This piece was originally a chorus composed by Puccini. After composing it, the Maestro recycled it for the 2nd act of La Rondine (opera) as the beautiful quartet 'Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso'.
"Ed ora bevo all'amore" means 'and now, let us drink to love'.
"Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso" means 'I drink for your youthful smile'.
Those are pretty much the same subject. That explains why Puccini only added a few changes to the score and kept it in the opera - as he didn't do to 'Morire...?', which he transformed into 'Parigi è la città dei desideri' and would eventually delete from further revisions.
Sung by Plácido Domingo, Violetta Urmana and some other opera singers, accompanied by the Wiener Phillarmoniker and Alberto Veronesi (Puccini specialist).
With Impressionism 'great hits' by Monet, Renoir, Manet and Impressionism-related Seurat and uncredited painter José Malhôa (last picture 'Praia das Maçãs').
Meravigliosa aria del immenso Puccini Grazie da Walter.
macciboma 1 year ago