pourquoi ce ciel tout vide

“Mosè in Egitto” – “Moses in Egypt” is a three-act opera written by Gioachino Rossini and it premiered on 5 March 1818 at the recently reconstructed Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy. It’s based on a play by Francesco Ringhieri, “L’Osiride”, 1760.

An opera that many don’t know anything about – and neither did I until in 1996 – when I started to buy a collection of classical music, by name “In Classical Mood” – a collection of 62 CD’s – published by International Masters Publishers, US.
One of my best investments in music – every CD had an presentation booklet about the composers and the music the tracks was collected from. Still able to buy the collection through “amazon.com” or bid on “Ebay”.I think I got one CD every 14 days – can’t remember what I paid for each CD, but it wasn’t much. On one of the first CD’s I got this wonderful piece of music – can’t even remember witch one and I have looked for years to find the track again – 62 CD’s to go through!!!! Have been on internet, but never got anywhere. 

So I turned to “Google” again last week – I knew it was from an opera about “Moses”, but I couldn’t remember the composer. After a little looking and with some help from YouTube – I found the piece. On the CD is’t a choir performance, at least what I can recall.
So on YouTube did I find this wonderful video with Nana Mouskouri, one of my favourite singers for many years – even as much younger did I have LP’s with her.
Then when I knew the title of the song – Mon Dieu – I could turn to iTune, but there was nothing more than Nana’s version, so I bought that, she has such a clear and strong voice.
I must have been looking for this wonderful piece at least 4 years by now and now I finally found it – I want to share it with you. I get goose bumps all over when I listen to it. A piece of heaven, even if I’m not a believer in that respect. You don’t have to be an opera fan to enjoy this piece. Think this video is from 1988.

New York City Opera will perform this opera in April 2013 and the Chicago Opera was preforming it in 2010. 

The opera is based on the Exodus from Egypt of the Israelites led by Moses, rendered agreeable to the opera stage by introducing a love theme, witch Pharatoh’s son Amenophis plans to prevent their departure, because he loves the Isrealite Anaïs.
The opening scene with a darkened stage, as the plague of darkness is dispelled by Moses prayer and it ends with spectacle of the parting of the Red Sea – at the premiere the clumsy machinery made a bit of mess of the whole scene, but the opera survived its technical failure and was a hit.

“Mon Dieu, toi qui décides
Des fleurs, des pleurs, des rides,
Pourquoi ce ciel tout vide
Quand nous levons les yeux?

Le monde se suicide.
Le monde est-il trop vieux,
Mon Dieu,
Mon Dieu?

Pitié pour notre terre.
Toi qui es notre Père,
Arrête ta colère.
Mon Dieu, pitié pour la vie,
Pour la vie.
Mon Dieu, dans ton silence,
Pardonne à la violence,
Pardonne à l’insolence
Des hommes quand ils se croient des dieux.

Redonne-leur l’enfance.
Ton fils t’en prie pour eux,
Mon Dieu,
Mon Dieu.

Pitié pour notre terre.
Toi qui es notre Père,
Arrête ta colère.
Mon Dieu, pitié pour la vie.
Mon Dieu,
Pitié, pitié mon Dieu”

~~~~~~~~~~~

My God, you decide
Flowers, tears, wrinkles,
Why all this empty sky
When we look up?

The world is suicide.
The world is too old,
My God,
God?

Compassion for our earth.
Thou art our Father,
Stop your anger.
My God, have mercy on life
For life.
My God, in your silence,
Forgive violence
Forgive the insolence
Men when they believe they’re gods.

Gives them the childhood.
Your son prayed for them,
My God,
My God.

Compassion for our earth.
Thou art our Father,
Stop your anger.
My God, have mercy on life.
My God,
Mercy, mercy me God”

I hope that “Google” has given a correct translation, my French is just so I manage being a good tourist. There is 3 different songs with the same title – after 2 hours searching I found the right lyrics.

“The only thing worse than opera
is someone who hums along with opera.”
Josh Lanyon

Photos provided by and thanks to:
en.wikipedia.org/preloved.co.uk/chicagoclassicalreview.com/nycopera.com