must fast, lucky for me, A table empty of meat makes the fisherman fat. Sailors Ha! Ha! BARNABA To Isèpo (We're safe! They laughed. There are eighty of them: sailors and ship’s boys. They have three dozen oars and nothing else; two cannons of small caliber. Now go, with all the vigor you have left, go and set the carvings where the stains/sopts are thickest. I'll stay to finish my office. Go with God.) BARNABA Ah! Fisherman, drop your bait, And the waves will be your faithful friend, A fine evening and good fishing Are promised to you by the sea and sky. Go forth, tranquil little song, Through the azure vastness. A becalmed siren Will fall into your net. CHORUS Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! A becalmed siren Will fall into your net. BARNABA (Spy, quick as lightning with your shrewd glances, and in the darkness count all your dead. Oh yes, from this island, deserted and dark, it’s time to change your luck. Be on guard! And swiftly mislead the suspicious and laugh and keep vigil and sing and spy…!) Fisherman, the wind is with you, Take to the sea, fisherman. There, between the seaweed and the silver waves, Quiver fins of amber and gold. Venus shines serenely In a voluptuous sky; ... A shining siren Will fall into your net! ... CHORUS Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! A shining siren Will fall into your net! ...
Translator's note: by "tomorrow", Barnaba is referring to Ash Wednesday, the first day of the forty days of Lent, a time of penitential fasting preceding Easter.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Italian (Italiano) to English copyright © 2020 by Laura Prichard, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Arrigo Enrico Boito (1842 - 1918)
This text was added to the website: 2020-01-01
Line count: 57
Word count: 258