t

q
1
E

The following excerpt is all that survives of Monteverdi's opera. It consists of the part for Arianna in scene 6 and includes her famous lament.
In order to establish the context for this music, the words of the chorister and of Dorilla are given without their music, which has been lost.
W1 Claudio Monteverdi, L'Arianna (1608), from Scene 6 based on
GB:Lbl, Add 30,491; I:Fn, RR 238; I:Vc, Torrefranca 250; and Lamento d'Arianna (Venice, 1623)
La-
Let me die,
scia- te- mi mo- ri- re, La-
let me die;
scia- te- mi mo- ri- re;
s f d s 4 f f
t
q
7
E

E
and why do you want to comfort me
chi vo- le- te voi che mi con- for- te In co-
in such a harsh fate,
si du- ra sor- te, In
in such
co- si
d f f
t
q
13

s
o

gran
a great martyrdom?
mar- ti- re? La-
Let me die,
scia- te- mi mo- ri- re, la-
let me die.
scia- te- mi mo- ri- re.
f s f s
4 f f
t
q
21
E

f
o

W
Coro: In van lingua mortale.
In van porge conforto
Dove infinito il male.
Chorister: Mortal language is useless.
It cannot give comfort
where suffering is boundless.
Oh Theseus,
O Te- seo, o
oh my Theseus,
Te- seo mi- o, Si
although I want to call you mine more than you are really mine,
che mio ti vo' dir, che mio pur se- i,
d f f f
s
f
t
q
30

E

o

Ben-
although you have vanished, ah cruel man!
che t'in- vo- li, ahi cru- do! a
from my eyes.
gli oc- chi mie- i. Vol-
Come back, my Theseus,
gi- ti Te- seo mi-
f f 4 f f
t
q
37
2

o, Vol-
come back, Theseus,
gi- ti Te- seo, oh
oh God!
Di- o! Vol-
Come back
gi- ti in- die- tro a
to see again
ri- mi- rar co-
f f f f f
t
q
43

f
o

le-
she who gave up her homeland and reign for you,
i Che la- scia- to ha per te la pa- tria e re- gno, E in
and on these sands, once more,
que- ste a- re- ne an- co- ra, Ci- bo di
f f f f f f f
t
q
49

f
o

fe-
you will leave the bare bones of food for wild beasts.
re di- spie- ta- te e cru- de, La- sce- r l'os- sa i- gnu- de. O
Oh Theseus,
Te- seo, o
f f f f [[f f]
t
q
55

f
Te-
oh my Theseus,
seo mi- o, Se
if you but knew,
tu sa- pes- si, o
oh God!
Di- o! Se
if you but knew,
tu sa- pes- si, oi-
alas!
d d d d f f
t
q
61

me! co-
how poor Ariadne suffers,
me s'af- fan- na La po- ve- ra A- ri- an- na, For-
perhaps,
se, for-
perhaps
se pen-
f s s s s
t
q
66

ti-
you would repentent,
to Ri vol- ge- re- sti an- cor la
and turn your ship's bow toward the shore.
pro- ra al li- to. Ma,
But with soft breezes,
con l'au-
f f d 4 f f
t
q
72
3

re se- re- ne Tu
you sail away, happy;
te ne vai fe- li- ce et
and I
io qui
stay behind.
pian- go; A
For you
te
4 f f f f
t
q
78

pre-
Athens prepares a superb celebration,
pa- ra A- te- ne Lie- te pom- pe su- per- be, et
and I
io ri-
stay behind
man- go Ci-
as food for
bo di
4 f d f f
t
q
84

s
o

fe-
for beasts on these deserted sands.
e in- so- li- ta- rie a- re- ne; Te
One and another old relative
l'u- no e l'al- tro tuo vec- chio pa- ren- te Strin-
will happily embrace you,
ge- ran lie-
f
t
q
90

s o

s
s
3
to, et
and I will no longer see you,
io Piu non ve- drov- vi, o
oh mother,
ma- dre, o
oh my father.
pa-
4
dre mi- o.
d f d f f
s
s
t
q
98
E

Coro: Ahi! che 'l cor mi si spezza.

A qual misero fin correr ti veggio,
Senturata bellezza!
Chorister: Ah! how my heart breaks.
To what a miserable end I see you rush,
Star-crossed beauty!
Do-
Where,
ve, do-
where is the promise
ve la fe- de, Che
that you swore to me?
tan- to mi giu- ra- vi? Co-
Thus, in heaven,
si ne l'al- ta fe- de
you put me away
Tu mi ri-
f f s s
s
s
t
q
106

d
d

W
W

pon de-
with your ancestors?
gli a- vi? Son
que-
Are these the crowns
ste le co- ro- ne, on-
with which you adorn my head?
de m'a- dor- ni il cri- ne? Que-
Are these the scepters,
sti gli scet- tri so-
f f f f f f
t
q
114
4

W
W

no, Que-
are these the jewels and the gold:
ste le gem- me e gli o- ri: La-
are you leaving me abandoned
sciar- mi in ab- ban- do- no A
to the beasts which tear me apart
fe- ra che mi stra-
f f f f
t
q
120

s
s
W

zi e
and devour me?
mi di- vo- ri? Ah
Ah,
Te-
Theseus,
seo, ah
ah
Te-
my Theseus,
seo mi- o, La- scie-
s
s
t
q
126

rai
you will leave me to die,
tu mo- ri- re, In
crying in vain,
van pian- gen- do, in
wailing in vain for help.
van gri- dan- do a--
f s f
s
s
t
q
132

d
d
E

f
o

3
3
i- ta, La
The miserable Ariadne,
mi- se- ra A- ri- an- na Che a
who trusted you
te fi- dosi- si e
and who gave you glory
ti die glo- ria e
and life?
vi- ta?
t
q
141
o

W
W

E
Ahi,
Coro: Vinta da l'aspro duolo
Alas, he does not even respond!
che
Non s'accorge la misera ch'indarno
Vanno i preghi e i sospir con l'aure a volo.
Chorister: Overcome with bitter sorrow,
non pur ri- spon- de!
Alas,
Ahi,
the wretched maiden is not aware that in vain
her payers and sighs are carried off by the wind.
che
he is more deaf than a snake to my lamentation.
piu d'a- spe sor- do a miei la- men- ti.
t
q
147
5

O
Oh clouds,
nem- bi, o
oh storms,
tur- bi, o
oh winds,
ven- ti, Som-
sink him
mer- ge- te- lo voi den-
beneath those waves!
tr'a quel- l'on- de! Cor-
Hurry,
re- te, or-
orcas and whales
che e ba- le- ne,E
t
q
151
o

W
W
E
E

s
E

f
o

de
and with his impure body
le mem- bra im- mon- de Em-
fill up the deepest abyss.
pie- te le vo- ra- gi- ni pro- fon- de. Che
What am I saying,
par- lo, ah!
alas!
che va-
t
q
156

f
o

f
E

neg-
how am I raving?
gio? Mi- se-
Miserable,
ra, ohi-
alas!
m! che
what do I ask?
chieg- gio? O
Oh Theseus,
Te- seo, o
oh my Theseus,
Te- seo
d d
t
q
162

s
o

E
f
mi- o, Non
I am not,
son, non
I am not
son quel-
she,
l'i- o, Non
I am not she who released those beasts:
son quel- l'io che i fe- ri det- ti sciol- se: Par-
d s s f f
t
q
168

3
3
My anger was speaking,
lo l'af- fan- no mi- o, par-
my sorrow was speaking;
lo il do- lo- re; Par-
my tongue spoke, yes,
lo le lin- gua s, ma
but not my heart.
non gia'l co- re.
Coro: Verace amor, degno ch'il mondo ammiri!
Ne le miserie estreme
Non sai chieder vendetta e non t'adiri.
Chorister: True love, worthy of being admired by the world!
In the most extreme misery
you do not know how to ask for revenge and you do not accuse him.
f f 4
f
t
q
176
6

Mi-
Wretch!
se- ra! an-
I still give in
cor do lo- co A
to my betrayed hope,
la tra- di- ta spe- me, e
and it is not extinguished.
non si spe- gne.
t
q
182
R

s
E

E R

Fra
Amidst such scorn
tan- to scher- no an- cor
still the fire of love?
d'a- mo- re il fo- co? Spe-
Extinguish,
gni tu, Mor-
oh Death,
te, o- mai
those unworthy flames.
le fiam- me in- de- gne. O
s d d
t
q
188

o
R

R
f

ma-
Oh mother,
dre, o
oh father,
pa- dre, o
oh
del-
lofty palaces of the ancient realm,
l'an- ti- co re- gno Su- per- bi al- ber- ghi, o-
where I was raised!
v'eb- bi d'or la cu- na, O
d d
t
q
194

ser-
Oh servants,
vi, o fi-
oh faithful friends
di a- mi- ci (ahi
(alas, unworthy fate!)
fa- to in- de- gno!) Mi-
see
ra- te, o-
where cruel fate has brought me!
ve m'ha scor- to em- pia for-
t
q
200

tu- na! Mi-

See the sorrow I have inherited
ra- te di che duol m'han fat- to e- re- de L'a-
from my love,
mor mi- o, la
my faithfulness,
mia fe- de,
d f f
t
q
205
R

3
3
e
and the betrayal of
l'al- trui in- gan- no.
another.
Co-
That happens
si va chi
to her who loves too much and believes too much.
trop- p'a- ma e trop- po cre- de.
f f
t
q
211
7
E

Dorilla: Di magnanimo cor, che morte sprezza

Odo le voci. O flglia, o regia figlia,
Arma contr'il destin l'animo altero;
Mira se ricovrar nel sen di morte
E di donna real degno pensiero.
Nac-
I was born a queen,
qui re- gi- na, e
Dorilla: I hear the words of a generous heart
See that to take refuge in the embrace of death
and in Crete of old
is a thought worthy of a royal lady.
who defies death. Oh daughter, oh royal daughter,
arm your proud soul against destiny.
ne l'an- ti- ca Cre- ta Fu
my life was beautiful
bel- l'il vi- ver mio men-
while it pleased heaven.
tre al ciel piac-
t
q
217

3
3
que: Tem-
It is time that I die.
po ch'io mo- ra; al
According to my wish, I appease you.
mio vo- ler t'ac- que- ta.
Dorilla: Qual si raggira e per lo ciel si sente
Confuso mormorar di voci e squille?
Odi, ch'a mille a mille
Di timpani e di corni il rauco grido:
Regina, al lido, al lido;
Ecco Teseo, che riede:
Ecco l'amato sposo.
Che temi omai, che tardi?
Movili incontra il piede,
Ecco lo sposo tuo: che fai, che guardi?
s
s
t
q
222
E

d
d

Vi-
Do I live,
vo, mo-
Dorilla: What is turning about and is heard from the sky,
Behold, Theseus returns:
What do you fear, why do you delay?
Go to meet him.
do I die,
the confusing sounds of voices and noises?
harsh cry of thousands of drums and horns:
Queen, to the beach, to the beach.
behold the beloved spouse.
behold your spouse: what are you doing, what are you looking at?
Listen to the blare of thousands of warlike trumpets; listen to the
ro, o
or am I delirious?
va- neg-gio? O
Or am I merely ghost or a
pur son lar-va od om-
shade?
bra? Las-
Alas!
sa! che
what should I do,
far deb- b'i- o, che
what should I believe?
cre- der deg-gio?
Dorilla: Sgombra ogni tema, sgombra:
Non vedi omai, non vedi
Il porto ingombro gi da mille antenne?
Dorilla: Rid yourself of every fear:
Affisati col dond'il suon venne.
Do you not see by now
the port crowded with a thousand ships' masts?
affix yourself whence comes the sound.
d
t
q
230
E

W
W
E

Ma
But what of Theseus?
che sia di Te- seo chi
Who will reassure me?
m'as- si- cu- ra? An-
Are you still thinking of nurturing your
cor pen- si nu- drir gli a-
t
q
235
8

3
3
spri
bitter sorrows,
do- lo- ri, Spe-
your wretched hope?
ran- za i- ni- qua? ah
Ah, die;
mo- ri; Non
do not seek another destiny, Ariadne.
cer- car, A- ri- an- na, al- tra ven- tu- ra.
Dorilla: Ne l'ampio sen di morte
Ricovrar ponno ogn'or gli egri mortali,
Refugio estremo a disperata sorte:
Ma de' tuoi gravi mali
Forse non lungi il fin: deh vienne, al lido;
Non sprezzar le mie voci, alma gentile,
S'ospite pur ti fui cortese e fido.
Dorilla: In the ample embrace of death,
But your extreme woes
Do not ignore my words, gentle soul,
in that ultimate refuge from cruel destiny.
are perhaps not far from their end. Oh come to the shore.
mortal ills can always be cured,
if it was your courteous and faithful guest.
f
s
s
t
q
242
E

Io
I am,
son, io
I am content;
son con- ten- ta; Scor-
however you may perceive me.
gi- mi o- v'a te pia- ce: Ma
But that he leaves me and disdains me
ch'ei mi la- sci e spre gi, Or
s
s
t
q
250

3
3
tor-
and now returns and takes me back,
ni e mi rac- col- ga,
is a mad hope:
fol- le spe- me: Non
One's thoughts are not relieved
si le- ve i pen- sier can-
when one changes rulers.
gia- no i re- gi.
[The opera ends with a celebration, in which Ariadne is joined by the gods Bacchus, Venus, and Jove.]