"Bella figlia dell'amore" ("Beautiful daughter of love") is a

vocal quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations ...

from act 3 (No. 16) of Giuseppe Verdi's 1851

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play '' Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had co ...

''. It has been described as a "masterful quartet that is an intricate musical depiction of four personalities and their overlapping agendas","Multiple Perspectives: A Close Look at the Act III Quartet, 'Bella figlia dell'amore'
,

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is oper ...

. Accessed 30 September 2014. and has been performed and recorded by many notable artists. The plot of the 2012 film '' Quartet'' revolves around a performance of this quartet. ''Rigoletto Paraphrase'' (1859, S. 434) is a virtuoso piano arrangement of the quartet by Franz Liszt. Another

paraphrase A paraphrase () is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words. The term itself is derived via Latin ', . The act of paraphrasing is also called ''paraphrasis''. History Although paraphrases likely abounded in oral tra ...

was written by German composer (1820–1883) as his Op. 61.

Libretto

Italian DUCA: Un dì, se ben rammentomi, o bella, t'incontrai... Mi piacque di te chiedere e intesi che qui stai. Or sappi che d'allora sol te quest'alma adora. GILDA ''(da sé)'': Iniquo! MADDALENA: Ah! Ah!...e vent'altre appresso le scorda forse adesso? Ha un'aria il signorino da vero libertino. DUCA: Sì, un mostro son. GILDA: Ah, padre mio! MADDALENA: Lasciatemi, stordito! DUCA: Ah, che fracasso! MADDALENA: Stia saggio! DUCA: E tu sii docile, non farmi tanto, chiasso. Ogni saggezza chiudesi nel gaudio e nell'amore. ''(Le prende la mano.)'' La bella mano candida! MADDALENA: Scherzate voi, signore. DUCA: No, no. MADDALENA: Son brutta. DUCA: Abbracciami. GILDA ''(da sé)'': Iniquo! MADDALENA: Ebbro! DUCA: D'amore ardente. MADDALENA: Signor l'indifferente, vi piace canzonar? DUCA: No, no, ti vo' sposar... MADDALENA: Ne voglio la parola. DUCA ''(ironico)'': Amabile figliuola! RIGOLETTO ''(a Gilda che avrà tutto osservato ed inteso)'': E non ti basta ancor? GILDA: Iniquo traditor! DUCA: Bella figlia dell'amore, schiavo son dei vezzi tuoi; con un detto sol tu puoi le mie pene consolar. Vieni e senti del mio core il frequente palpitar. MADDALENA: Ah! ah! rido ben di core, che tai baie costan poco, quanto valga il vostro gioco, mel credete, so apprezzar. Son avvezza, bel signore, ad un simile scherzar, mio bel signor! GILDA: Ah, così parlar d'amore a me l'infame ho udito! Infelice cor tradito, per angoscia non scoppiar. RIGOLETTO: Taci, il piangere non vale, Ch'ei mentiva sei sicura. Taci, e mia sarà la cura la vendetta d'affrettar. Pronta fia, sarà fatale, io saprollo fulminar! Literal translation DUKE: One day, if I remember well, oh beautiful, I met you ... I liked you to ask and understood that you are here. Now know that since then only you this soul adores. GILDA ''(to herself)'': Unfair! MADDALENA: Ah! Ah! ... and twenty others below, perhaps you forget them now? He looks like the young gentleman like a true libertine. DUKE: Yes, I am a monster. GILDA: Ah, my father! MADDALENA: Leave me stunned! DUKE: Ah, what a din! MADDALENA: Be wise! DUKE: And you be docile, don't make me so much fuss. All wisdom closed in joy and love. ''(He takes her hand.)'' The beautiful white hand! MADDALENA: Are you kidding, sir. DUKE: No, no. MADDALENA: I'm ugly. DUKE: Hug me. GILDA ''(to herself)'': Unfair! MADDALENA: Drunkard! DUKE: Of burning love. MADDALENA: Mr. Indifferent, do you like to make fun? DUKE: No, no, I want to marry you ... MADDALENA: I want the word. DUKE ''(ironic)'': Lovable daughter! RIGOLETTO ''(to Gilda, who has observed and understood everything)'': And isn't that enough for you yet? GILDA: Unfair traitor! DUKE: Beautiful daughter of Love, I am a slave to your charms; with only one saying you can console my pains. Come and feel the frequent palpitation of my heart. MADDALENA: Ah! ah! I laugh heartily, that these bays are cheap, how much is your game worth, you believe me, I know how to appreciate. I am accustomed, handsome gentleman, to such a joke, my handsome mister! GILDA: Ah, so I heard the infamous talk about love! Unhappy betrayed heart, do not burst out of anguish. RIGOLETTO: Shut up, crying is not worth it, He was lying, you are sure. Shut up, and my cure will be the revenge of hurrying. Ready to go, it will be fatal I know how to strike him!

References

External links

* *, Luciano Pavarotti,

Isola Jones Isola Jones (born December 27, 1949) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She sang at the Metropolitan Opera for 16 seasons and has performed with many opera companies throughout the U.S. and abroad. Biography Jones was born in Chicago, Ill ...

, Joan Sutherland,

Leo Nucci Leo Nucci (born 16 April 1942) is an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi and ''Verismo'' roles. Biography Born at Castiglione dei Pepoli, near Bologna, Nucci studied with Giuseppe Marchese. He made his stage debut ...

Gala 11 January 1987, Richard Bonynge conducting {{DEFAULTSORT:Bella figlia dell'amore Compositions by Giuseppe Verdi Opera excerpts 1851 compositions