The Aria of Marco Il Gondoglieri

A companion post to La Serenissima

Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings V Molchan'ji Nochi Tajnoj,a poem by Afanasy Fet
set to music by Sergej Vasil'evic Rakhmaninov (Op.4 no.3)




O, dolgo budu ja, v molchan'ji nochi tajnoj,

Kovarnyj lepet tvoj, ulybku, vzor, vzor sluchajnyj,

Perstam poslushnuju volos, volos tvojikh gustuju prjad',


Iz myslej izgonjat', i snova prizyvat';

Sheptat' i popravljat' bylyje vyrazhen'ja

Rechej mojikh s toboj, ispolnennykh smushchen'ja,

I v op'janen'ji, naperekor umu,

Zavetnym imenem budit' nochnuju t'mu,

Zavetnym imenem budit' nochnuju t'mu.

O, dolgo budu ja, v molchan'ji nochi tajnoj,

Zavetnym imenem budit' nochnuju t'mu.



Oh, long in the silence of the mysterious night,

Your beguiling patter, smiles, glances

Your fleeting glances, the locks of your flowing hair, those locks pliant under your fingers

I will long be trying to get rid of these images only to evoke them once again;

I will be repeating and correcting in a whisper

The words that I've spoken, words that are full of awkwardness,

And, drunk with love, contrary to all reason,

I will be awakening the night's darkness with your cherished name

I will be awakening the night's darkness with your cherished name

Oh, long in the silence of the mysterious night

I will be awakening the night's darkness with your cherished name