O mio babbino caro
O mio babbino caro (Oh my dear papa) is an aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918), by Giacomo Puccini, to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano.[1] It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between Schicchi and his prospective in-laws have reached a breaking point that threatens to separate her from Rinuccio, the boy she loves. It provides a contrasting interlude expressing lyrical simplicity and single-hearted love in the atmosphere of hypocrisy, jealousy, double-dealing and feuding in medieval Florence of Puccini's only comedy, and it provides the only set-piece in the through-composed conversational musical give-and-take.
Among the more famous sopranos who have performed this aria are Florence Easton (premiere 14 December 1918), Sarah Brightman, Frances Alda, Maria Callas, Victoria de los Ángeles, Montserrat Caballé, Joan Hammond, Anna Netrebko, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Sissel Kyrkjebø, Dame Malvina Major, Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Angela Gheorghiu, Kathleen Battle, Renée Fleming, Renata Tebaldi, Carmen Monarcha, and Patricia Racette.
Libretto
Italian
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Translation in English
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|---|---|
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O mio babbino caro |
Oh my dear papa |
Cultural resonance outside opera
It has also become in demand with popular music sopranos such as Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Lesley Garrett and Hayley Westenra. Violinist Joshua Bell also has produced a recording of it on his album Romance of the Violin. The rock group East Village Opera Company covered the aria and transformed it into an R&B-styled arrangement. Carlo Aonzo (mandolin) and Beppe Gambetta (guitar) also produced a recording of the song on their 2001 album Traversata.
In 2001, the song appeared on a commercial for Rockstar Games' video game "Grand Theft Auto III", and on the video game's sound track.
James Ivory's adaptation of E. M. Forster's novel A Room with a View (1985) uses the aria as the title theme.
The aria was lip-synched by comedian Rowan Atkinson in the film Mr. Bean's Holiday, as the title character and the young lad he was traveling with became street performers to raise money to get to Cannes.
Katie Harman of Oregon won the Miss America title in 2001 singing the aria which also won her the talent preliminary title earlier in the competition.[2]
A portion of the aria appeares in the very last scene of Seinfeld, season 7, episode 3: "The Maestro", which first aired October 5, 1995. As Elaine and "The Maestro" are standing at the window of his Tuscany villa, the aria is heard in the background and continues until the end of the show.
The 1930s English singer Gracie Fields also recorded an English version of the song which proved to be a rarity. The song has the following lyrics, which were a rather different translation from the one above:
Oh My Beloved Father,
I love him, I love him!
I’ll go to Porta Rossa,
To buy our wedding ring.
Oh yes, I really love him.
And if you still say no,
I’ll go to Ponte Vecchio,
And throw myself below.
My love for which I suffer,
At last, I want to die.
Father I pray, I pray.
Father I pray, I pray.
The aria features in the 2001 film Very Annie Mary. It is sung twice by Annie Mary, the first time to please her friend Bethan Bevan and the second time at Bethan's funeral shortly afterwards.
Valentino: The Last Emperor, offers this as the "closing" song of the 45th Anniversary event in Rome, Italy in July 2007.[3]
Jackie Evancho sang the aria in the quarterfinals of America's Got Talent on August 10, 2010.[4]
References
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ John Curran (September 23, 2001). "Miss Oregon, Katie Harman, Is Crowned Miss America". Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
- ^ Valentino: The Last Emperor official site
- ^ http://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/contestants/semifinalists/jackie-evancho/index.shtml#bio