MiaRose Hanberry Program Notes, April 24 2021

MiaRose Hanberry, Soprano Junior Recital Program Notes Accompanied by Yan Shen, piano Livestream on April 24, 2021

Program Notes and Translations Italian Nicola De Giosa (1819-1885) Nicola De Giosa was born in 1819 in Bari, Italy. His first source of musical support was from his older brother Errico Daniele. Daniele persuaded their father to enroll Nicola in the Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella in Naples. He studied under the watchful eye of Gaetano Donizetti, who claimed that De Giosa was one of his favorite pupils. De Giosa made his musical debut in 1842 with the premiere of his opera La casa di tre artisti.

La Volubile The Talkative Ho vent’ anni, son vezzosa

I am twenty years old, charming

Fresca son com’ una rosa

As fresh as a rose,

Come l’aura della sera,

Like the evening breeze,

Come un fior di prima vera.

Like a spring flower.

Son gentile e a me d’innanti,

I am sweet,

Mille amanti fo languir, ah si

and before me thousands of lovers languish.

Se mi dicon che son bella,

They tell me that I am beautiful,

Come in cielo vaga stella,

Like a lovely star in the sky.

Che ho la facia porporina,

That my face is rosy,

Che ho la bocca coralina.

That my mouth is the color of coral.

Del mio crin in ogni riccio,

Every curl on my head,

V’ha un capriccio.

Is capricious.

Tutte l’art I della donna,

The art of being a woman,

M’ha insegnate la mia nonna.

Was taught to me by my grandmother.

So danzar, so far l’occhietto,

I can dance, I can flirt,

Son di tutti l’idoletto.

I am the idol of all.

Sempre, sempre canto e rido la,

Always singing and laughing,

E conquido ogni bel cor!

I conquer everyone’s heart!

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) Giacomo Puccini was born in 1858 in Lucca, Tuscany. His most popular operas include La Boheme, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly. He was born into a family of musical directors for the Cathedral of San Martino in Lucca, Italy. After attending Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Aida, Puccini was convinced and inspired to pursue a career in composing operas.

O Mio Babbino Caro O My Dear Father

O mio babbino caro,

Oh my dear father,

Mi piace, è bello bello.

I like him, he is very handsome.

Vo’andare in Porta Rossa

I want to go to Porta Rossa

A comperar l’anello!

To buy the ring!

Si, si, ci voglio andare !

Yes, yes, I want to go there!

E se l’amassi indarno,

And if my love were in vain,

Andrei sul Ponte Vecchio

I would go to Ponte Vecchio

Ma per buttarmi in Arno!

And throw myself in the Arno!

Mi struggo e mi tormento,

I am pining, and I am tormented,

O Dio! Vorrei morir!

Oh God! I would want to die!

Babbo, pietà, pietà!

Daddy, have mercy, have mercy!

Babbo, pietà, pietà!

Daddy, have mercy, have mercy!

George Friedric Händel (1685-1759) George Frideric Handel was born in 1685 in Halle, Brandenburg, Germany. Handel was originally a law student at the University of Halle before he took on the role of harpsichordist at the Hamburg opera. Although born and educated in Germany, he moved to London in 1712, becoming a naturalized British subject in 1727. His most famous composition is the oratorio, Messiah, which he composed in 1741. “Bel Piacere” is from his opera Agrippina, which was premiered in Venice in 1710.

Bel Piacere è Godere It is great pleasure to enjoy

Bel piacere e godere fido amor!

It is great pleasure to enjoy a faithful love!

Questo fa content il cor.

It pleases the heart.

Di bellezza non s’apprezza lo splendor,

Splendor is not measured by beauty,

Se non vien d’un fido cor.

If it does not come from a faithful heart.

French Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Claude Debussy was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in August of 1862. Debussy is often considered one of the very first impressionist composers and is widely known for inventing his own harmonic and musical structures. After a rehearsal of his orchestral suite “Images,” he said, with satisfaction, “This has the air of not having been written down.” In a conversation with one of his former teachers, he declared, “There is no theory. You merely have to listen.

Pleasure is the law.”

Nuit D’etoiles Night of Stars Nuit d’étoiles, sous tes voiles,

Night of stars, Beneath your veils,

Sous ta brise et tes parfums,

Beneath your breeze and fragrance,

Triste lyre qui soupire,

Sad lyre that sighs,

Je rêve aux amours défunt.

I dream of bygone loves.

La seriene mélancolie

Serene melancholy

Vient éclore au fond de mon Coeur

Now blooms deep in my heart,

Et j’entends l’âme de ma mie

And I hear the soul of my love

Tressaillir dans le bois rêveur.

Quiver in the dreaming woods.

Nuit d’étoiles …

Night of stars…

Je revois a notre fontaine

Once more at our fountain I see

Tes regards bleus comme les cieux;

Your eyes as blue as the sky;

Cette rose, c’est tone haleine,

This rose is your breath,

Et ces étoiles sont tes yeux.

And these stars are your eyes.

Nuit d’étoiles …

Night of stars…

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Gabriel Faure was born in Pamiers, France in May of 1845. Faure was a child prodigy whose talent was discovered by Swiss composer Louis Niedermeyer. Faure enjoyed experimenting with different harmonics which led to him being known for his “daring harmonic progressions and sudden modulations.”

Chanson d’amour Love Song J'aime tes yeux, j'aime ton front,

I love your eyes, I love your brow,

Ô ma rebelle, ô ma farouche,

O my rebel, O my wild one,

J'aime tex yeux, j'aime ta bouche

I love your eyes, I love your mouth

Où mes baisers s'épuiseront.

Where my kisses shall dissolve.

J'aime ta voix,

I love your voice,

j'aime l'étrange

I love the strange

Grâce de tout ce que tu dis,

Charm of all you say,

Ô ma rebelle, ô mon cher ange,

O my rebel, O my dear angel,

Mon enfer et mon paradis!

My inferno and my paradise!

J'aime tout ce qui te fait belle,

I love all that makes you beautiful

De tes pieds jusqu'à tes cheveux,

From your feet to your hair,

Ô toi vers qui montent mes vœux,

O you the object of all my vows,

Ô ma farouche, ô ma rebelle!

O my wild one, O my rebel.

Au Bord De L’eau At the Water’s Edge

S’asseoir tous deux au bord d’un flot qui passe,

To sit together on the bank of a flowing stream,

Le voir passer;

To watch it flow;

Tous deux, s’il glisse un nuage en l’espace,

Together, if a cloud glides by,

Le voir glisser;

To watch it glide;

À l’horizon, s’il fume un toit de chaume,

On the horizon, if smoke rises from thatch,

Le voir fumer.

To watch it rise.

Aux alentours si quelque fleur embaume,

If nearby a flower smells sweet,

S’en embaumer;

To savor its sweetness;

Entendre au pied du

To listen at the foot of the willow,

saule où l’eau murmure

where water murmurs,

L’eau murmurer.

To the murmuring water.

Ne pas sentir, tant que ce rêve dure,

Not to feel, while this dream passes,

Le temps durer;

The passing of time;

Mais n’apportant de passion profonde

But feeling no deep passion,

Qu’à s’adorer,

Except to adore each other,

Sans nul souci des querelles du monde,

With no cares for the quarrels of the world,

Les ignorer.

To know nothing of them.

Et seuls, tous deux devant tout ce qui lasse,

And alone together, seeing all that tires,

Sans se lasser,

Not to tire of each other,

Sentir l’amour, devant tout ce qui passe,

To feel that love, in the face of all that passes,

Ne point passer!

Shall never pass!

German Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847) Fanny Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1805. She was the older sister to renown composer Felix Mendelssohn. In her lifetime, Fanny composed over 500 pieces for piano, chamber groups, and including 250 Lieder. Because she was a woman in a man’s world, many of her compositions were published under her brother’s name. Later, however, German publishers did print a collection of her songs as, Fanny Hensel geb. [i.e. née] MendelssohnBartholdy.

Schwanenlied Swan Song Es fällt ein Stern herunter

A star falls to earth

Aus seiner funkelnden Höh,

From its glittering height,

Das ist der Stern der Liebe,

That is the star of love

Den ich dort fallen seh.

I see falling there.

Es fallen vom Apfelbaume,

The apple tree sheds

Der weissen Blätter so viel,

A host of white leaves,

Es kommen die neckenden Lüfte,

Cajoling breezes come along

Und treiben damit ihr Spiel.

And play with them.

Es singt der Schwan im Weiher,

A swan sings on the lake,

Und rudert auf und ab,

Gliding to and fro,

Und immer leiser singend,

And singing ever more softly

Taucht er ins Flutengrab.

Dives into its watery grave.

Es ist so still und dunkel,

It is so silent and dark,

Verweht ist Blatt und Blüt’,

Blossom and leaf have dispersed,

Der Stern ist knisternd zerstoben,

The star has guttered and gone out,

Verklungen das Schwanenlied.

The song of the swan has faded away.

Anton Dvořák (1841-1904) Anton Dvorak was born in 1841 in Bohemia, Austrian Empire (currently the Czech Republic).

He is most popularly known for transforming traditional folk music into amazing 19th century romantic music! Dvorak is considered the first bohemian to gain worldwide recognition in the music world. He was originally a violin prodigy until he started learning the piano forte shortly after moving in with his aunt and uncle in the town of Zlonice. He later went on to study at the Institute for Church Music in Prague.

Als Die Alte Muter Songs My Mother Taught Me

Als die alte Mutter

Songs my mother taught me,

mich noch lehrte singen,

In the days long vanished,

tränen in den Wimpern

Seldom from her eyelids

gar so oft ihr hingen.

Were the teardrops banished.

Jetzt, wo ich die Kleinen

Now I teach my children

selber üb im Sange,

Each melodious measure.

rieselt's in den Bart oft,

Oft the tears are flowing,

rieselt's oft von der braunen Wange.

Oft they flow from my memory’s treasure.

English Stephen Sondheim (b.1930) Stephen Sondheim was born in 1930 in New York City, New York. Sondheim is one of the most influential American composers and lyricists of the twentieth and twenty-first century.

Sondheim composed his first musical at age 15 while attending George School in Pennsylvania.

After graduating from college in 1950, Sondheim was awarded the Hutchinson Prize for composition. He was lyricist for West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein was composer) and Gypsy (Jule Stein, composer). His most notable and successful musicals, for which he wrote both lyrics and music, include Sweeney Todd, and Sunday in the Park with George.

Worst Pies in London A customer!

But you'd think we had the plague.

Wait! What's your rush? What's your hurry?

From the way that people keep avoiding!

You gave me such a... fright!

No you don't!

I thought you was a ghost!

Half a minute, can't ya sit?

Sit ya down!

Sit!

Heaven knows I try, sir!

But there's no one comes in even to inhale!

Right you are, sir, would you like a drop of ale?

Mind you I can hardly blame them!

All I meant is that I haven't seen a customer for

These are probably the worst pies in London.

weeks.

I know why nobody cares to take them!

Did ya come here for a pie, sir?

Do forgive me if my head's a little vague.

What is that?

I should know!

I make them! But good? No The worst pies in London

Even that's polite!

And no wonder with the price of meat

The worst pies in London!

what it is, when you get it.

If you doubt it take a bite!

Never thought I'd live to see the day.

Is that just, disgusting?

Men'd think it was a treat

You have to concede it!

findin' poor animals

It's nothing but crusting!

what are dyin' in the street.

Here drink this, you'll need it.

The worst pies in London

Mrs. Mooney has a pie shop.

Even harder than the worst pies in London.

Does a business, but I notice something weird.

Only lard and nothing more-

Lately, all her neighbor’s cats have disappeared.

Is that just revolting?

Have to hand it to her!

What I calls, enterprise!

Poppin' kittens into pies!

All greasy and gritty?

It looks like it's molting!

And tastes like... shi…. well pity.

Wouldn't do in my shop!

A woman alone...with limited wind

Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick!

And the worst pies in London!

And I'm telling you them pussycats is quick.

Ah, sir,

No denying times is hard, sir!

Times is hard.

Times is hard!

Dave Malloy (b. 1975) Dave Malloy is an American composer born in 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio. He has composed over thirteen musicals including Natasha, Pierre, and the Comet of 1812, the musical adaptation of Tolstoy’s War & Peace. He has won many awards including the Smithsonian Ingenuity Award, Theater World Award, and a Jonathan Larson Grant.

No One Else The moon—

Inside our souls

First time I heard your voice

And nobody knows,

Moonlight burst into the room

Just you and me

And I saw your eyes

It's our secret

And I saw your smile

This winter sky

And the world opened wide

How can anyone sleep?

And the world was inside of me

There was never such a night before!

And I catch my breath

I feel like putting my arms round my knees

And I laugh and blush

And squeezing tight as possible

And I hear guitars

And flying away

You are so good for me

Like this...

I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you

Oh, the moon

I love you

Oh, the snow in the moonlight And your childlike eyes

Oh, the moon Oh, the snow in the moonlight And your childlike eyes And your distant smile I'll never be this happy again You and I

And your distant smile I'll never be this happy again You and I You and I You and I And no one else

And no one else Maybe he'll come today We've done this all before We were angels once Don't you remember?

Joy and life

Maybe he came already And he's sitting in the drawing room And I simply forgot.

Gilbert and Sullivan (1842-1900) W.S. Gilbert was a librettist born in 1836 in London, England. Gilbert formed a partnership with composer Arthur Sullivan and together they wrote fourteen comic operas. Gilbert was known to create magical and fanciful worlds for the operas to take place in. Sullivan then composed memorable, fanciful melodies in order to properly convey the humorous magic the two were trying to express. Their most memorable operettas include The Mikado, H.M.S Pinafore, and The Pirates of Penzance.

Poor Wandering One!

Poor wandering one

Poor wandering one

Though thou hast surely strayed

Though thou hast surely strayed

Take heart of grace, thy steps retrace

Take heart of grace, thy steps retrace

Poor wandering one

Poor wandering one

Poor wandering one

Poor wandering one

If such poor love as mine

Poor wandering one

Can help thee find true peace of mind

Take heart, take heart

Why, take it, it is thine Take any heart but ours Take heart, no danger lowers

Take heart, take heart

Take any heart but ours Take heart, fair days will shine Take any heart, take mine

Take heart, no danger lowers Take any heart but ours Take heart, take heart

Take heart, no danger lowers

Take any heart but ours

Take any heart but ours Take heart, fair days will shine Take any heart, take mine!

Take heart!

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