Eileen Farrell sings "La mamma morta" - LIVE - 1966

From her last performance as Maddalena in New York, here is Eileen Farrell singing "La mamma morta". Robert Merrill sings the role of Gérard and Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conducts.

Here is a link to one of my Eileen Farrell playlists: http://www.youtube.com/user/kadoguy20...

"They have killed my mother
at the door of my room
She died and saved me.
Later, at dead of night,
I was with Bersi,
when suddenly
a bright glow flickers
and lights were ahead of me
the dark street!
I looked -
My childhood home was on fire!
I was alone!
surrounded by nothingness!
Hunger and misery
deprivation, danger!
I fell ill,
and Bersi, so good and pure
made a market of her beauty
for my sake -
I bring misfortune to all who care for me!
It was then, in my grief,
that love came to me.
A voice full of harmony says,
"You must live, I am life itself!
Your heaven is in my eyes!
You are not alone.
I shall collect all your tears
I will walk with you and support you!
Smile and hope! I am Love!
Are you surrounded by blood and mire?
I am Divine! I am Oblivion!
I am the God who saves the World
I descend from Heaven and make this Earth
A paradise! Ah!
I am love, love, love."
And the angel approaches with a kiss,
and in that kiss is death -
The dying body is my body.
So take it.
I have already died like that!"

A bit of opera trivia from Farrell's opening night performance of Cherubini's "Medea" in San Francisco, September of 1958:

"I go now to the Styx, the sacred river!" sang the soprano, and flinging aside her dagger, collapsed on the stage. As the curtain fell, buxom Eileen Farrell hoisted herself to her feet, trudged back to her dressing room and sighed: 'When I'm through with this role, I'll be ready for the paddy wagon.'... (Medea is on stage for 80 of the 105 minutes of the opera)" (Time magazine)