La Traviata - Famous Arias - 04 - Act I - Follie, follie...Sempre libera

Violetta is in Paris in her house. She feels that she's falling in love with Alfredo ("È strano, è strano......ah forse è lui - It's strange, it's strange...maybe it's him") but decides to forget this feeling.,  because it's inconciliable with her life as a prostitute: what she can do is to stay free ("sempre libera") and have fun ("gioir"). From the musical point of view in the cabaletta "Sempre libera" the character of Violetta is linked to the same musical themes (the thrills and the high notes) that have marked out her figure of frail person (she has tubercolosis) and frivolous prostitute. She knows that she can't love because both because her whore condition and her illness (tubercolosis) is getting worse. But when it seems that she has taken her decision, Alfredo's voice breaks from "under the balcony", renewing his declaration of love. ("Di quell'amor che è palpito dell'universo intero - that love that is the heartbeat of the whole universe").
As Violetta states that she will remain always free ("Sempre libera"), her heart has decided: she will live her lovestory with Alfredo.

SEMPRE LIBERA
Testo

VIOLETTA

Follie! Follie! Delirio vano è questo!
Povera donna, sola, abbandonata
In questo popoloso deserto
Che appellano Parigi,
Che spero or più?
Che far degg’io?
Gioire!
Di voluttà ne’ vortici perir!
Gioir!

Sempre libera degg’io
Folleggiare di gioia in gioia,
Vo’ che scorra il viver mio
Pei sentieri del piacer.
Nasca il giorno, o il giorno muoia,
Sempre lieta ne’ ritrovi,
A diletti sempre nuovi
Dee volare il mio pensier.

ALFREDO

Amor è palpito …

VIOLETTA

Oh!

ALFREDO

… dell’universo intero,…

VIOLETTA

Oh! Amore!

ALFREDO

Misterioso, altero,
Croce e delizia al cor.

VIOLETTA

Follie! Follie!
Gioir!
Sempre libera degg’io
Folleggiare di gioia in gioia,
Vo’ che scorra il viver mio
Pei sentieri del piacer.
Nasca il giorno, o il giorno muoia,
Sempre lieta ne’ ritrovi,
A diletti sempre nuovi
Dee volare il mio pensier.

Link Spotify:

1. Maria Callas - 1953 - studio
2. Maria Callas - Live
3. Renata Tebaldi - 1954 - Live
4. Joan Sutherland - 1975 - Studio

SEMPRE LIBERA
English translation

VIOLETTA

Madness! Madness! These are vain musings!
Poor woman, alone, abandoned in this
crowded desert
which they call Paris,
what more can I hope for?
What should I do?
Enjoy myself!
Perish in the whirlpool of desire!
Enjoy myself!

I must always be free
to hurry from pleasure to pleasure,
I want my life to pass
along the path of delight.
At daybreak or at the end of the day,
always happy, where ever I am,
My thoughts will ever fly
towards new delights.

ALFREDO

Love is a heartbeat…

VIOLETTA

Oh!

ALFREDO

… throughout the universe,…

VIOLETTA

Oh! Love!

ALFREDO

Mysterious, altering,
the torment and delight of my heart.

VIOLETTA

Madness! Madness!
Enjoy myself!
I must always be free
to hurry from pleasure to pleasure,
I want my life to pass
along the path of delight.
At daybreak or at the end of the day,
always happy, where ever I am,
My thoughts will ever fly
towards new delights.