Ideale (Errico) Page 1 of 2

Ideale (Ideal)

Text by Carmelo Errico (1848-1892)Set by Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916)

Io ti seguii com'iride di pace

I you followed like-a-rainbow of peace(I followed you like a rainbow of peace)

Lungo le vie del cielo:

along the paths of-the sky;

Io ti seguii come un'amica face

I you followed like a-friendly torch(I followed you like a friendly torch)

De la1 notte nel velo.

of the night in-the veil.(in the veil of the night.)

E ti sentii ne la luce, ne l'aria,

And you I-sensed in the light, in the-air,(And I sensed you in the light, in the air,)

Nel profumo dei fiori;

in-the perfume of-the flowers,

E fu piena la stanza solitaria

and was full the room solitary(and my lonely room was full)

Di te, dei tuoi splendori.

of you, of your splendors.(of you and your beauty.)

1 Although written de la, standard Italian combines these two words into della which is pronounced .

Ideale (Errico) Page 2 of 2

In te rapito, al suon de la tua voce,

(By) you captured, by the sound of your voice(Entranced by you and by the sound of your voice )

Lungamente sognai;

for-a-long-time I-dreamed,

E de la terra ogni affanno, ogni croce,

and of the earth every worry, every torment,(and all earthly worry and torment)

In quel sogno (giorno) scordai. ()

in that dream (day) I-forgot.(I forgot in that dream. / I forgot that day.)

Torna, caro ideal, torna un istante

Return, dear ideal, return (for)-an instant(Return, dear perfection, come back for a moment)

A sorridermi ancora,

to smile-on-me again,(and smile upon me again,)

E a me risplender, nel tuo sembiante,

and for me will-shine, in your face,(and in your face, will shine for me)

Una novella aurora.

a new dawn.

Torna, caro ideal, torna, torna.

Return, dear ideal, return, return.

(Literal translation and IPA transcription 2008 by Bard SuverkropIPA Source, LLC)