# Libretto Help Please



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Some of you will with horror read I have not read a libretto in years. I am down with my foot and decided to go through a wonderful pristine LP of Boheme a friend left me with Bjorling and VDLA. Unfortunately I simply cannot follow where they are in the text, particularly with lots of one liners like at the beginning . Even in the arias, which are better, I cannot manage to follow along with where the singer is in in the Italian text. Are there any tips? I don't think I've looked at a libretto since I did with library records as a teen. The words in these arias are so beautiful but I can't keep up.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Like everything, it takes practice. *Boheme *is particularly difficult because it’s got so many charactes having fast conversations. It’s just a bunch of friends having “fun,” horseplay-like.

I’d say start with the arias, try to figure out the starting words:
Che gélida manina 
Si, mi chiamano Mimi
O soave fanciulla (duet) Tenor starts 
Just try to follow, you’ll soon recognize words.

The second act is also confusing, as there is a scene with lots going on. The only aria is Musetta’s:
Quando m’en vo


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I second MAS. Start with arias, particularly slow ones. Ensembles can be hard even for those used to the language. Things go fast, get repeated, overlap, etc.


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## ewilkros (8 mo ago)

For practice, find a good video of some Bohème with subtitles and follow onscreen while glancing from time to time at the printed libretto from the LPs. Bohème can stand repeated hearings.

I tried to find the old (1958) Leonard Bernstein video from the "Omnibus" TV series, "What Makes Opera Grand", on YouTube--I know it exists because I have an old VHS videotape issue of it--but can only find a couple of short snippets. Any help, Shaughnessy? It would be nice because (a) it's fun and good like all those old Bernstein talk-throughs, and (b) the lion's share is Act 3 of Boheme done in discrete chunks, first by actors speaking the lines (Jean Marsh as Mimi! Hans Conried as Marcello!), then with singers and orchestra (Bergonzi, Pobbe, Guarrera, Hurley). 

Also present are Mödl and Vinay in a bit of Tristan und Isolde.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Some of you will with horror read I have not read a libretto in years. I am down with my foot and decided to go through a wonderful pristine LP of Boheme a friend left me with Bjorling and VDLA. Unfortunately I simply cannot follow where they are in the text, particularly with lots of one liners like at the beginning . Even in the arias, which are better, I cannot manage to follow along with where the singer is in in the Italian text. Are there any tips? I don't think I've looked at a libretto since I did with library records as a teen. The words in these arias are so beautiful but I can't keep up.


This is probably the same recording on youtube that you have. If I write a timing for something in a youtube comment, it will automatically hyperlink and start playing right there, after you click on that comment. Are there particular moments, you want to know the timing of ?





...Now I see, moments like Che gelida manina and Si mi chiamano Mimi are already tagged by the person who posted the video. Just click on the description under the video.

What kind of translation does your libretto have ? Is it almost verbatim, or is it "poetic" ?

This Che gelida manina is like 90% verbatim: Giacomo Puccini - Che gelida manina lyrics + English translation

One last suggestion which I hope will not scare you to death - I am just learning the French language on Duolingo, solely for opera. The very basics I know allow me to follow the written aria already, although I would still be incapable speaking in Paris. Duolingo is for free, one unit takes 5 minutes (literally !), and it has ways to encourage the pupil to continue. It offers several languages, including Italian. If you find this solution extreme, just forget it. Italian language is not nearly as tricky to follow as French, maybe learning Italian really is an overkill.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

BBSVK said:


> This is probably the same recording on youtube that you have. If I write a timing for something in a youtube comment, it will automatically hyperlink and start playing right there, after you click on that comment. Are there particular moments, you want to know the timing of ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think I started on the wrong opera as it is so so so wordy. I won't do the whole opera again as it is is too sad and I have lost way way too many friends. But other acts I will listen to again. I had never listened much to VDLA much but she was really good and the men were wonderful. Tomorrow I am going to listen to for the first time a Cosi a friend gave me with te Kanawa. He gave me around 35 operas and recitals. Cosi fan tutti should be a piece of cake as Mozart repeats things a lot .. like a lot of opera


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I wonder if looking at an online score might help? Even if you aren't musically literate, that layout may be easier for you to navigate. (Or maybe not, of course, it's just an idea.)

I'm glad you are listening to VDLA. Try her Butterfly, you won't be disappointed.

N.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The Conte said:


> I wonder if looking at an online score might help? Even if you aren't musically literate, that layout may be easier for you to navigate. (Or maybe not, of course, it's just an idea.)
> 
> I'm glad you are listening to VDLA. Try her Butterfly, you won't be disappointed.
> 
> N.


I think I started out with a hard one. Today I will listen to Cosi which I've had and never listened to. It has lots of repeats so will be easier to follow. Thanks.
Butterfly is too tragic for me and I won't listen to the end of Boheme again. I had too many friends die.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I think I started out with a hard one. Today I will listen to Cosi which I've had and never listened to. It has lots of repeats so will be easier to follow. Thanks.
> Butterfly is too tragic for me and I won't listen to the end of Boheme again. I had too many friends die.


Puccini himself cried while composing the last act of La Boheme, and Butteefly moved him as the whole thing.


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

ewilkros said:


> For practice, find a good video of some Bohème with subtitles and follow onscreen while glancing from time to time at the printed libretto from the LPs. Bohème can stand repeated hearings.
> 
> *I tried to find the old (1958) Leonard Bernstein video from the "Omnibus" TV series, "What Makes Opera Grand"*, on YouTube--I know it exists because I have an old VHS videotape issue of it--but can only find a couple of short snippets. *Any help, Shaughnessy?* It would be nice because (a) it's fun and good like all those old Bernstein talk-throughs, and (b) the lion's share is Act 3 of Boheme done in discrete chunks, first by actors speaking the lines (Jean Marsh as Mimi! Hans Conried as Marcello!), then with singers and orchestra (Bergonzi, Pobbe, Guarrera, Hurley).
> 
> Also present are Mödl and Vinay in a bit of Tristan und Isolde.


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Didn't mean to take so long to respond, but work commitments are such that I can only stop by once or twice a month and thus can't make any promises to respond in anything like a timely manner.

In the future, it would be best to use the ampersand @Shaughnessy as a way to get my attention as I rarely, if ever, will have enough time to wade through the entirety of the threads.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Handel operas are probably the best to train yourself in reading _libretti. _Most of the arias are maybe four or five lines long, and they repeat them endlessly. Lol.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

MAS said:


> Handel operas are probably the best to train yourself in reading _libretti. _Most of the arias are maybe four or five lines long, and they repeat them endlessly. Lol.


Alcina, Cosi and Aida are all sooooooooooooooo much easier than all that activity in Boheme. I love the music early and in the middle of the opera, but the end of Boheme is too sad for me. Good for contests, though.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

While recuperating with my foot I started using my librettos to listen to operas and much to my surprise I really enjoyed it a lot and think it will become a part of my music listening future! This is a surprising development for me.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> While recuperating with my foot I started using my librettos to listen to operas and much to my surprise I really enjoyed it a lot and think it will become a part of my music listening future! This is a surprising development for me.


What happened to your foot ? I apparently missed something during my internet diet.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

BBSVK said:


> What happened to your foot ? I apparently missed something during my internet diet.


Thanks for asking. My foot was sore from using the pedal so much in my car. I have a pounding massage wand that is great on my back and the bottoms of my feet. Apparently not for the top of the foot. I used it aggressively and the next morning my foot was very swollen. It is much less swollen but I can't walk in place for exercise now and listen to opera so I am listening sitting down with the librettos and I find to my surprise that i really enjoy doing that. You weren't gone long but I missed you. John


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Thanks for asking. My foot was sore from using the pedal so much in my car. I have a pounding massage wand that is great on my back and the bottoms of my feet. Apparently not for the top of the foot. I used it aggressively and the next morning my foot was very swollen. It is much less swollen but I can't walk in place for exercise now and listen to opera so I am listening sitting down with the librettos and I find to my surprise that i really enjoy doing that. You weren't gone long but I missed you. John


My internet diet continues. I keep using the old fashioned phone without internet. Only now, I have the one with internet, because I needed navigation to get to my highschool reunion.
So now you are also not driving ? I hope it will be OK soon.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Thanks for asking. My foot was sore from using the pedal so much in my car. I have a pounding massage wand that is great on my back and the bottoms of my feet. Apparently not for the top of the foot. I used it aggressively and the next morning my foot was very swollen. It is much less swollen but I can't walk in place for exercise now and listen to opera so I am listening sitting down with the librettos and I find to my surprise that i really enjoy doing that. You weren't gone long but I missed you. John


I hope you recover soon too.


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