1927 Ezio Pinza sings-Mignon: De son coeur j'ais calme la fievre (Berceuse). Opera by Ambrose Thomas

Victor Scroll recording -6642. (played here with a bcn thorn needle) Ezio Pinza recorded this aria from the opera Mignon in 1927 (when this victrola itself, was brand new). It was composed by Ambroise Thomas in 1866, with the libretto written by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. The aria, a lullaby, is sung by the old minstrel Lothario as he watches over a feverish Mignon. -------------------- De son coeur j'ai calmé la fièvre! Un sourire doux et joyeux À ma voix entr'ouvrant sa lèvre, Le sommeil a fermé ses yeux. Pauvre enfant! Dieu te protége et te défend! Dors en paix! dors, pauvre enfant! Sur son front étendant son aile, Et pour elle quittant les cieux, Un bon ange veille auprès d'elle! Le sommeil ferme ses yeux. Pauvre enfant! Dieu te protége et te défend! Dors en paix! dors, pauvre enfant! I have soothed the fever in her heart! With a gentle, joyful smile, As her lips part at the sound of my voice, Sleep has closed her eyes. Poor child! May God protect and defend you! Sleep in peace! Sleep, poor child! Spreading his wing above her brow, Having left the heavens for her sake, A kind angel keeps watch by her side! Sleep closes her eyes. Poor child! May God protect and defend you! Sleep in peace! Sleep, poor child! Ezio Pinza had a full, large, bass voice which matched his dynamic, fun-loving and generous, magnetic personality. He was with the Metropolitan Opera for 22 years as well as led an incredibly varied and productive life! I will put an informational (wikipedia) link at the bottom here, but even that doesnt do it justice! One sad fact that I did not know was that he was imprisoned on Ellis Island for a period of months with other Americans (he was just 4 months away from receiving his US citizenship!) because another singer (the Basso --Norman Cordon) had reported him to the authorities for being a fascist sympathizer during the war. He was innocent and was released after a time, but it shook him up emotionally for the rest of his life. Understandable!! Here is a succinct description from the link: In March 1942 the FBI arrested Pinza at his New York home and unjustly detained him for nearly three months on Ellis Island with hundreds of other Italian-Americans who were suspected of supporting the Axis. Norman Cordon, a fellow basso at the Metropolitan Opera who was considered one of Pinza's rivals, boasted privately that he had informed the FBI that Pinza was a fascist sympathizer! At the time of his arrest and detention, Pinza was just four months away from obtaining US citizenship. The incident was extremely traumatic for Pinza, and he suffered from periods of severe depression for years afterward. Despite this, shortly after Pinza's release, he and Cordon performed together in an ongoing Met production of Don Giovanni, with Pinza in the title role and Cordon as the Commendatore. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezio_...