Father's Day this year came amid a rush of other events, so I was
the beneficiary of the default gift, a new CD. This year was different,
though, as I was asked what I wanted before the day itself.  Some members
of this list will not believe the following, but, despite the fact that
Abbado's Mahler 3 had just become available, I opted for Tosca: the
Chandos version in English, with Jane Eaglen.  My strategy: If I went
for the Mahler, it would set off the conversation that starts with "Don't
you have this already?" No protestations about possibly the best Mahler 3
ever or the oboe glissando in the Bird of Night segment would have been
convincing.  The same argument could be made about Tosca, but my rejoinder
would have carried the day: "But this is the only version in English!"
Thankfully, it didn't come to that.  What a great wife I have!  And anyway,
it will be fairly easy to grab the Mahler using petty cash, lol.

This disc is fascinating.  While it will not replace the 1953 Callas
version --especially in the Cavaradossi role; and what did they give
the firing squad, a cap pistol? -- it will give much food for thought
to anybody who is remotely interested in Puccini, Tosca, or even (or
especially) languages and translation.  It's important to keep in mind that
this is not just a translation of the original Italian, but a version meant
to be sung in English.  Hence, translator Edmund Tracey has taken some
liberties; in other words, he has done what a good translator should.

Here are a few of the key spots in the translated libretto, in random
order.  See if you can identify them before going to the answers below.
The first one is a freebie just to get you started:

1.  Go, Tosca!  Now your fate is ruled by Scarrrrrpia.  (Va, Tosca, of
course; near the end of Act I).

2.  Richer far is the flavor of a violent conquest than a gentle
surrender...

3.  Scarpia: Only the truth can assist him to shorten the hours of
horrible suffering.  Tosca: Of horrible suffering? What d'you mean? What's
happening inside there? Scarpia: The law must be maintained to the letter.

4.  Tosca, my falcon.  Surely by now my savage hounds have tracked them to
their hiding place.  At dawn the gallows will welcome traitor Angelotti and
his fine accomplice, Mario!

5.  You make the church a fairground!  Show respect!

6.  Life has taught me singing and loving.  I never did harm to one living
creature.  Often in secret I offered help to the poor and the needy.

7.  Scarpia? That dirty bigot who beneath the cloak of religion gratifies
his squalid lusts and passions.  There is no one he cannot buy over,
churchman as well as hangman!

8.  Ah, here in safety.  I'm in such a panic.  I'm suspicious of everyone
who passes.

9.  How strange a thing is beauty, in its differing faces!  So dark
my Floria, so passionate and loving.  And you my golden beauty, in your
innocent sweetness!  You have smiling blue eyes, Tosca's blaze so darkly.
Our little house in the country is waiting, the shady garden forever
inviting.

10.  Ah, they say I'm corrupt but a lovely woman cannot tempt me with
common bribes of money.

11.  What eyes in all the wide world can equal those dark fiery eyes of my
Tosca? In them I find myself.  My life and being are only for Tosca.  Eyes
that in love are tender, then blaze with anger.  What eyes can ever be
found to equal the dark eyes of Tosca?

12.  All the stars shone in heaven and the night air was scented.  I heard
the gate creak open and then on the pathway a footstep.  I breathed her
fragrant perfume, then she ran to embrace me.

13.  But first -- and now you will laugh -- first they are going to shoot
you, their rifles will have blank cartridges...  Just a sham execution.
They fire, you fall.

14.  World of love, shining with hope and flaming with passion, ever
increasing holy fire...  We feel your glorious joy...  We hear in our
hearts music of sweet desire!

Answers:

2a.  Act II, Ha piu forte sapore la conquista violenta.  Note the
improvement over the translation in the Callas disc: "For myself the
violent conquest has stronger relish than the soft surrender."

3a.  Act II, No ma il vero potrebbe.  Tosca realizes that Mario is in the
torture chamber.

4a.  The first words of Act II: Tosca e buon falco!

5a.  Act I, Scarpia's first entrance: Un tal baccano in chiesta!

6a.  Act II, Tosca's big aria: Vissi d'arte, usually translated as "I
lived for art, I lived for love."

7a.  Act I, Cavaradossi tells Angelotti what he thinks of Scarpia: Bigotto
satiro che affina.  Big improvement over "Scarpia? That licentious bigot
who exploits the uses of religion as refinements for his libertine lust,
and makes both the confessor and the hangman the servant of his
wantonness!"

8a.  The first words of the opera, spoken by Angelotti.

9a.  Act I, Cavaradossi's aria, Recondita armonia.

10a.  Act II, Scarpia justifies himself to Tosca: Gia, mi dicon venal.

11a.  Act I, Cavaradossi's love song to the jealous Tosca: Quale occhio
al mondo.  The Chandos translation above is another big improvement over
"What eyes in the world can compare with your black and glowing eyes?" The
Chandos version also improves Tosca's response: Instead of "But let her
eyes be black ones!", in Chandos she says "But make the eyes look darker!"

12a.  Act III, Cavaradossi's farewell aria, E lucevan le stelle.

13a.  Act III, Tosca lets Cavaradossi in on the plot; unfortunately, she's
been deceived.

14.  Tosca's and Cavaradossi's big Act III unison duet: Armoni di canti
diffonderem!

Another disc I simply must buy is the newly remastered edition of the
Callas Tosca within EMI's GROC series, now available at mid-price.

Mitch Friedfeld