Mozart Arias: Texts and Translations
“Giunse alfin il momento...
Deh vieni, non tardar”
from Le nozze di Figaro
Guinse alfin il momento
Che godrò senza affano
In braccio all’idol mio; timide cure
Uscite dal mio petto
A turbar non venite il mio diletto
Oh come par che all’amoroso foco
L’amenità del loco
La terra e il ciel risponda
Come la notte i furti miei seconda!
Deh vieni, non tardar, o gioia bella,
Vieni ove amore per goder l’appella,
Finchè non splende in ciel notturna face
Finchè l’aria è ancor bruna e il mondo tace.
Qui mormora il ruscel, qui scherza l’aura,
Che col dolce sussurro il cor ristaura.
Qui ridono i fioretti e l’erba è fresca;
Ai piaceri d’amor qui tutto adesca.
Vieni, ben mio, tra queste piante ascose
Ti vo’ la fronte incoronar dì rose.
“Aer tranquillo e dì sereni”
from Il re pastore
Aer tranquillo e dì sereni
Freschi fonti e verdi prati
Sono i voti fortunati
Della greggia e del pastor.
Che se poi piacesse ai fati
Di cambiar gl'offici miei
Avran cura allora i Dei
Di cambiarmi e mente e cor.
“Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben”
from Zaide
Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben,
schlafe, bis dein Glück erwacht;
da, mein Bild will ich dir geben,
schau, wie freundlich es dir lacht.
Ihr süßen Träume, wiegt ihn ein,
und lasset seinem Wunsch am Ende
die wollustreichen Gegenstände
zu reifer Wirklichkeit gedeihn.
“At last comes the moment…
Come, do not delay”
from The Marriage of Figaro
At last comes the moment
When, without reserve, I can rejoice
In my lover’s arms: timid scruples,
Hence from my heart,
And do not come to trouble my delight.
Oh how the spirit of this place,
The earth and the sky, seem
To echo the fire of love!
How the night furthers my stealth!
Come, do not delay, oh bliss,
Come where love calls thee to joy,
While night’s torch does not shine in the sky,
While the air is still dark and the world quiet.
Here murmurs the stream, here sports the breeze,
Which refreshes the heart with its sweet whispers.
Here flowers smile and the grass is cool;
Here everything invites to the pleasures of love.
Come, my dearest, and amid these sheltered trees
I will wreathe thy brow with roses.
“Calm air and peaceful days ”
from The Shepherd King
Calm air and peaceful days,
cool springs and green fields
are the desired wishes
of the shepherd and his flock.
And if the fates allow me
to change my position,
then the gods will take care
to change my mind and my heart.
“Rest gently, my dearest love”
from Zaide
Rest gently, my dearest love,
sleep until your happiness awakes;
there, I will give you my portrait,
see how kindly it smiles at you.
Sweet dreams, rock him to sleep,
and in the end let his wishes
of a joyful conclusion
prosper as a ripening reality.