476 8037

THE ESSENTIAL RECORDINGS

MOZART • VERDI • BELLINI

ROSSINI • DONIZETTI • PUCCINI

CHARPENTIER • MASCAGNI

Angelina ArenaAUSTRALIANH E R I T A G E

SOPRANO

AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE is a sub-label of ABC Classics devotedto recordings of historic value made by artists whose musicallegacies are a lasting influence on Australian culture.

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Arena as Gilda in Rigoletto, in which she appeared with

Aldo Protti in Bussetto,Parma in 1965: the firstAustralian to sing a Verdi

opera in Verdi’s home town.

Arena as the pageboy Oscarin Un ballo in maschera, La Scala, 1967/68 season.Also starring in thatproduction were LeontynePrice and Carlo Bergonzi.

Arena in the world premiereof Renzo Rossellini’s operaThe Language of Flowers –her La Scala debut.

As Lucia di Lammermoor at La Scala.

GIUSEPPE VERDIRigoletto

6 Figlia! Mio padre! (Daughter! Father!) (Act I) 8’24Ray Myers baritone, Queensland Symphony Orchestra,

Wilfred Lehmann conductor (1974)

7 Gualtier Maldè...Caro nome (Walter Maldè...Dear name) (Act I) 5’06Turin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ferdinando Guarnieri conductor (1964)

VINCENZO BELLINI 1801-1835

La sonnambula (The Sleepwalker)8 Ah! non credea mirarti (Ah! I did not think to see you die so soon) (Act II) 4’48

Milan Symphony Orchestra, Fulvio Vernizzi conductor (1969)

GIUSEPPE VERDILa traviata

9 Sempre libera (Always free) (Act I) 1’47Milan Symphony Orchestra, Gianandrea Gavazzeni conductor (1965)

GIACOMO PUCCINI 1858-1924

Tosca0 Vissi d’arte (I have lived for art) (Act II) 2’43

Italian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra, Umberto Cattini conductor (1957)

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART 1756-1791Don Giovanni

1 Vedrai, carino (You will see, my darling) (Act II) 3’29Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Wilfred Lehmann conductor (1974)

GIUSEPPE VERDI 1813-1901Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball)

2 Saper vorreste (You’d like to know) (Act III) 2’08Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Wilfred Lehmann conductor (1974)

GIUSEPPE VERDIFalstaff

3 Sul fil d’un soffio etesio (On the breath of a summer breeze) (Act III) 3’44Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Wilfred Lehmann conductor (1974)

GAETANO DONIZETTI 1797-1848Linda di Chamounix (Linda of Chamonix)

4 Ah! tardai troppo...O luce di quest’anima

(Ah! I was too late...O light of my soul) (Act I) 4’11Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Wilfred Lehmann conductor (1974)

GAETANO DONIZETTILucia di Lammermoor

5 Regnava nel silenzio (Night reigned in the silence) (Act I) 7’36Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Wilfred Lehmann conductor (1974)

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Angelina Arena, soprano

Angelina Arena

The name Angelina Arena is not a familiar one inher country of birth, but she has an impressiverecord of achievements in opera on theinternational stage. Known in particular for theleading soprano roles in Rigoletto and Lucia diLammermoor, she performed more than 50operas, had a successful career at La Scala, andsang in many of the major theatres in Europe,sharing the stage with some of the 20thcentury’s most famous singers. To manylisteners, this CD will introduce a voice ofbeauty, refinement and elegance, and itcelebrates the career of one of Australia’s lesser-known stars of the international operatic stage.

Arena was the second youngest of nine children,born in Sydney in 1926 to parents who emigratedfrom Sicily in the first years of the 20th century.She began singing publicly at the age of six,appearing every week on Uncle Tom’s Gang, apopular radio program on 2SM in Sydney, andshe remained a regular on this program for eightyears. At 17, she started formal singing lessonswith Franco Izal, who had come to Australia withthe Carl Rosa Opera Company and settled here,and in 1950 she won Radio 2GB’s AustralianAmateur Hour with “Un bel dì” from MadamaButterfly. The following year she made heroperatic debut with the Rockdale MusicalSociety, playing Mimì in La bohème.

Arena’s first big break was in 1951, when shewon the Sun Aria Contest. This was Australia’s

most prestigious singing competition, won byJoan Sutherland two years earlier. Her successled to numerous engagements for the ABC,including performances with Eugene Goossensand the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and theNew South Wales National Opera. Leading rolesfollowed in productions of Faust and MadamaButterfly, and Pagliacci, with Ronald Dowd, forThe Australian Opera.

Arena’s career was now gaining momentum andthe Italian Consul in Sydney, recognising hertalent, arranged a two-year scholarship for her tostudy at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatorium, inMilan. In 1953, accompanied by her sisterJosephine, she set sail for Italy. Coming from1950s Sydney, Arena had high expectations ofEuropean musical standards, but she found thatthe excellent training and considerableperforming experience she had received inAustralia gave her an advantage at her newschool, and provided her with fundamental skillsthat served her well for her entire career.

After 12 months’ intensive study at theConservatorium, in which she learnt six operas,Arena’s coach felt it was time for her to studyinterpretation and acting, and she began classeswith the legendary soprano Mafalda Favero.

Within three years Arena had won threeprestigious international singing contests,putting her firmly on the operatic map. Her firstsuccess was in Milan in 1955, when she won

GUSTAVE CHARPENTIER 1860-1956Louise

! Depuis le jour où je me suis donnée (Since the day I gave myself) (Act III) 5’23Italian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra, Umberto Cattini conductor (1957)

PIETRO MASCAGNI 1863-1945Lodoletta

@ Ah! il suo nome!...Flammen, perdonami

(Ah! His name!...Forgive me, Flammen) (Act III) 4’23Milan Symphony Orchestra, Gianandrea Gavazzeni conductor (1965)

GIOACHINO ROSSINI 1792-1868Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)

£ Una voce poco fa (A voice I heard just now) (Act I) 6’39Turin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ferdinando Guarnieri conductor (1964)

GAETANO DONIZETTILucia di Lammermoor

$ Ardon gl’incensi (The incense burns) (Act III) 9’45La Scala Symphony Orchestra, Nino Sonzogno conductor (1964)

Total Playing Time 71’18

Angelina Arena soprano

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the Teatro Nuovo competition for young operasingers of all nationalities. This competitionlaunched the careers of many famous singers,such as Mirella Freni and Renata Scotto.Winners were coached by La Scala to preparethem for their operatic debut, and afterperforming arias from La bohème, MadamaButterfly, Manon and Lodoletta, Arena waschosen to sing the title role in Butterfly,competing with 347 other contestants. Therewas some controversy around this competition,with Italian contestants resenting thecompetition from foreigners. A schism occurredwhen a local soprano’s connections got her theButterfly lead promised to the prizewinner, andtwo separate productions of Butterfly weremounted, one with Arena in the title role, andthe other with the Italian singer. Arena receiveda standing ovation for her performance, and onereview compared the two productions: “Whilethe first night Butterfly passed with honours, thesecond edition marked a true success forAngelina Arena in the title role. The authenticemotions of her singing, especially in the lastact, clearly demonstrated that here was a trueartist, with clear diction...musical finesse, andwarm timbre of voice. Her acting was of anelevated class, together with a certain mode ofelegance in her phrasing.” Her success in the roleled to her being invited to sing the role of Mimì inperformances of La bohème. The following year,however, things changed: the Teatro Nuovocontest was only open to Italian singers.

Between operatic engagements, Arena studiedItalian art songs and early music with AlbertoSoresina, a specialist in this repertoire. Singingworks by Monteverdi, Vivaldi and Pergolesi inconcert halls and clubs in Italy, Monte Carlo andSwitzerland was a welcome relief from thehostility, cattiness and corruption of the world of opera.

The following year Arena won first prize in aninternational competition at Mantua, in northernItaly, along with a trophy for Best Foreign Singer,representing Australia. The 12-member juryincluded esteemed tenor Tito Schipa, whoseadvice to Arena was, “Continue singing as youare and don’t let anyone change you, andremember, never force the voice.”

Following these two successes, in 1957 Arenawent on to come equal first in the ConcoursInternational d’Exécution Musicale, in Geneva.Winning this contest introduced her to the worldof bel canto and she changed the focus of herrepertoire at this time to lyric coloratura roles,studying with Maestro Yapelli of La Scala. Lyriccoloratura, or lirico leggero, sopranos were atthat time quite rare in Italy, and as she had littleproblem with high notes, she felt this was asensible direction to take. A contributing factorto her repertoire change may have been acomment made by the respected musician andcritic Giulio Confalonieri, who while mostlypositive, said, “Perhaps Butterfly is not the operamost suited to Miss Arena’s vocal chords.” The

new roles Arena added to her repertoire wereGilda in Rigoletto, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia,Violetta in La traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor,Falstaff, Don Pasquale and L’elisir d’amore.

In 1959, Arena took a course in early music atthe Vacanze Musicale, at the VeniceConservatorium. As well as the early work, shewas chosen to sing the role of Rosina in the18th-century version of Il barbiere di Siviglia, byGiovanni Paisiello. This, along with hercompetition successes, soon led to appearancesin leading Italian opera houses, singing Labohème and Madama Butterfly with PieroCappuccilli, also in the early stages of his career.

Arena’s La Scala debut occurred in the 1962-63season, with the world premiere of RenzoRossellini’s opera Il linguaggio dei fiori (TheLanguage of the Flowers). This was not an easywork, and demanded considerable acting skillsfrom the singers. After La Scala, the operatravelled to San Carlo, in Naples, and in 1964 acommand performance was given at MonteCarlo for Prince Rainier and Princess Grace ofMonaco. That same year she also sang the titlerole in Lucia di Lammermoor and wasunderstudy for Joan Sutherland in the sameopera at La Scala.

Her debut at La Scala was a great success, andwon her permanent membership and a stay ofeight years with the company. She was now atthe peak of her career, performing with many of

the world’s greatest singers, including Tito Gobbi,Mario Del Monaco, Aldo Protti, Piero Cappuccilli,Richard Tucker, Carlo Bergonzi, Renato Capecchiand Luciano Pavarotti. She sang with LeontynePrice in Un ballo in maschera, with GianniRaimondi in Lucia, and Nicolai Gedda in L’elisird’amore. She also performed duets inmasterclasses with Placido Domingo.

While most of Arena’s repertoire was Italian, shealso performed in Parsifal, and particularlyenjoyed singing Mozart, especially Don Giovanniand Le nozze di Figaro.

Arena returned home briefly in 1963, after thedeath of her father, and gave a well-reviewedperformance at the Rockdale Town Hall, whereshe had made her debut in 1948.

In 1965 Arena was included in a tour of the LaScala company to Montreal, to perform in a Verdifestival. The tour was organised by a wealthyCanadian businessman as a present for his newwife, and featured singers of the calibre of MarioDel Monaco, Tito Gobbi and Renata Tebaldi. Aftersuccessful opening nights of Otello, Falstaff andRigoletto, in which Arena scored well from theaudience and critics, everything suddenly groundto a standstill when the businessman wasarrested for financial impropriety. The companyhad to be rescued by the German airlineLufthansa, who transported the entire companyback to Milan.

1 Vedrai, carino, You’ll see, my dear,Se sei buonino, if you are a good boy,Che bel rimedio what a fine remedyTi voglio dar. I’d like to give you.

È naturale, It’s a natural cure,Non dà disgusto, not unpleasant,E lo speziale and no apothecaryNon lo sa far. can prescribe it.

È un certo balsamo It’s a certain balmChe porto addosso I carry within meDare te ‘l posso, which I can give you,Se ‘l vuoi provar. if you’d like to try it.

Saper vorresti Do you want to knowDove mi sta? where I keep it?Sentilo battere, Then feel it beating,Toccami qua. put your hand here.

2 Saper vorreste You’d like to knowDi che si veste, how he is dressed,Quando l’è cosa when that’s just the thingCh’ei vuol nascosa. he wants to hide!Oscar lo sa, Oscar knowsMa nol dirà, but he will not tell.Tra là là là... Tra la la la...

Pieno d’amor Full of love,Mi balza il cor, my heart is pounding,Ma pur discreto but discretionSerba il segreto. keeps the secret safe.Nol rapirà It will not be stolenGrado o beltà, by rank nor by beauty.Tra là là là... Tra la la la...

In 1971, Arena cancelled all her engagements toreturn to Australia to be with her terminally illeldest sister, Constance. While in Sydney, shehad an urgent call from The Australian Operaasking if she could sing, at a few hours’ notice,that evening’s performance of Un ballo inmaschera. As she already knew the role well,she immediately accepted. She also sang thelast two performances of the opera and wasoffered four performances in the followingseason, to sing the role of Gilda in Rigoletto. Shealso sang on ABC television with the SydneySymphony Orchestra.

To fulfil her final European commitments, Arenatravelled to Europe one more time to sing, at LaScala, in the 20th-century opera Ulisse by GianFrancesco Malipiero, and in a staged version ofCarl Orff’s Carmina Burana, in Prague, beforereturning to Sydney permanently. As well as herfamily reasons, her professional life was beingincreasingly affected by the scandals occurring inthe Italian opera world at that time: corruption,fraud and extortion were rife between some ofthe bigger singers, the agencies, and operahouse managers. All of these factorscompounded Arena’s decision not to return.

During the 1970s and 80s Arena undertook manyoperatic and concert engagements in Australia,including a wide variety of work for the ABC. Shealso gave numerous concerts for charity, beforeretiring from professional singing in 1995.

Richard King

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3 Sul fil d’un soffio etesio On the breath of a summer breezeScorrete agili larve, fly, nimble spirits;Fra i rami un baglior cesio through the branches the gleamD’alba lunare apparve. of the rising moon appears.Danzate! e il passo blando Dance! and let your soft stepsMisuri un blando suon, fit the soft music,Le magiche accoppiando magically combiningCarole alla canzon. dance with song.

Erriam sotto la luna Let us wander under the moon,Scegliendo fior da fiore, choosing flower after flower,Ogni corolla in core every crown of petalsPorta la sua fortuna. carries good fortune in its heart.Coi gigli e le viole With lilies and violetsScriviam de’ nomi arcani, let’s write secret names,Dalle fatate mani from our enchanted handsGermoglino parole. let words blossom.Parole alluminate Words illuminatedDi puro argento e d’or, in pure silver and gold,Carmi e malie. Le Fate poetic odes and magic charms.Hanno per cifre i fior. The flowers are the Fairies’ cipher.

4 Ah! tardai troppo, e al nostro Ah! I was too late, and at ourFavorito convegno io non trovai favourite rendezvous I missedIl mio diletto Carlo – e chi sa mai my beloved Charles – and who knowsQuanto egli avra sofferto! how much he may have suffered!Ma non al par di me! Pegno d’amore But not as much as I! As a token of loveQuesti fior mi lasciò! Tenero core! he left me these flowers! Tender heart!E per quel core io I’amo, And for that heart I love him;Unico di lui bene. it is his only wealth.Poveri entrambi siamo, Both of us are poor,Viviam d’amor, di speme: living on love and hope:Pittore ignoto ancora Though still an unknown painter,Egli s’innalzerà coi suoi talenti! he will rise by his talents!Sarà mio sposo allora. And then he’ll be my husband.Oh, noi contenti! How happy we shall be!

O luce di quest’anima, O light of my soul,Delizia, amore e vita, pleasure, love and lifeLa nostra sorte unita shall be our destinyIn terra, in ciel sarà. on earth and in heaven.Deh vieni a me, riposati Oh come to me, rest yourselfSu questo cor che t’ama, upon this heart which loves you,Che te sospira e brama, which sighs for you and longs for youChe per te sol vivrà. and which lives through you alone.

5 Regnava nel silenzio Night reigned in the silence,Alta la notte e bruna... deep and dark...Colpia la fonte un pallido A pale ray of light from the watery moonRaggio di tetra luna... shone on the fountain,Quando un sommesso gemito when what seemed a low sighFra l’aure udir si fe’ borne by the breeze wafted towards me.Ed ecco su quel margine And there on the fountain’s edgeL’ombra mostrarsi a me, ah! the spectre appeared to me! Ah!

Qual di chi parla, muoversi I could see her lips movingII labbro suo vedea as if speakingE con la mano esanime and with her lifeless handChiamarmi a sé parea; she seemed to call me.Stette un momento immobile, For a moment she stood there motionless,Poi ratta dileguò. then she vanished all at once.E I’onda pria sì limpida and the water, earlier so limpid,Di sangue rosseggiò. had grown red, as if with blood.

Egli è luce a’ giorni miei, He is the light of my day,È conforto al mio penar. the comfort of my sufferings.

Quando, rapito in estasi When enraptured, ecstatic,Del più cocente ardore, with burning adoration,Col favellar del core and with the language of the heart,Mi giura eterna fe’, he swears to me eternal faith,Gli affanni miei dimentico, my troubles are forgotten,Gioia diviene il pianto... my sadness becomes joy...

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Parmi che a lui d’accanto When I am with himSi schiuda il ciel per me! it is as if the heavens open for me.

6 RigolettoFiglia! My daughter!GildaMio padre! Father!RigolettoA te d’appresso Only with youTrova sol gioia il core oppresso. does my heavy heart find joy.GildaOh, quanto amore, padre mio! Oh, how loving you are, father!RigolettoMia vita sei! You are my life!Senza te in terra qual bene avrei? Without you, what would I have on earth?Ah, figlia mia! Ah, my daughter!GildaVoi sospirate! che v’ange tanto? You sigh! What makes you so sad?Lo dite a questa povera figlia. Tell your poor daughter.Se v’ha mistero, per lei sia franto: If you have a secret, share it with her:Ch’ella conosca la sua famiglia. let her know about her family.RigolettoTu non ne hai. You have none.GildaQual nome avete? What is your name?RigolettoA te che importa? What does it matter?GildaSe non volete di voi parlarmi... If you are unwilling to tell me about yourself...Rigoletto Non uscir mai. You are never to leave this house.GildaNon vo che al tempio. I only go to church.RigolettoOh, ben tu fai. Oh, you do well.

GildaSe non di voi, almen chi sia If you will tell me nothing of yourself,Fate ch’io sappia la madre mia. let me know at least who my mother was.RigolettoDeh, non parlare al misero Oh, do not speak of herDel suo perduto bene. whose loss I still mourn.Ella sentia, quell’angelo, That angel she felt,Pietà delle mie pene. pity for my sorrows.Solo, difforme, povero, I was alone, deformed, poor,Per compassion mi amò. and she loved me out of compassion.Moria... le zolle coprano She died... may the earth rest lightlyLievi quel capo amato. on her beloved head.Sola or tu resti al misero... You remain my one consolation...O Dio, sii ringraziato! O God, I thank thee for that!GildaQuanto dolor! che spremere What sorrow! What can have causedSì amaro pianto può? such bitter tears?Padre, non più, calmatevi... Father, no more, calm yourself...Mi lacera tal vista. This sight breaks my heart.II nome vostro ditemi, Tell me your name, tell me,Il duol che si v’attrista. of the sorrow that so afflicts you.RigolettoA che nomarmi? è inutile! My name? It’s pointless!Padre ti sono, e basti. I am your father, that’s enough.Me forse al mondo temono, Perhaps some people fear me,D’alcuni ho forse gli asti. and some may even resent me.Altri mi maledicono... Others curse me...GildaPatria, parenti, amici Country, family, friends,Voi dunque non avete? have you none of these?RigolettoPatria! parenti! amici! Country! family! friends!Culto, famiglia, patria, My faith, my family, my country –Il mio universe è in te! you’re my whole universe!

Non fia mai disvelto o franto Nothing will ever pluck or crushQuesto a voi diletto fior. this flower so dear to you.Addio, mio padre. Good night, father.RigolettoFiglia, addio! My daughter, good night!GildaMio padre, addio! Good night, father!

7 Gualtier Maldè ... nome di lui sì amato, Walter Maldè ... name of the man I love,Ti scolpisci nel core innamorato! be thou engraved upon my lovesick heart!

Caro nome che il mio cor Beloved name, the first to moveFesti primo palpitar, the pulse of love within my heart,Le delizie dell’amor thou shalt remind me everMi dêi sempre rammentar! of the delights of love!Col pensier il mio desir In my thoughts, my desireA te sempre volerà, will ever fly to thee,E fin I’ultimo mio sospir, and my last breath of lifeCaro nome, tuo sarà. shall be, beloved name, of thee.

8 Ah! non credea mirarti Oh, I never thought that youSì presto estinto, o fior; would die so soon, O flower;Passasti al par d’amore, you faded like love itself,Che un giorno solo, ah sol durò. which lasted for a single day, a single day.

Potria novel vigore Maybe my tearsIl pianto, il pianto mio recarti, will revive you,Ma ravvivar l’amore but they will neverIl pianto mio, ah no, no, non può. revive love, alas.Ah, non credea... Oh, I never thought…

9 Sempre libera degg’io I must always be freeFolleggiare di gioia in gioia, as I flit from joy to joy,Vo’ che scorra il viver mio I want my life’s course to runPei sentieri del piacer. along the paths of pleasure.Nasca il giorno, o il giorno muoia, Whether it be dawn or dusk,Sempre lieta ne’ ritrovi, ah! I must always live in joyous places, ah!

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GildaAh, se può lieto rendervi, Ah, if I can make you happy,Gioia è la vita a me! then I shall be content!Già da tre lune son qui venuta l have been here for three months alreadyNé la cittade ho ancor veduta; yet I have never seen the city;Se il concedete, farlo or potrei… if you would allow me, now I could...RigolettoMai! mai! Uscita, dimmi, unqua sei? Never! Never! Tell me, have you ever left the house?GildaNo. No.RigolettoGuai! Beware!Gilda(Che dissi!) (What have I said?)RigolettoBen te ne guarda! Be very careful!(Potrien seguirla, rapirla ancora! (Someone could follow her, carry her off!Qui d’un buffone si disonora Here, the dishonouring of a jester’s daughterLa figlia e se ne ride... Orror!) would merely be cause for laughter... Oh, horror!)

Ah, veglia, o donna, questo fiore O Lady, watch over this flowerChe a te puro confidai; entrusted to your care alone;Veglia, attenta, e non fia mai be vigilant, that nothing may everChe s’offuschi il suo candor. sully her purity.Tu dei venti dal furore From the fury of the windsCh’altri fiori hanno piegato, that have broken other flowers,Lo difendi, e immacolato protect her, and unharmedLo ridona al genitor. return her to her father.GildaQuanto affetto! quali cure! What affection! What concern!Non temete, padre mio. Father, do not be afraid.Lassù in cielo presso Dio, In heaven above, at God’s right hand,Veglia un angiol protettor. a guardian angel watches over us.Da noi stoglie le sventure We are shielded from all harmDi mia madre il priego santo; by my mother’s holy prayers;

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lumière et fête, light and celebration,et je tremble délicieusement and I’m trembling with joyau souvenir charmant as I recall the charming memoriesdu premier jour d’amour. of our first day of love.Quelle belle vie! Life’s so wonderful!Ah, je suis heureuse, trop heureuse, Oh, I’m happy, too happy,et je tremble délicieusement and I’m trembling with joyau souvenir charmant as I recall the charming memoriesdu premier jour d’amour. of our first day of love.

@ Ah! II suo nome! È qui! È qui! Ah! Here is his name! Here he is! Here he is!È la sua casa! Sono nella sua casa! Here is his house! I am at his house!M’aspettava! II cancello socchiuso, He was waiting for me! The gate is unlatched,la casa illuminata the house is lit up –ed ogni notte sarà stato così. it must be like this every night.Quanto m’avrà aspettato! How he has been waiting for me!quanto avrà pianto! How he must have wept!Questo pensiero ha dato a Lodoletta That thought has given Lodolettala forza di volare tanto!... tanto! the strength to hurry... really hurry!Poveri zoccoletti! quanta strada! These poor clogs! What a long way!Ho sofferto la fame, il freddo, il sonno, I have suffered with hunger, cold, sleepiness,ed ogni sera, al tramontar del sole, and every night as the sun goes down,quanta paura! I have been so afraid!Ora non soffro più, non ho paura; I am no longer suffering, I am not afraid;sono vicino a lui e posso dirgli: I am at his side and I can tell him:Flammen, perdonami! Non pianger più! Flammen! forgive me! Weep no more!Son io! Son Lodoletta! It is me! It is Lodoletta!Non potevo più vivere senza di te! I could not live without you!Ho abbandonato tutto... son fuggita... I have left everything... I have fled...son venuta ad offrirti la mia vita! I have come to offer you my life!II mio signore e I’amor mio sei tu! You are my master and my love!Flammen, perdonami! non pianger più! Flammen, forgive me! Weep no more!

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A diletti sempre nuovi Ever seeking new delightsDee volare il mio pensier. may my thoughts soar and fly.

0 Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore, I have lived for art, I have lived for love,Non feci mai male ad anima viva! I have never harmed a living soul.Con man furtiva In secret I have given aidQuante miserie conobbi, aiutai. to any unfortunate people I have known.Sempre con fè sincera Ever in sincere faithLa mia preghiera my prayers have risenAi santi tabernacoli salì, in the holy chapels;Sempre con fè sincera ever in sincere faithDiedi fiori agli altar. I have laid flowers on the altar.Nell’ora del dolore, In my hour of grief,Perché, perché, Signore, why, O Lord, whyPerché me ne rimuneri così? do you repay me like this?Diedi gioielli I gave jewelsDella Madonna al manto, for the cloak of Our Lady,E diedi il canto agli astri, and offered my song to the stars in heaven,Al ciel, che ne ridean più belli. that they may shine with more beauty.Nell’ora del dolor In my hour of grief,Perché, perché, Signor, why, O Lord, whyAh, perché me ne rimuneri così? do you repay me like this?

! Depuis le jour où je me suis donnée, Ever since the day when I gave myself to you,toute fleurie semble ma destinée... my destiny seems radiant with flowers…Je crois rêver sous un ciel de féerie, I seem to be dreaming in a fairyland heaven,I’âme encore grisée de ton premier baiser. while my soul still is drunk with your first kiss.Quelle belle vie! Life’s so wonderful!Mon rêve n’était pas un rêve! My dream was no dream!Ah, je suis heureuse! Oh, I’m so happy!L’amour étend sur moi ses ailes! Love spreads its wings over me!Au jardin de mon coeur In the garden of my heartchante une joie nouvelle! a new joy is singing!Tout vibre, tout se réjouit de mon triomphe! Everything’s alive, rejoicing in my triumph!Autour de moi tout est sourire, I’m surrounded by smiles,

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Executive Producers Robert Patterson, Lyle ChanEditorial and Production Manager Natalie SheaBooklet Editor Richard KingCover and Booklet Design Imagecorp Pty Ltd

This compilation � 2006 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. � 2006 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Universal Music Group, underexclusive licence. Made in Australia. All rights of the owner ofcopyright reserved. Any copying, renting, lending, diffusion,public performance or broadcast of this record without theauthority of the copyright owner is prohibited.

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£ Una voce poco fa A voice I heard just nowQui nel cor mi risuonò; has thrilled my heart;Il mio cor ferito è già, my heart has already been pierced,E Lindor fu che il piagò. and it was Lindoro who inflicted the wound.Sì, Lindoro mio sarà; Yes, Lindoro shall be mine;Lo giurai, la vincerò. I swear it, I will win.Il tutor ricuserà, My guardian won’t approve,Io I’ingegno aguzzerò. but I shall sharpen all my wits.Alla fin s’accheterà In the end he will be calmedE contenta io resterò... and I shall rest content...Sì, Lindoro mio sarà; Yes, Lindoro shall be mine;Lo giurai, la vincerò. I swear it, I will win.

lo sono docile, son rispettosa, I am docile, I’m respectful,Sono ubbediente, dolce, amorosa; I’m obedient, gentle, loving;Mi lascio reggere, mi fo guidar. I can be ruled, I can be guided.Ma se mi toccano dov’è il mio debole, But if they touch me on my weak spot,Sarò una vipera e cento trappole I can be a viper and a hundred tricksPrima di cedere farò giocar. I’ll play before I give up.

$ Ardon gli incensi... Splendon The incense is burning… Inside,Le sacre faci intorno. the holy tapers brightly glow.Ecco il ministro!... Porgimi Here is the priest!... Give meLa destra... Oh lieto giorno! your hand... Oh, happy day!Alfin son tua, alfin sei mio, At last I am yours, at last you are mine!A me ti dona un Dio... A god gave you to me...

Ogni piacer più grato Every pleasureMi fia con te diviso... I shall share with you...Del ciel clemente un riso Our life together will beLa vita a noi sarà! a smile of clement heaven!

Spargi d’amaro pianto Spread with bitter tearsII mio terrestre velo, my earthly remains,Mentre lassù nel cielo whilst in heaven abovelo pregherò per te... I shall pray for you...Al giunger tuo soltanto Just to be with youFia bello il ciel per me! makes heaven beautiful for me,Ah sì! oh yes!

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Arena with baritone Aldo Protti and tenor Mario Del Monacoin Montreal, where she toured with the La Scala company in 1965, appearing in Otello, Falstaff and Rigoletto.

Arena takes a curtain call at Parma’s Teatro Regio withPiero Cappuccilli and Luciano Pavarotti after appearingin Rigoletto.