Dies Bildnis - 101

Tamino's Tenor Aria from Mozart's The Magic Flute

© Bryce Westervelt

Apr 14, 2007
Fritz Wunderlich as Tamino, http://www.bv-pfalz.de
The famous Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön,(Portrait Aria) Tamino's tenor aria from Mozart's The Magic Flute, translation, recommended recordings and vocal scores

An aria translation from Mozart's the Magic Flute

Aria: Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön

Opera: The Magic Flute, Die Zauberflöte

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto: Johann Emanuel Schikaneder, in German

Role: Tamino, a prince

Voice Part: Tenor

Aria Synopsis: Act 1; Prince Tamino is presented with a picture of Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night, by Three Ladies. He instantly falls in-love with the image in this picture, and questions what he would do if she were standing there in-front of him.

English Translation of German Text:

Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön, (This portrait is enchantingly beautiful)

Wie noch kein Auge gesehn! (More than any eye has ever seen!)

Ich fühl es, wie dies Götterbild (I feel it, like this heavenly picture)

Mein Herz mit neuer Regung füllt. (My heart with new emotions fills.)

Dies Etwas kann ich zwar nicht nennen, (I cannot express this feeling.)

Doch fühl ich's hier wie Feuer brennen. (But I feel it, here, like a burning fire.)

Soll die Empfindung Liebe sein? (Is this feeling love?)

Ja, ja, die Liebe ist's allein.- (Yes, it is love alone. -)

O wenn ich sie nur finden könnte! (O, if I could only find her!)

O wenn sie doch schon vor mir stände! (O, if she were only standing before me!)

Ich würde - (I would -)

würde - warm und rein - (became - warmly and purely)

Was würde ich? (– What would I do? -)

Ich würde sie voll Entzücken (I would become full of rapture)

An diesen heißen Busen drücken, (To this hot bosom press,)

Und ewig wäre sie dann mein. (And eternally she would then be mine.)

Recommended Recordings:

  • Fritz Wunderlich, Die Zauberflöte; Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, conductor, Deutsche Grammophon catalog: 449 749-2
  • Nicolai Gedda; Die Zauberflöte; Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor; EMI Classics catalog: B00004VVZN
  • Michael Schade; Die Zauberflöte; English Baroque Orchestra, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor; Archiv: Catalog: ARCH 449 166-2

Scores:

Complete opera score:

  • Bärenreiter, Urtext, BA4553 90, Piano Reduction/Vocal Score
  • G. Schirmer; Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Vocal score for voices and piano accompaniment. Piano reduction. Text language German/English. 167 pages. (HL.50337620)

Aria available in:

  • Opera Arias for Tenor – G. Schirmer
  • Operatic Anthology (Tenor) - G. Schirmer

Other Magic Flute Aria translations:

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I would like to invite you to visit the article archives for more interesting articles about opera. Feel free to contact the Opera feature writer, Bryce by email if you have any questions or have any recommendations as to material you would like covered.


The copyright of the article Dies Bildnis - 101 in German Opera is owned by Bryce Westervelt. Permission to republish Dies Bildnis - 101 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.




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