Today we’re listening to…

“Glück, das mir verblieb” (popularly known as “Marietta's Lied”) a soprano aria from Act I of the German opera, Die Tote Stadt by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. If you’ve seen the movie The Big Lebowski, you might have heard this piece. Renée Fleming is singing the role of Marietta here and every time I hear her sing it, I don’t have words that describe how it makes me feel. Her singing is warm, pure and effortless.

🎧 Listen here (6 minute listen):

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Die Tote Stadt (German for “The Dead City”) is the story of Paul who greatly misses his wife, Marie, who recently died, but finds himself attracted to Marietta, who resembles her. When Marietta and Paul meet for the first time, Marietta sings “Marietta's Lied’ to him which is about lost love.

Come to me, my true love. 

Night sinks into the grove. 

You are my light and day. 

Anxiously beats heart on heart. 

Hope itself soars heavenward.

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Want to know more?

• Die Tote Stadt is pronounced Dee-TOE-teh-shtaht

• Korngold composed this opera at 22 (he also composed a ballet at 11 years old)

• Renée Fleming is a (full lyric) soprano (the highest of the standard singing voices)

Thank you for listening,

Michele