maria callas - Vissi d'arte vissi d'amore

From Puccini's Tosca (81.1). act 2

the tyrannical police chief Scarpia tells the singer Floria Tosca

that he will lift the death sentence on her lover

only if she agrees to have sex with him. Bewailing her position,

Tosca delivers her famous "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore" maria callas

"Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore,
non feci mai male ad anima viva!.."

I lived for art, I lived for love;
Never did I harm a living creature!...

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Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore,
Non feci mai male ad anima viva!
Con man furtiva
Quante miserie conobbi, aiutai.
Sempre con fè sincera
La mia preghiera
Ai santi tabernacoli sal?,
Sempre con fè sincera
Diede fiori agli altar.
Nell'ora del dolore perchè,
Perchè Signore, perchè
Me ne rimuneri cos?

I lived for art, I lived for love:
Never did I harm a living creature!
Whatever misfortunes I encountered
I sought with secret hand to succor.
Ever in pure faith
My prayers rose
In the holy chapels,
Ever in pure faith
I brought flowers to the altar.
In this hour of pain, why,
Why, oh Lord, why
Dost thou repay me thus?

Bohemian