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Pinot Noirs & Suzanne Balaes-Blair
In November, we welcomed Suzanne Balaes-Blair to the Wine, Women, & Song podcast and focused our tasting on Pinot Noir. J asked those to
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This month’s Music Selections were:
O Magnum Mysterium, by Morten Lauridsen
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Conductor: Paul Salamunovich
Latin
O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum.
Alleluia.
English
O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!
Vien la Duchessa!, from Luisa Miller, by Giuseppe Verdi
Anna Moffo, Carlo Bergonzi, Cornell MacNeil, Shirley Verrett
Conductor: Fausto Cleva, RCA Italian Opera Orchetea
1964 RCA Victor Red Seal
Italian
WALTER
Vien la Duchessa!
FEDERICA
Conte!
[ Ad un segno di Walter, Wurm si ritira. ]
WALTER
Il detto mio confermo:
di Rodolfo nel sen,
qual d’un infermo il delirio,
s’apprese amor che spento fia.
FEDERICA
Spento?
WALTER
Ed in breve.
FEDERICA
Io temo!
WALTER
Indarno; di Luisa il core
mai Rodolfo non ebbe;
d’altri è colei.
FEDERICA
Fia vero? E chi potrebbe attestarlo?
WALTER
Ella stessa.
FEDERICA
Ella!
WALTER
Qual tu chiedesti qui fu condotta.
FEDERICA
Già:!
WALTER
Non lo volesti?
[ Walter apre una porta segreta, donde esce Luisa, accompagnata da Wurm. ]
Ti rammenta in qual periglio è tuo padre!
LUISA
(O mio terror!)
FEDERICA
(Dolce aspetto! Il volto, il ciglio, tutto spira in lei candore!)
LUISA
(A costei sarà concesso,
quanto il ciel m’avea promesso!)
FEDERICA
Mi par che manchi in te coraggio
d’erger gl’occhi al mio sembiante!
WALTER
Ella nata in un villagio!
WURM
D’alta dama or tratta innante!
LUISA
(Rea fucina d’empie frodi son costor!)
FEDERICA
Luisa, m’odi. Far mi puote un sol tuo detto
sventurata, o appien felice!
Non mentir! Ma no, l’aspetto
tu non hai di mentitrice!
LUISA
(Chi soffrì maggior affanno!)
FEDERICA
Ami tu?
LUISA
(Destin tiranno!)
FEDERICA
Ami tu?
LUISA
Amo.
FEDERICA
E chi? Chi?
LUISA
Wurm!
(Indegno!)
FEDERICA
Ma Rodolfo?
LUISA
Fra noi venne sconosciuto.
A qual disegno io lo ignoro.
FEDERICA
E non ottenne mai d’amor lusighe,
accenti da Luisa?
LUISA
(Quai momenti!)
FEDERICA
Di’.
LUISA
No! Mai.
FEDERICA
(La speme in cor mi si avviva!)
LUISA
(Esulta!)
FEDERICA
Parmi – sì –
cangiasti di colore!
Ah! che fia? Non ingannarmi!
Non tradir te stessa!
LUISA
(O cielo!)
WALTER
(Oserebbe?)
FEDERICA
Parla.
WURM
(Io gelo!)
FEDERICA
Dell’arcano squarcia il manto
se un arcano in sen tu chiudi.
LUISA
Io . . .
FEDERICA
Favella.
WALTER
Sì, per quanto ami il padre!
LUISA
(Il padre! O crudi!)
WURM
Via, che tardi?
FEDERICA
Ebben?
LUISA [ accennando Wurm ]
Lo stesso da Luisa udrete ognor,
che alimento sol per esso
fido, immenso, ardente amore!
(Come celar le smanie
del mio geloso amore?
Ahimé, l’infranto core
più reggere non può!
Se qui rimango, esanime
a’ piedi suoi cadrò!)
FEDERICA
(Un sogno di letizia
par quel ch’io veggo e sento! . . .
No, mai sì gran contento
quest’alma non provò!
Frena, mio core, i palpiti,
o di piacer morrò.)
WALTER E WURM
(Pinto ha di vivo giubilo
il sorridente viso!
Fortuna in quel sorriso
propizia balenò!
Ben io fermarla, e stringerne
l’infido crin saprò.)
English Translation
WALTER
Vien Duchess!
FEDERICA
With you!
[For a sign of Walter, Wurm retires. ]
WALTER
Said my confirm:
Rodolfo in sen,
what of a sick delirium,
s’apprese love that off fia.
FEDERICA
Off?
WALTER
And in short.
FEDERICA
I fear!
WALTER
In vain; Luisa the core
Rodolfo does not ever had;
the other is the one.
FEDERICA
It be true? And who could testify?
WALTER
She herself.
FEDERICA
She!
WALTER
What you you asked here it was conducted.
FEDERICA
Already:!
WALTER
Didst not?
[Walter opens a secret door, whence comes Luisa, accompanied by Wurm. ]
I will remember in what peril is your father!
LUISA
(O my terror!)
FEDERICA
(Sweet look! The face, the brow, everything breathes in her candor!)
LUISA
(A it will be granted,
As the heavens unto me had promised!)
FEDERICA
I seem to be missing in you courage
erger gl’occhi of my countenance!
WALTER
She was born in a village!
WURM
On the high lady is or appeared before!
LUISA
(Rea hotbed of fraud impious son costor!)
FEDERICA
Luisa, hear me. Far puote me a sol your told
hapless, or appien happy!
Do not deceive me! But no, the appearance
you do not have a liar!
LUISA
(Who suffered most trouble!)
FEDERICA
You love me?
LUISA
(Destin tyrant!)
FEDERICA
You love me?
LUISA
I love.
FEDERICA
And who? Who?
LUISA
Wurm!
(Unworthy!)
FEDERICA
But Rodolfo?
LUISA
Between us he was unknown.
A design which I ignore.
FEDERICA
He never gained the lusighe love,
accents by Luisa?
LUISA
(Quai moments!)
FEDERICA
Of’.
LUISA
No! Never.
FEDERICA
(The hope in my heart I will be alive!)
LUISA
(Rejoice!)
FEDERICA
Parmi – yes –
color cangiasti!
Ah! that fia? Do not deceive me!
Do not betray yourself!
LUISA
(O heaven!)
WALTER
(Would Dare?)
FEDERICA
Speaks.
WURM
(I freeze!)
FEDERICA
Dell’arcano rips the cloak
If you close an arcane in sen.
LUISA
I . . .
FEDERICA
Speech.
WALTER
Yes, as much as you love the father!
LUISA
(The father! O raw!)
WURM
On, which later?
FEDERICA
Ebben?
LUISA [nodding Wurm]
Luisa will hear the same from every hour,
that rising food for it
fido, immense, ardent love!
(How to conceal ‘woes
my jealous love?
Alas, the broken core
most can not stand!
If I stay here, lifeless
in ‘his feet I’ll fall!)
FEDERICA
(A dream of joy
par and I see what I feel! . . .
No, never so great contentment
This soul has felt!
Frena, my heart, the heartbeats,
or pleasure die.)
WALTER AND WURM
(Pinto alive jubilation
the smiling face!
Fortunately in that smile
propitious flashed!
Well I stop her, and stringerne
the treacherous crin know.)
D’ amor sull’ ali rosee – Leonora’s aria from Act 4 of Il Trovatore
Italian
Timor di me ?…sicura,
presta è la mia difesa.
I suoi occhi figgonsi ad una gemma
che le fregia la mano destra.
In quest’ oscura
notte ravvolta, presso a te io son,
e tu nol sai…Gemente
aura che intorno spiri,
deh, pietosa gli arreca i miei sospiri…
D’ amor sull’ ali rosee
vanne, sospir dolente:
del prigioniero misero
conforta l’ egra mente…
Com’ aura di speranza
aleggia in quella stanza:
lo desta alle memorie,
ai sogni dell’amor!
Ma deh! non dirgli improvvido,
le pene del mio cor!
English Translation
Afraid of me ?…sure,
ready is my defence.
His eyes are attracted by a stone
she wears on her right hand.
Wrapped in the dark
night, I am near you,
and you don’t know it…
Wailing wind,
carry to him, mercifully, my sighs…
On the rosy wings of love,
go, pained sighs:
go to alleviate the sick mind
of the wretch that lies imprisoned…
Like a breeze of hope
linger in that room:
wake him up to remembrance,
to dreams of love!
Yet do not imprudently
reveal the woes of my heart
On the Way to the Dump:
‘O du mein holder Abenstern’, from Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner
Victor Ledbetter, baritone – from the 1987 Baltimore Opera Company Competition
‘O du, mein holder Abendstern’
Wie Todesahnung Dämm rung deckt die Lande,
umhüllt das Tal mit schwärzlichem Gewande;
der Seele, die nach jenen Höhn verlangt,
vor ihrem Flug durch Nacht und Grausen bangt.
Da scheinest du, o lieblichster der Sterne,
dein Sanftes Licht entsendest du der Ferne;
die nächt’ge Dämm rung teilt dein lieber Strahl,
und freundlich zeigst du den Weg aus dem Tal.
O du, mein holder Abendstern,
wohl grüsst’ ich immer dich so gern:
vom Herzen, das sie nie verriet,
grüsse sie, wenn sie vorbei dir zieht,
wenn sie entschwebt dem Tal der Erden,
ein sel’ger Engel dort zu werden!
English Translation
Like a portent of death, twilight shrouds the earth
and envelops the valley in its sable robe;
the soul, that yearns for those heights,
dreads to take its dark and awful flight.
There you shine, o fairest of the stars,
and shed your gentle light from afar;
your friendly beam penetrates the twilight gloom
and points the way out from the valley.
O my fair evening star,
I always gladly greeted thee:
from a heart that never betrayed its faith,
greet her when she passes,
when she soars above this earthly valley
to become a blessed angel in Heaven!
Play Out – Can’t Help Falling In Love, sung by Ingrid Michaelson
This month we tasted 3 Pinot Noirs
Wine Selections:
90+ Lot 125 Cellars Pinot Noir, Monterey, California, 2013
Wildewood Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) 2013
Decoy Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2014