TOSCA — VISSI D’ARTE (TO UGO F. TURCIO)
Audio Visual (video with music track)
3’16”
Spring 2016
somewhere between HONG KONG and THE NETHERLANDS
Video dedicates to dear late good friend, Ugo Francesco Turcio (20th January 1962, Palemo, Italy — 10th April 2016, Tilburg, The Netherlands).
With soprano aria track from Tosca act 2 by Giacomo Puccini, sung by Maria Callas as Floria Tosca.
Libretto
Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore,
non feci mai male ad anima viva!
Con man furtiva
quante miserie conobbi aiutai.
Sempre con fe’ sincera
la mia preghiera
ai santi tabernacoli salì.
Sempre con fe’ sincera
diedi fiori agli altar.
Nell’ora del dolore
perché, perché, Signore,
perché me ne rimuneri così?
Diedi gioielli della Madonna al manto,
e diedi il canto agli astri, al ciel,
che ne ridean più belli.
Nell’ora del dolore,
perché, perché, Signor,
ah, perché me ne rimuneri così?
(English translation)
I lived for art, I lived for love,
I never harmed a living soul!
With a discreet hand
I relieved all misfortunes I encountered.
Always with sincere faith
my prayer
rose to the holy tabernacles.
Always with sincere faith
I decorated the altars with flowers.
In this hour of grief,
why, why, Lord,
why do you reward me thus?
I donated jewels to the Madonna’s mantle,
and offered songs to the stars and heaven,
which thus shone with more beauty.
In this hour of grief,
why, why, Lord,
ah, why do you reward me thus?