ONE FINE DAY
Butterfly's aria from Act 2 of "Madame Butterfly"
Music by Giacomo Puccini / Libretto by Luigi Illica & Giuseppe Giacosa
As recorded by Deanna Durbin for the film "First Love" (1939)


Weeping? And why? And why?
Ah, 'tis faith you are lacking
Hear me
One fine day we'll notice
A thread of smoke arising on the sea
In the far horizon
And then the ship appearing
Then the trim white vessel
Glides into the harbour
Thunders forth her cannon
See you? Now he is coming
I do not go to meet him
Not I
I stay upon the brow of the hillock
And wait there
And wait for a long time
But never weary of the long waiting
From out the crowded city
There is coming a man
A little speck in the distance
Climbing the hillock
Can you guess who it is?
And when he's reached the summit
Can you guess what he'll say?
He will call, "Butterfly" from the distance
I, without answering
Hold myself quietly concealed
A bit to tease him and a bit
So as not to die at our first meeting
And then, a little troubled
He will call, he will call
"Dear baby wife of mine,
Dear little orange blossom"
The names he used to call me when he came here
This will all come to pass as I tell you
Banish your idle fears
For he will return
Return



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - December 2003)