È strano! - Ah, fors'è lui

In 'È strano! - Ah, fors'è lui,' Anna Netrebko brings to life the emotional complexity of Violetta, the protagonist of Giuseppe Verdi's opera 'La Traviata.' The aria captures Violetta's internal struggle as she contemplates the possibility of true love, a concept that seems both foreign and alluring to her. The opening lines, 'È strano! è strano!' ('It's strange! It's strange!'), reflect her astonishment at the profound impact that the idea of love has on her. She questions whether a serious love could bring her happiness or if it would be a misfortune, revealing her deep-seated fears and uncertainties.

As the aria progresses, Violetta's thoughts shift to Alfredo, the man who has stirred these new emotions within her. She wonders if he could be the one to bring color and meaning to her life, which has been dominated by superficial pleasures and fleeting relationships. The lines 'Ah, fors'è lui che l'anima / sloinga ne’tumulti' ('Ah, perhaps he is the one who, amidst the turmoil, / often painted my soul with hidden colors') suggest that Alfredo's modesty and vigilance have awakened a sense of love in her that she has never known before. This newfound love is described as both a blessing and a curse, a 'croce e delizia al cor' ('cross and delight to the heart'), highlighting the dual nature of her feelings.

However, Violetta's excitement is tempered by a sense of realism and self-doubt. She refers to her thoughts of love as 'Follie! Delirio vano è questo!' ('Folly! This is a vain delirium!'), recognizing the impracticality of her desires given her current lifestyle. The aria concludes with a poignant reflection on her loneliness and the emptiness of her existence in the bustling city of Paris. Despite her longing for genuine connection, she resigns herself to the hedonistic pleasures that have defined her life, encapsulated in the final lines 'Gioire! / Di vollutá ne’vortici perir!' ('Rejoice! / To perish in the whirlpools of pleasure!'). This aria beautifully captures the tension between Violetta's yearning for true love and her resignation to a life of fleeting indulgence.