Tune of the Day: O mio babbino caro
“O mio babbino caro” (“Oh my dear papa”) is a popular aria from Giacomo Puccini's 1918 opera Gianni Schicchi. It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between her father (Gianni Schicchi) and his prospective in-laws have reached a breaking point that threatens to separate her from Rinuccio, the boy she loves. The aria provides a contrasting interlude expressing lyrical simplicity and single-hearted love in the atmosphere of hypocrisy, jealousy and double-dealing of medieval Florence, where Puccini's only comedy is set.
All the most famous sopranos of the 20th century have performed this aria, including Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Montserrat Caballé, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Kathleen Battle, Renée Fleming and many others. It has also become in demand with popular music sopranos such as Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, and Hayley Westenra. Violinist Joshua Bell also has produced a recording of it.
James Ivory's 1985 adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel A Room with a View uses the aria as the title theme.