"Farewell, dear Florence, sublime, enchanted land. I wave goodbye to you, alas, without my hand!"
A small masterpiece of comedy from the greatest musical dramatist: Unlike the standard translations, my version follows the original rhyme scheme. This contributes immeasurably to its overall comic effect and entertainment value.
But for all but those fluent in Italian, it is difficult to appreciate this opera's subtle wit and deft characterizations unless sung in a faithful, artful English translation.
"Oh, Papa, please, I beg you. This is the man I love! So handsome and so gentle, the one I’ve been dreaming of. And if we can't be together, your daughter prays you’ll forgive her, when she goes to the Ponte Vecchio and drowns herself in the river! I cannot live without him. I swear I’d rather die! Do this one thing for me, or bid your Lauretta goodbye."
