Che Gelida Manina

(album: My Secret Passion: The Arias - 1998)

[It is Christmas Eve on Paris' left bank. Rodolpho is at home writing when a stranger knocks at the door. It is Mimi, a neighbor, who needs to borrow a match to relight her candle. Mimi is barely out the door, when she realizes she has lost her key. As they search for it, Rodolpho's hand falls upon hers.]

Che gelida manina!
Se la lasci riscaldar
Cercar che giova?
Al buio non si trova
Ma per fortuna
E una notte di luna
E qui la luna l'abbiamo vicina
Aspetti, signorina
Le diro con due parole chi son
Chi son, e che faccio, come vivo
Vuole?

Chi son? Chi son? Son un poeta
Che cosa faccio? Scrivo
E come vivo? Vivo
In poverta mia lieta
Scialo da gran signore
Rimi ed inni d'amore
Per sogni e per chimere
E per castelli in aria
L'anima ho milionaria
Talor del mio forziere
Ruban tutti i gioelli
Due ladri:gli occhi belli
V'entrar con voi pur ora
Ed i miei sogni usati
Ed i bei sogni miei
Tosto si dileguar!
Ma il furto non m'accora
Poiche, poiche v'ha preso stanza
La speranza
Or che mi conoscete
Parlate voi. Deh parlate
Chi siete? Vi piaccia dir?

[English translation:]

[How Cold Your Little Hand Is]

How cold your little hand is!
Will you let me warm it for you?
Why bother looking?
It's dark, and we won't find it
It's our good luck though
This night's filled with moonlight
Up here the moonlight could rest on our shoulders
Please wait, my dear young lady
And I will quickly tell you who stands before you, and
What I do, how I make my living
May I?

Who am I? What am I? I am a poet
What keeps me busy? Writing!
And what do I live on? Nothing!
In poverty I'm cheerful
I am a prince who squanders
Arias and couplets of longing
And as for hopes and dreams of love
And castles-in-the-air, Miss
I am a millionaire!
My fortress could be broken in
Robbed clean of the fine jewels I store
If the thieves were eyes like yours
And now that I have seen you
All of my lovely dreaming
All of the sweetest dreams I've dreamt
Quickly have slipped away
This theft does not upset me
Because such treasures mean nothing
Now that I'm rich with sweet hope!
And now that you have met me
I ask you please
Tell me, lady, who you are, I ask you please!