Recondita Armonia

Lyrics

(Tosca)(What strange and lovely harmony)  
  
Recondita armonia di belleze diverse!...  
E bruna Floria, l'ardente amante mia.  
E te, beltade ignota, cinta di chiome bionde!  
Tu azzuro hai l'occhio, Tosca ha l'occhio nero!  
L'arte nel suo mistero le diverse belleze insiem confonde:  
Ma nel ritrar costei il mio solo pensiero,  
Ah! Il mio solo pensier, sei tu, Tosca, sei tu!  
  
Synopses  
Cavaradossi is working on a portrait of the Madonna for the church of Saint
Andrea. Though the painting closely resembles a beautiful parishioner there,
Cavaradossi explains that it is a combination of that woman, who he does not
know, and his own dark-haired, dark-eyed lover Floria Tosca.  
  
English translation  
What strange and lovely harmony of such different beauties!  
How dark is Floria, this ardent love of mine.  
And you, mysterious beauty, long and blond flowing tresses  
How your eyes are sky-blue, Tosca's eyes are black-night.  
Art, too, with it's many mysteries, blends all together  
Such different beauties. But though I paint another,  
My only thought is you, oh, my only thought is you,  
Tosca, is you, is you!