Maria Callas La Mamma Morta ( English Subtitle)

La mamma morta ( The death mother ) is an aria of the 1896 opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano, sung by the role of Maddalena di Coigny (soprano). At this point in the opera Maddalena, daughter of a noble family, was telling Gérard, one of the men rivalling for her love, of how she has been orphaned when her mother was killed protecting her during the turmoils of the French Revolution. She almost gave up on life when her faithful servant Bersi was forced to trade her beauty (possibly prostituted) in order to save her when she was ill. This desperation is implied in the line Porto sventura a chi bene mi vuole (Woe to those who love me well ) which is placed at the centre of the aria. From this point onwards, Maddalena recalls hearing the voice of love, which promises companionship and forgetfulness of the horrors of Revolution.