Un di, felice, eterea

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article does not cite any references or sources. (September 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Un dì, felice, eterea is a duet from the first act of Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Traviata. It is sung by the male and female protagonists of the opera, Alfredo (a tenor) and Violetta (a soprano). The main melody of the duet, which is very famous in its own right, is also an important musical theme throughout the opera. It is also notable for being one of the songs heard in Pretty Woman.

[edit] Libretto

Original Italian
English Translation
Alfredo:

Un dì, felice, eterea,
Mi balenaste innante,
E da quel dì tremante
Vissi d'ignoto amor.
Di quell'amor ch'e palpito
Dell'universo, Dell'universo intero,
Misterïoso, altero,
Croce e delizia cor.
 Misterioso, Misterioso altero,
Croce e delizia al cor.

Violetta:

Ah, se ciò è ver, fuggitemi,
Solo amistade io v'offro:
Amar non so, nè soffro
Un cosï eroico amor.
Io sono franca, ingenua;
Altra cercar dovete;
Non arduo troverete
Dimenticarmi allor.
Alfredo:

That day I've never forgotten,
When I beheld your beauty.
Since that moment I loved you,
Loved and adored from afar.
Hoping for love, love that fills the universe,
Love that inspires radiant dreams of life eternal,
Strangely mysterious,
Shining in golden splendor,
Sorrow, sorrow and rapture,
Sorrow and rapture, rapturous joy!

Violetta:

Love, I fear, can never be,
Friendship is all I can offer.
Since love is pain and torment,
I avoid that strange emotion.
Pleasure is all I ask of life,
Freedom and joy forever!
So you must soon forget me
And find another love.