Mascagni's 1890 masterpiece, Cavalleria Rusticana, caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and singlehandedly ushered in the Verismo movement. Though it has been stated and restated ad nauseam that Mascagni, like Leoncavallo, was a "one-opera man" who could never repeat his first success, this is highly inaccurate: L'Amico Fritz and Iris have been popular in Europe since their respective premieres; in fact, Mascagni himself claimed that at one point Iris was performed in Italy more often than Cavalleria (cf. Stivender).
Mascagni wrote a total of fifteen operas, plus an operetta, several beautiful orchestral and vocal works, as well as songs and piano music. He enjoyed amazing success during his lifetime, both as a composer and conductor. If he never repeated the public success of Cavalleria, it was probably because Mascagni refused to copy himself. The variety of styles in Mascagni's operas -- the Sicilian passion and warmth of Cavalleria, the Asian flavor of Iris, the idyllic breeze that ventilates L'Amico Fritz, the French hues in Isabeau, the steely, Verismo quality of Il Piccolo Marat -- demonstrate a versatility that none of the other Veristi could boast, Puccini included.
Cavalleria Rusticana: "Dite Mamma Lucia"
Pietro Mascagni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sei tu? Che vuoi!
Turiddu ov′e?
Fin qui vieni
A cercare il figlio mio?
Voglio saper soltanto,
Perdonatemi voi,
Dove trovarlo.
Non lo so, non lo so,
Non voglio brighe!
Mamma Lucia,
Vi supplico piangendo,
Fate come il Signore
A Maddalena,
Ditemi per pietà,
Dov'e Turiddu.
Ditemi per pietà,
Dov′e Turiddu!
È andato per il vino
A Francofonte.
No!
L'han visto in paese
Ad alta notte.
Che dici? Che dici?
Se non è tornato a casa!
Entra!
Non posso entrare in casa vostra,
Sono scomunicata!
Sono scomunicata!
E che en sai del mio figliuolo?
Quale spina ho in - core!
The song "Dite, Mamma Lucia" is a heartbreaking conversation between Mamma Lucia and another character who is trying to find Turiddu, her son. The song starts with Lucia hearing someone calling her name, and she asks who it is and what they want. The other character then reveals that he is looking for Turiddu and wants to know where he is. Lucia begs the character to tell her where her son is, and she is even willing to ask for forgiveness for asking. However, the character does not know where Turiddu is and does not want to get into trouble with Lucia if he is unable to locate him. The conversation becomes more intense as Lucia starts to cry and pleads with the character to tell her where her son is - even the slightest bit of information would be enough to ease her pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Dite, Mamma Lucia
Mamma Lucia, can you speak, please?
Sei tu? Che vuoi!
Is that you? What do you want?
Turiddu ov′e?
Where is Turiddu?
Fin qui vieni
A cercare il figlio mio?
Have you come all the way here to search for my son?
Voglio saper soltanto,
Perdonatemi voi,
Dove trovarlo.
I just want to know, please forgive me, where to find him.
Non lo so, non lo so,
Non voglio brighe!
I don't know, I don't know, I don't want troubles!
Mamma Lucia,
Vi supplico piangendo,
Fate come il Signore
A Maddalena,
Ditemi per pietà,
Dov'e Turiddu.
Ditemi per pietà,
Dov′e Turiddu!
Mamma Lucia, I beg you crying, do as the Lord did to Magdalene, tell me for pity's sake where Turiddu is. Tell me for pity's sake where Turiddu is!
È andato per il vino
A Francofonte.
He went to Francofonte to buy wine.
No!
L'han visto in paese
Ad alta notte.
No! They saw him in town in the middle of the night.
Che dici? Che dici?
Se non è tornato a casa!
What are you saying? What are you saying? If he hasn't come home!
Entra!
Come in!
Non posso entrare in casa vostra,
Sono scomunicata!
Sono scomunicata!
I can't come into your house, I am excommunicated! I am excommunicated!
E che en sai del mio figliuolo?
What do you know about my son?
Quale spina ho in - core!
What a pain I have in my heart!
Writer(s): Yutoro Teshikai, Pietro Mascagni, Chiseko Ogasawara
Contributed by Christopher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.