Post Script from Italy

Come and study Italian with me,
And then I'll put to sea
All lesser concerns, and inscribe
These words - so accurate a depiction
Of the relationship of your eyes
To my heart - to you on a
Musical score which will touch your
Open heart:

Io parto, amati lumi,
rimirat'il dolor della partita
in queste fronte pallid'e smarrita.

Io parto, occhi sereni,
fra contanto martir non mi negate
un guardo, non d'amor, ma di pietate.

Io part', o stelle, o soli,
occhi numi del cor ch'in terr'adoro
io parto, io parto, ahi! non più part', io moro.

Sospir, tormenti e doglie
fidi compagni miei, querele e pianti,
venit', io parto, addio diletti e canti.

Addio rise, addio gioie,
addio candidi giorini e felici ore,
restate seco in compagna d'amore.

Moro, Mia Vita

The author of this text
"Dovro dunque morire?"
set here by Giulio Caccini,
is Ottavio Rinunccini,
the first great artist of opera.

As the character dies,
she says to her love,

"Oh grief unheard,
Must I then die, knowing I can't
Say to you, I die, O my life?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnqGttNBTS0

Of course I can't listen to this without
thinking of you, Rachel, afraid I'll never
see you again, afraid you'll never know
what you meant to me.