In my last post I recounted the story of my mother’s meeting with the famous Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli, and described how he gave an impromptu performance for her and a small group of blind girls on the beach in Pesaro. One of the arias that Gigli sang during that brief encounter was Cielo e Mar (Sky and Sea), from the second act of Ponchielli‘s opera Gioconda.

Click on the video link below to listen to a 1929 recording of Cielo e Mar by Gigli. You can follow the original lyrics of this famous aria in Italian, and check them against our English translation. Buon Ascolto!

https://youtu.be/hNX3VvWfjDE

Cielo E Mar

Cielo e mar! L’etereo velo
splende come un santo altar.
L‘angiol mio verrà dal cielo?
L‘angiol mio verrà dal mare?
Qui l‘attendo; ardente spira
oggi il vento dell‘amor.
Ah! quell‘uom che vi sospira
vi conquide, o sogni, o sogni d‘or!
Ah! quell‘uom che vi sospira
vi conquide, o sogni, o sogni d‘or!
o sogni, o sogni d’oro!

Sky and sea! the ethereal veil
shines like a holy altar.
Will my angel come from the sky?
will my angel come from the sea?
Here I await her; fiery
blows the breath of love today.
Ah, that man who sighs for you,
he conquers you, oh dreams, oh golden dreams!
Ah, that man who sighs for you,
he conquers you, oh dreams, oh golden dreams!
oh dreams, oh golden dreams!

Per l’aura fonda
non appar né suol né monte.
L‘orizzonte bacia l‘onda!
L‘onda bacia l‘orizzonte!
Qui nell‘ombra, ov‘io mi giacio
coll‘anelito del core,
vieni, o donna, vieni al bacio della vita,
sì, della vita e dell’amor!
Vieni o donna, qui attendo
coll’anelito del cor!
Vieni o donna,
vieni al bacio vieni,
vieni, vieni al bacio della vita e dell’amor!
Sì, dell’amor!
Ah! vien!
Aha! vien!

Through the deep aura
neither land nor mount appear.
The horizon kisses the wave!
the wave kisses the horizon!
Here in the shadows, where I lie
with yearning heart,
come, oh woman, come to the kiss of life,
yes, of life and love!
Come, oh woman, here I wait
with yearning heart!
Come oh woman,
come to the kiss come,
come, come to the kiss of life and love!
Yes, of love!
Ah, come!
Ah, come!