It occurred to me that I haven't translated any German in a while, so I did a long scene from Wagner today. But I'm less fluent in reading German than Italian or French, so I want to have someone else look it over before I post it. Hopefully I can post that scene tomorrow. In the meantime, here's something lighter: a duet from Domenico Cimarosa's opera Il Matrimonio Segreto (The Secret Marriage). The Count has agreed to marry Geronimo's daughter Elisetta, but now he wants a slight change of plans. Geromino is displeased.


GERONIMO
Se fiato in corpo avete, sì, sì, la sposerete.
If you have breath in your body, yes, you'll marry her.
Un bambolo non sono, veder ve la farò, amico mio, veder ve la farò.
I'm not a plaything, I'll make you see it, my friend, I'll make you see it.

COUNT
Se mi ascoltate un poco, si calmerà quel foco.
If you listen to me for a moment, your passion will be calmed.
Ma poi se v'ostinate, anch'io mi ostinerò, amico mio, anch'io mi ostinerò.
But if you are stubborn, I'll be stubborn too, my friend, I'll be stubborn too.

GERONIMO
La sposerete, amico.
You'll marry her, my friend.

COUNT
Io non la sposerò.
I won't marry her.

GERONIMO
Sì, sì, sì, sì, io dico.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, I say.

COUNT
Io dico no, no, no.
I say no, no, no.

GERONIMO, COUNT
Con questo uom frenetico sfiatare io non mi vo'.
I don't want to waste my breath with this frenzied man.

GERONIMO
(Ora vedete che bricconata, che se l'avrebbe mai immaginata!
Questa è un'azione da mascalzone, ed al suo impegno non dee mancar.)
(Now see what a rascally trick, whoever would have imagined it!
This is the action of a villain, and he must not break his promise.)


COUNT
(Ora vedrete che uom bilioso, come s'accende, com'è impetuoso!
Non vuol sentire quel che vo' dire, d'aggiustamenti non vuol parlar.)
(Now you'll see what a bilious man he is, how he catches fire, how impulsive he is!
He doesn't want to listen to what I'm trying to say or talk about adjustments.)


GERONIMO
(Vediamo un poco se ci ha pensato.)
(Let's see if he's thought it over.)

COUNT
(Vediamo un poco se si è calmato.)
(Let's see if he's calmed down.)

GERONIMO
Ebben, signore! La sposerete?
Well, sir! Will you marry her?

COUNT
Ebben, signore! M'ascolterete?
Well, sir! Will you listen to me?

COUNT
Il mio discorso vi può calmar.
My speech can calm you.
GERONIMO
Via, dite pure che quel vi par.
Go on, say how it seems to you.

COUNT
Se invece di Elisetta mi date la cadetta,
If instead of Elisetta, you give me the younger daughter,
cinquanta mille scudi vi voglio rilasciar.
I'll remit fifty thousand crowns from her dowry.

GERONIMO
Quest'è per quel ch'io sento quell'accomodamento che voi vorreste far . . . ?
This is, as I understand it, the arrangement that you would like to make . . . ?
Lasciatemi, mio caro, lasciatemi pensar.
Let me think about it, dear boy, let me think about it.
COUNT
Vi lascio si pensar.
I'll let you think about it.

GERONIMO
(Qua risparmio del bell'oro, qua si salva anche il decoro
(This way I'll save beautiful gold, this way my dignity is safe also
col baratto che vien fatto, signor sì, che bene andrà.)
with the exchange being made, yes, sir, it will turn out well.)
COUNT
(Va l'amico ruminando, al risparmio va pensando.
(Our friend is ruminating, he's thinking about the money he'll save.
È il boccone da ghiottone, nè scappar sel lascerà.)
He has a gluttonous maw, and he won't let it escape from him.)

GERONIMO
Ci ho pensato, ci ho pensato.
I've thought it over, I've thought it over.

COUNT
Sentiremo, sentiremo.
Let's hear, let's hear.

GERONIMO
Il baratto, sì, faremo, ma con patto ch'Elisetta ancor essa accorderà.
Yes, let's make the exchange, but on the condition that Elisetta agrees too.

COUNT
S'è per questo, vado in fretta a far sì che m'odierà.
If that's all, I'll hurry to make her hate me.

GERONIMO, COUNT
Siamo, siamo accomodati, ritorniam di buon umore.
We are in agreement, let's return to a good humor.
Abbracciamoci di core, e speriam felicità.
Let's embrace from the heart and hope for good fortune.
La la la la . . .
La la la la . . .
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