La Tempesta di Ugo Foscolo Posted by Serena on Jul 24, 2014 in Uncategorized
Introduction by Geoff
It’s been a stormy week. It all began early Monday morning when a violent thunderstorm shook me from my dreams and commanded me to write a blog. Yes, inspiration from the skies! We began with La Tempesta from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, took a musical detour to 18th century Spain, courtesy of Maestro Boccherini, and here we are back in Italy again with a passionate poem by Ugo Foscolo (1778 – 1827).
Portrait of Ugo Foscolo by François-Xavier-Pascal Fabre (Public Domain) |
Now I’m going to hand over to Serena who will dipanare la matassa di questa poesia (unravel this poem), which, being written in an 18th century Italian, eludes my comprehension.
La Tempesta di Ugo Foscolo |
The Storm, by Ugo Foscolo |
Sparve il sereno, o Doride, |
The calm has disappeared, oh Doride, |
Tutti gli augei si turbano |
All the birds are unsettled |
Sol vedesi la rondine, |
Only the swallow is seen, |
Vien, Dori, vien: cerchiamoci |
Come, Dori, come: let’s try |
Sopra di loro il turbine |
Above them the whirl |
Come all’aspetto tremano |
As they seem to tremble |
Spiri la gaia porpora |
May the jolly purple |
Ecco dal nembo torbido |
Here we are in a place |
Felicitade amabile! |
Oh sweet happiness! |
Fiero Aquilone, or l’impeto |
Oh fierce north wind, now |
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