"O Patria Mia" Lyrics and Text Translation

This amazing aria is sung by Aida in the 3rd act of Giuseppe Verdi's opera, Aida. Read the full synopsis of Verdi's Aida. Aida, the Ethiopian princess captured by the Egyptians, fell in love with her captor, Radames, who was unaware of her royal lineage. Sadly, Radames is engaged to marry the Egyptian princess, Amneris. While Aida waits outside of the temple to meet with Radames, her father, King Amonasro (who was captured in battle, but whose true identity remains unknown), asks her to learn the position of the Egyptian troops. Feeling nostalgic and missing her homeland, she agrees to her father's request, despite the precarious position she now finds herself. After the conversation with her father, Aida sings the following aria:

Qui Radames verrà!
Che vorrà dirmi? Io tremo!
Ah! se tu vieni a recarmi, o crudel,
L'ultimo addio,
del Nilo i cupi vortici
Mi daran tomba e pace forse,
e pace forse e oblio.
Oh patria mia, mai più ti rivedrò!
Mai più! mai più ti rivedrò!
O cieli azzurri o dolci aure native
Dove sereno il mio mattin brillò
O verdi colli o profumate rive
O patria mia, mai più ti rivedrò!
Mai più! no, no, mai più, mai più!
O fresche valli, o queto asil beato
Che un di promesso dall'amor mi fu
Or che d'amore il sogno è dileguato
O patria mia, non ti vedrò mai più.
Oh patria mia, mai più ti rivedrò!

Radames is here!
What will he tell me? I tremble
Ah! if you come to give me, so cruel,
your last goodbye,
the dark vortex of the Nile
will be my grave and perhaps, give me peace,
and perhaps give me peace and oblivion.
Oh my homeland, I will never see you again!
No more! never see you again!
Oh blue skies and gentle breezes of my village
Where the calm morning shone
O green hills and perfumed shores
O my homeland, I will never see you again!
No more! no, no, never again, never again!
Oh cool valleys, and blessed refuge
What a promise to me by my love
Now that the dream of love has vanished
O my homeland, I will not see you again.
Oh my homeland, I will never see you again!

No aria lyrics and translation is complete without proper links to great performances! I've sifted through the endless sands of YouTube videos and picked out a few of my favorites.

• Leontyne Price - Considered by many to be "the only" Aida, watch her farewell performance of this beloved aria on the stage at the Metropolitan Opera in 1985, and see why it was voted the number one performance by Metropolitan Opera viewers. Warning: you may need to keep a box of tissues next to you! (Watch on YouTube)
• Montserrat Caballe - This live performance was taken at the Teatro del Liceu de Barcelona on December 29, 1973. I think I've been spoiled by Ms. Price's performance, but Caballe's recording is fantastic too. I'm not the only one who thinks that judging by the thunderous applause she receives at the end of the aria. (Watch on YouTube)
• Sharon Sweet - Ms. Sweet is a professor of voice at Westminster Choir College whom I've met a few times during my days as a college student there. She has graced the stages of many great opera houses, and I had the pleasure of attending one of her performances on campus (it was a packed house), and it was amazing. She didn't sing "O Patria Mio" that night, but I'm sure it would have been as spectacular as this video. (Watch on YouTube)