Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father, explains to Violetta that he has a daughter pure as an angel ("Pura siccome un angelo ") and that her engagement is about to break because of the relationship between Violetta and Alfredo (not well seen by the society because she's a prostitute).
He asks her to make a sacrifice for his family, he asks her to live Alfredo, not for a while but forever.
He doesn't tell her immediately that he can't admit that his son lives with a whore and initially he just states that he should return to his family ("in seno alla famiglia ").
He asks her to make a sacrifice for his family, he asks her to live Alfredo, not for a while but forever.
He doesn't tell her immediately that he can't admit that his son lives with a whore and initially he just states that he should return to his family ("in seno alla famiglia ").
Violetta is shocked and refuses but Giorgio Germont manages to convince her to leave Alfredo.
PURA SICCOME UN ANGELO
Testo
GERMONT
Pura siccome un angelo
Iddio mi diè una figlia;
se Alfredo nega riedere
in seno alla famiglia,
l’amato e amante giovane,
cui sposa andar dovea,
or si ricusa al vincolo
che lieti ne rendea.
Deh, non mutate in triboli
le rose dell’amor!
Ai preghi miei resistere
non voglia il vostro cor.
Iddio mi diè una figlia;
se Alfredo nega riedere
in seno alla famiglia,
l’amato e amante giovane,
cui sposa andar dovea,
or si ricusa al vincolo
che lieti ne rendea.
Deh, non mutate in triboli
le rose dell’amor!
Ai preghi miei resistere
non voglia il vostro cor.
VIOLETTA
Ah, comprendo,
dovrò per alcun tempo
da Alfredo allontanarmi…
Doloroso fora per me… Pur…
dovrò per alcun tempo
da Alfredo allontanarmi…
Doloroso fora per me… Pur…
GERMONT
Non è ciò che chiedo.
VIOLETTA
Cielo! Che più cercate?
Offersi assai!
Offersi assai!
GERMONT
Pur non basta.
VIOLETTA
Volete che per sempre a lui rinunzi?
GERMONT
È d’uopo!
VIOLETTA
Ah no! Giammai!
Non sapete quale affetto
vivo, immenso m’arda in petto?
Che né amici, né parenti
io non conto tra i viventi?
E che Alfredo m’ha giurato
che in lui tutto io troverò?
Non sapete che colpita
d’altro morbo è la mia vita?
Che già presso il fin ne vedo?
Ch’io mi separi da Alfredo?
Ah, il supplizio è sì spietato,
che morir preferirò!
Non sapete quale affetto
vivo, immenso m’arda in petto?
Che né amici, né parenti
io non conto tra i viventi?
E che Alfredo m’ha giurato
che in lui tutto io troverò?
Non sapete che colpita
d’altro morbo è la mia vita?
Che già presso il fin ne vedo?
Ch’io mi separi da Alfredo?
Ah, il supplizio è sì spietato,
che morir preferirò!
GERMONT
È grave il sacrifizio,
ma pur tranquilla uditemi.
Bella voi siete e giovane.
Col tempo…
ma pur tranquilla uditemi.
Bella voi siete e giovane.
Col tempo…
VIOLETTA
Ah, più non dite…
V’intendo.
M’è impossibile…
Lui solo amar vogl’io!
V’intendo.
M’è impossibile…
Lui solo amar vogl’io!
GERMONT
Sia pure, ma volubile
sovente è l’uom.
sovente è l’uom.
VIOLETTA
Gran Dio!
GERMONT
Un dì, quando le veneri
il tempo avrà fugate,
fia presto il tedio a sorgere.
Che sarà allor? Pensate,
per voi non avran balsamo
i più soavi affetti,
poiché dal ciel non furono
tai nodi benedetti.
il tempo avrà fugate,
fia presto il tedio a sorgere.
Che sarà allor? Pensate,
per voi non avran balsamo
i più soavi affetti,
poiché dal ciel non furono
tai nodi benedetti.
VIOLETTA
È vero!
GERMONT
Ah, dunque sperdasi
tal sogno seduttore.
Siate di mia famiglia
l’angiol consolatore!
Violetta, deh, pensateci,
ne siete in tempo ancor.
È Dio che ispira, o giovine,
tai detti a un genitor.
tal sogno seduttore.
Siate di mia famiglia
l’angiol consolatore!
Violetta, deh, pensateci,
ne siete in tempo ancor.
È Dio che ispira, o giovine,
tai detti a un genitor.
VIOLETTA
Così alla misera,
ch’è un dì caduta,
di più risorgere
speranza è muta!
Se pur beneficio
le indulga Iddio,
l’uomo implacabile
per lei sarà.
ch’è un dì caduta,
di più risorgere
speranza è muta!
Se pur beneficio
le indulga Iddio,
l’uomo implacabile
per lei sarà.
PURA SICCOME UN ANGELO
English translation
GERMONT
God gave me a daughter
As pure as an angel;
If Alfredo refuses
To return to the bosom of his family,
The man she loves and who loves her,
The one whose wife she was to be,
Will break the chain
That was to bind them in their happiness.
I pray you not to change the roses of their
Love to flowers of sadness.
Surely your heart will not deny
The prayer I utter now.
As pure as an angel;
If Alfredo refuses
To return to the bosom of his family,
The man she loves and who loves her,
The one whose wife she was to be,
Will break the chain
That was to bind them in their happiness.
I pray you not to change the roses of their
Love to flowers of sadness.
Surely your heart will not deny
The prayer I utter now.
VIOLETTA
Ah yes, I understand.
If I left
Alfredo for a time …
It would be a sacrifice, but then …
If I left
Alfredo for a time …
It would be a sacrifice, but then …
GERMONT
That’s not what I’m asking.
VIOLETTA
Heavens! What more do you expect?
So much I’ve offered, already!
So much I’ve offered, already!
GERMONT
But not enough.
VIOLETTA
You want me to leave him for ever?
GERMONT
It’s necessary.
VIOLETTA
Oh, no! Never!
You cannot know the kind of passion
– Living, overwhelming – that burns in my heart!
I have no friends,
No family still living.
Alfredo swore,
That I should find them all in him.
How should you know that my life
Is threatened by a fell disease?
That already I see the end is near?
If I parted from Alfredo,
My suffering would be so unbearable
That I would rather die!
You cannot know the kind of passion
– Living, overwhelming – that burns in my heart!
I have no friends,
No family still living.
Alfredo swore,
That I should find them all in him.
How should you know that my life
Is threatened by a fell disease?
That already I see the end is near?
If I parted from Alfredo,
My suffering would be so unbearable
That I would rather die!
GERMONT
The sacrifice is heavy,
But hear me out with patience,
You’re young and beautiful.
And in time …
But hear me out with patience,
You’re young and beautiful.
And in time …
VIOLETTA
Oh, say no more …
I understand you.
But it’s impossible for me …
I want nothing but to love him!
I understand you.
But it’s impossible for me …
I want nothing but to love him!
GERMONT
That may be,
But men are often less faithful.
But men are often less faithful.
VIOLETTA
Oh, heavens!
GERMONT
One day, when time
Has put your charms to flight,
Boredom will swiftly rise.
What will happen then? Think!
The gentle balm of affection
Will not be for you,
Because the threads that bound you
Had not been blessed by heaven.
Has put your charms to flight,
Boredom will swiftly rise.
What will happen then? Think!
The gentle balm of affection
Will not be for you,
Because the threads that bound you
Had not been blessed by heaven.
VIOLETTA
It’s true!
GERMONT
Ah, why not, then, abandon
So tempting a dream?
Be the consoling angel
Of my family!
Violetta, only think,
You still have time for that.
My child, it’s God who inspires
The words this father speaks.
So tempting a dream?
Be the consoling angel
Of my family!
Violetta, only think,
You still have time for that.
My child, it’s God who inspires
The words this father speaks.
VIOLETTA
So, for the wretched woman
Who’s fallen once,
The hope of rising
Is for ever gone!
Though God
Should show His mercy,
Man will never
Forgive her.
Who’s fallen once,
The hope of rising
Is for ever gone!
Though God
Should show His mercy,
Man will never
Forgive her.
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