Vissi D' Arte - Callas - Puccini - Tosca Lyrics
Maria Callas
Lyrics
Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore, non feci mai male ad anima viva!
Con man furtiva
quante miserie conobbi aiutai.
Sempre con fè sincera
la mia preghiera
ai santi tabernacoli salì.
Sempre con fè sincera
diedi fiori agl'altar.
Nell'ora del dolore
perché, perché, Signore,
perché me ne rimuneri così?
Diedi gioielli della Madonna al manto, e diedi il canto agli astri, al ciel,
che ne ridean più belli.
Nell'ora del dolor
perché, perché, Signor,
ah, perché me ne rimuneri così?
Song & Lyrics Facts
Maria Callas’s Vissi D’Arte is a famous song from the opera Tosca by Giacomo Puccini, released in 1899. It was first performed by Maria Callas on the EMI album ‘The Art of Maria Callas’ in 1954 and has since been covered by many artists.
The lyrics were written by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, with music composed by Puccini. In the song, the main character Tosca expresses her anguish at having to choose between love and faith. The powerful emotion expressed through Callas’s voice and the beauty of the melody have made it one of the most popular operatic pieces ever recorded. The lyrics are full of pathos as they capture the pain of being forced to make a difficult decision. Vissi D’Arte remains an iconic piece even today, not only for its beautiful composition but also for the incredible performance of Maria Callas.