"Bella figlia dell'amore" ("Beautiful daughter of love") is a vocal quartet from the last act of Giuseppe Verdi's 1851 opera Rigoletto.
It has been described as a "masterful quartet that is an intricate musical depiction of four personalities and their overlapping agendas",[1] and has been performed and recorded by many notable artists.
The plot of the 2012 film Quartet revolves around a performance of this quartet.
Rigoletto Paraphrase (1859, S. 434) is a virtuoso piano arrangement of the quartet by Franz Liszt. Another paraphrase was written by German composer (1820–1883) as his Op. 61.
GILDA (da sé): Iniquo!
MADDALENA: Ah! Ah!...e vent'altre appressole scorda forse adesso?Ha un'aria il signorinoda vero libertino.
DUCA: Sì, un mostro son.GILDA: Ah, padre mio!MADDALENA: Lasciatemi, stordito!DUCA: Ah, che fracasso!MADDALENA: Stia saggio!
DUCA: E tu sii docile,non farmi tanto, chiasso.Ogni saggezza chiudesinel gaudio e nell'amore.(Le prende la mano.)La bella mano candida!
MADDALENA: Scherzate voi, signore.DUCA: No, no.MADDALENA: Son brutta.DUCA: Abbracciami.GILDA (da sé): Iniquo!MADDALENA: Ebbro!DUCA: D'amore ardente.
MADDALENA: Signor l'indifferente,vi piace canzonar?
DUCA: No, no, ti vo' sposar...
MADDALENA: Ne voglio la parola.DUCA (ironico): Amabile figliuola!RIGOLETTO (a Gilda che avrà tutto osservato ed inteso):E non ti basta ancor?GILDA: Iniquo traditor!
DUCA: Bella figlia dell'amore,schiavo son dei vezzi tuoi;con un detto sol tu puoile mie pene consolar.Vieni e senti del mio coreil frequente palpitar.
MADDALENA: Ah! ah! rido ben di core,che tai baie costan poco,quanto valga il vostro gioco,mel credete, so apprezzar.Son avvezza, bel signore,ad un simile scherzar,mio bel signor!
GILDA: Ah, così parlar d'amorea me l'infame ho udito!Infelice cor tradito,per angoscia non scoppiar.
RIGOLETTO: Taci, il piangere non vale,Ch'ei mentiva sei sicura.Taci, e mia sarà la curala vendetta d'affrettar.Pronta fia, sarà fatale,io saprollo fulminar!
GILDA (to herself): Unfair!
MADDALENA: Ah! Ah! ... and twenty others below,perhaps you forget them now?He looks like the young gentlemanlike a true libertine.
DUKE: Yes, I am a monster.GILDA: Ah, my father!MADDALENA: Leave me stunned!DUKE: Ah, what a din!MADDALENA: Be wise!
DUKE: And you be docile,don't make me so much fuss.All wisdom closedin joy and love.(He takes her hand.)The beautiful white hand!
MADDALENA: Are you kidding, sir.DUKE: No, no.MADDALENA: I'm ugly.DUKE: Hug me.GILDA (to herself): Unfair!MADDALENA: Drunkard!DUKE: Of burning love.
MADDALENA: Mr. Indifferent,do you like to make fun?
DUKE: No, no, I want to marry you ...
MADDALENA: I want the word.DUKE (ironic): Lovable daughter!RIGOLETTO (to Gilda, who has observed and understood everything):And isn't that enough for you yet?GILDA: Unfair traitor!
DUKE: Beautiful daughter of Love,I am a slave to your charms;with only one saying you canconsole my pains.Come and feelthe frequent palpitation of my heart.
MADDALENA: Ah! ah! I laugh heartily,that these bays are cheap,how much is your game worth,you believe me, I know how to appreciate.I am accustomed, handsome gentleman,to such a joke,my handsome mister!
GILDA: Ah, so I heardthe infamous talk about love!Unhappy betrayed heart,do not burst out of anguish.
RIGOLETTO: Shut up, crying is not worth it,He was lying, you are sure.Shut up, and my cure will bethe revenge of hurrying.Ready to go, it will be fatalI know how to strike him!