I have been trying to find out this song for over a decade, after I head another Japanese singer sing it. This You Tube link doesn’t identify the song, but at least I have a sample for identification.
Thanks for looking, and even more thanks if you know the name , with the opera it’s from.
“O Mio Babbino Caro” (Oh dear Daddy) from Puccini’s *Gianni Schicchi * (pronounced “Johnny Skeeky”) from 1918.
It’s a major mondo hit aria since it’s debut. YouTube around and knock yourself out by listening to how many world-class sopranos interpret it. This, by the way, is a perfect way to get into opera singing and opera as a whole.
The weird thing about this gorgeous, lyrical aria is that you will find nothing like it in the rest of the opera, which in fact the singing is near-dialogue, in a witty dry comedy. It comes out of nowhere.
You want more like this, by the same composer, you’re in luck. Start with soprano arias–and make sure you know why and what theyre singing about–from Madame Butterfly.
Plus if your really into the fact of Japanese people singing, at least fictionally you’ll be happy.
O mio babbino caro.
Oops, should have refreshed the thread before posting!
Thanks so much for the identification. The only time I’ve heard it is with Japanese singers. They’re not something I’m looking for necessarily. I’ve listened to Madame Butterfly a lot trying to find this song, and I prefer this. I won’t be trying to find anything from Madame Butterfly.
The quest is over after about 15 years. Exuberant Joy
Heh, you should watch more TV. Ten years or so ago there was a commercial that featured it, and it got quite famous, even among people who didn’t know anything else about opera.
I don’t especially like Puccini’s operas, but I could listen all day to a CD of his greatest hits from them. There was some guy about five years ago who was briefly famous for singing “Nessun Dorma,” from Turandot, on a star search type of show. The audience went crazy, but if you really listen to him, he’s not that good. IMO it was just the incredibly beautiful music that blew the audience away, when they were used to the likes of Britney Spears.
Edit: here it is: Paul Potts sings Nessun Dorma - YouTube
In general I love Puccini’s operas. But this remarkable aria is from one of his lesser-known works . . . and there are reasons why it’s lesser-known. But if nothing else, Puccini hit this aria out of the park.
Here’sa nice version by
Kiri te Kanawa - O mio babbino caro - Puccini
