Saturday Rave: Der Holle Rache by Emanuel Schikeneder.

It's jolly nippy here in England, and so here's something to warm us up.

Now, if you know just one operatic aria, it's...well, it's probably not this one, but something soulful and lush from about a hundred years later. 

Still, never mind.

This aria is sung by the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, which has words by Emanuel Schikaneder and music by some guy called Wolfgang Mozart. 

To set the scene...well, let's just say that the Queen of the Night's husband has caused a lot of trouble by leaving his Temple, and also custody of their daughter Pamina, to his mate Sarastro. 

Was this a good move?

Judge yourself by the lyrics. The Queen of the Night is singing to her daughter.

Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her!
Fühlt nicht durch dich Sarastro
Todesschmerzen,
So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr.
Verstossen sei auf ewig,
Verlassen sei auf ewig,
Zertrümmert sei'n auf ewig
Alle Bande der Natur
Wenn nicht durch dich!
Sarastro wird erblassen!
Hört, Rachegötter,
Hört der Mutter Schwur!

Or, in English:

The vengeance of Hell boils in my heart:
Death and despair flame about me!
If Sarastro does not through you feel
The pain of death,
Then you will be my daughter nevermore.
Disowned may you be forever;
Abandoned may you be forever.
Destroyed be forever
All the bonds of nature
If not through you
Sarastro becomes pale!
Hear, Gods of Revenge,
Hear a mother's oath!

**

Hmm...

...you can see where Pamina's husband was coming from, can't you.

Word To Use Today: vengeance. This word comes from the Old French venger, to avenge, from the Latin vindicāre, to punish. Vindex means claimant.