Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791):
Una donna a quindici anni
(from Cosi fan tutte) (1790)
Text: Lorenzo da Ponte
Original Key/Recorded Key: G Major
Teach-Track begins: 1 m. before m. 1*
Accompaniment Track begins: 1 m. before m. 1*
Pianist: Daniel Michalak
* To establish the opening tempo, ?cue-notes? are provided on beats 1 and 4 of an imaginary ?measure zero? preceding the downbeat of measure 1. These also cue the singer?s starting pitch.
Una donna a quindici anni
A woman of 15 years
De'e saper ogni gran moda
Must know every great fashion
Dove il diavolo ha la coda
Where the devil keeps his tail,
Cosa e bene, e mal cos'e.
What is good and what is bad.
De'e saper le maliziette
She must know the little malices
Che innamorano gli amanti:
That enamor the lovers:
Finger riso, finger pianti
To feign laughter, to feign tears,
Inventar i bei perche.
Invent good reasons.
De'e in un momento dar retta a cento
She must at the same moment give attention to a hundred (men)
Colle pupille parlar con mille
With her eyes speak to a thousand
Dar speme a tutti, sien belli o brutti,
Give hope to all, be they handsome or ugly,
Saper nascondersi senza confondersi,
Know how to hide without getting confused,
Senz'arrossire saper mentire.
Without blusing know how to lie.
E qual regina dall'alto soglio
And this queen from her high throne
Col posso e voglio farsi ubbidir.
With ?I can? and ?I want? make herself obeyed.
(Par ch'abbian gusto di tal dottrina,
It seems they have a taste for this doctrine,
Viva Despina che sa servir!)
Long live Despina who knows how to serve!