Deanna Durbin - Un Bel Di

A 17 year old Durbin sings Puccini's great aria from Madame Butterfly (in English - "One Fine Day"). From the 1939 film "First Love", a movie adaptation of Cinderella, her prince returns the missing slipper as she sings to the students and faculty of her high school.

A stunning performance by any standard, but for a 17 year old, almost unbelievable. From age 15, Durbin's services were sought by the Metropolitan Opera, but she chose to make movies instead.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Deanna
• Durbin
• Un
• Bel
• Di
• Puccini
• Madame
• Butterfly

[violinthief]

This is one of many videos I have uploaded that has been subjected to phony copyright claims by "Orchard Music" and "INgrooves". This is a public domain recording. Please do not click on any links below the video. This criminal conduct should not be rewarded.

[antiroma]

the english version is ugly!...

[violinthief]

I could say the same thing about Verdi translating MacBeth, Othello, and Falstaff into Italian, but since I'm not a close-minded, xenophobic moron, I won't.

[fredastairefan]

At least we get to enjoy her over and over again in her movies :)

[Chuck0856]

@kamskia Butterfly debuted in 1904.

[kamskia]

@eijigosen , Have you never seen Madame Butterfly? It is set in Japan during the 2nd world war, my Parents took me to see the movie when I was a young girl, The scene which has this song was the most beautiful and memorible part , just beautiful! See if you can search it!

[blackiemittens]

The language, is not finally the point. 'If MUSIC be the food of love, play on.' With Butterfly it was also the story that made the opera immortal. The story that can resonate with all cultures and languages because music is understood in all languages.The talent expressing the thoughts, longings and imagery is what matters--whatever the language. A spanish gypsy singing in french or a japanese geisha singing in italian should prove that.

[vivelhistoire]

@violinthief Why, excellently said!

[quinariuscoin]

she is so brilliant you can forgive the english

[EponineJondrette]

This is a fantastic performance! Deanna's voice is so beautiful and haunting. I wish she could've sung it in the original Italian. I still love it in english, though.

[horsemad1670]

Why does the finest music make us cry ? Beautiful though it is, a sad emotion seems out of place, ah, but so wonderful!

[Luckynumber78]

@violinthief

I have to agree with antiroma. English is an incredibly useful and versatile language, with a greater balance between complexity and ease of use than any other. That being said, it is an ugly and a harsh language in comparison with Italian, especially when put to the test of Opera. Remember that the characters are all presumably speaking English, but there is a reason why Puccini's Opera is in Italian, and it's not just tradition.

[copernicus633]

@randall2020 The age of the audience and the girls in the background were integral to the plot of the movie. The "old maids" in the audience were wistful ladies crying for their failure to find love in their life, as prompted by the song. The young girls are class mates of Deanna at the school where she is singing.