Elena Vasiliyevna Obraztsova (Russian: Елена Васильевна Образцова) (b. in Leningrad, now St Petersburg Russia, on 7 July 1939) is a Russian mezzo-soprano, widely recognised as one of the greatest opera singers of all time, thanks to her outstanding stage presence and the vocal abilities. She has played many roles throughout her career, including performances under the baton of such leading conductors as Claudio Abbado and Herbert von Karajan. In December 1977 she opened the 200th opera season in La Scala singing Don Carlos's Eboli with Abbado as conductor. In June 2007 Obraztsova was appointed artistic director of opera at the Mikhaylovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. She also trains young soloists in her own cultural center in St. Petersburg. Obraztsova still appears regularly on stage at the Mikhailovsky in the role of the Countess in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades. In 2008 Obraztsova ended her artistic director contract with the Mikhailovsky to concentrate on the competition of her name and the recently announced project of International Academy of Music in St Petersburg. Obraztsova continues her collaboration with the Mikhailovsky in a capacity of the General Director's Artistic Advisor... [ Ссылка ]


Lyrics & English Translation

O terrible gift, o cruel gift
that an irate heaven made me!
You make us so vain and proud,
I curse you, I curse you, o beauty!
I can only shed my tears
I've no hope,I can only suffer!
My crime is so horrible
that it will never fade!
I curse you, I curse you, o beauty,
O my Queen, I sacrificed you
to the crazed passion of my heart.
Only in a cloister
I can now hide my suffering from the world!
Alas! Alas! O my Queen,
O God! Carlos! Tomorrow he will die,
o great God! Tomorrow I'll see him die!
Ah! I've one day more,
there is hope, ah,
Heaven be blessed! I'll save him!
One more day, ah, Heaven be blessed!
I'll save him!


A link to this wonderful artists personal Website: [ Ссылка ]


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I send my kind and warm regards,

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