Lenski's Aria: "Куда, куда, куда вы удалились..."

for high definition see http://vimeo.com/1798180 Based on the poem by Pushkin, this is perhaps Tchaikovsky's finest opera. Begun in 1877 at the same time as the 4th Symphony, Puskin's tale of unrequited love was to have a dramatic effect on the composer's personal life. Tchaikovsky had been receiving love letters from Antonina Milyukova, a woman he had never met, threatening suicide if the two could not meet. Tchaikovsky initially rejected her but with Onegin's heartless spurning of Tatyana now uppermost in his mind, he foolishly proposed marriage. The resulting debacle didn't last long and, following a nervous breakdown, Tchaikovsky was ordered by a doctor never to see his wife again. The following year, having begun to recover, Tchaikovsky completed Eugene Onegin. Although the subject is not suited to opera, Tchaikovsky captured the emotional intensity of Pushkin's poem and, in Act One's Letter Scene, produced one of the great operatic moments. The famous Waltz and Polonaise come from the ballroom scenes and are frequently performed as a pair in the concert hall. russian text ======== Куда, куда, куда вы удалились, Весны моей златые дни? Что день грядущий мне готовит? Его мой взор напрасно ловит: В глубокой мгле таится он! Нет нужды; прав судьбы закон! Паду ли я, стрелой пронзенный, Иль мимо пролетит она, Все благо; бдения и сна Приходит час определенный! Благословен и день забот, Благословен и тьмы приход! Блеснет заутра луч денницы И заиграет яркий день, А я, быть может, я гробницы Сойду в таинственную сень! И память юного поэта Поглотит медленная Лета. Забудет мир меня; но ты, ты, Ольга... Скажи, придешь ли, дева красоты, Слезу пролить над ранней урной И думать: он меня любил! Он мне единой посвятил Рассвет печальный жизни бурной! Ах, Ольга, я тебя любил! Тебе единой посвятил Рассвет печальный жизни бурной! Ах, Ольга, я тебя любил! Сердечный друг, желанный друг. Приди, приди! Желанный друг, приди, я твой супруг! Приди, приди! Я жду тебя, желанный друг. Приди, приди; я твой супруг! Куда, куда, куда вы удалились, Златые дни, златые дни моей весны? English Text ======== Where have you gone, O golden days of my spring? What does the coming day have in store for me? It escapes my eyes, it is hidden! No matter; fate's law is just Shall I fall to the deadly arrow, or will it pass by? All for better, there is a pre-determined time For life and for sleep Blessed is a day of simple tasks And blessed is the day of troubles. Will the day beam shine in the morning And the bright day shall reign And I, well, will I, perhaps, will descent Into mysterious darkness of my fatal tomb? And the memory of a strange poet will fall into Abyss The world shall forget me, but you, you, Olga! Tell me, will you, the maiden of beauty, come to shed a tear over the early urn And think "he loved me, he devoted to me The gloomy dawn of a troubled life!" Ah Olga, I did love you, To you alone I devoted The gloomy dawn of my troubled life Yes Olga, I did love you! My wonderful friend, my dear friend, Come come I am your spouse I wait for you, desired friend come I am your husband, Where have you gone, o golden days of my spring?