Luciano Pavarotti sings   La donna e mobile

from Verdi's  Rigoletto

Learn Italian Pronunciation While Singing

1)  Study or review pronunciations on my Guide to Italian Pronunciation for Singers.

2)  Listen to the song on the video to familiarize yourself with the melody.

3)  Aloud or to yourself, read the song lyrics below (without video), trying to use proper pronunciation.

4)  In the Guide, check any pronunciations about which you are unsure.

5)  Read the lyrics silently while listening to the video.  Be aware that two consecutive words may sometimes be sung on a single note, thus making your task a little more challenging. 

6)  Try to sing along with the video.

7)  You will have the most difficulty where the words are sung fast.  Practice saying those parts fast until you can do so successfully. 

8)  Start the video, but stop it after the first phrase has been sung.  Now, you sing what you heard (without the video running).  Then, listen to the next phrase, stop the video, then sing that phrase.  Repeat this sequence until you reach the end of the song.

9)  Repeat step 8 until you are doing reasonably well.

10)  Sing along with the video from beginning to end.  Then, marvel at what you have accomplished.

La donna è mobile qual piuma al vento,
muta d'accento e di pensiero.
Sempre un amabile leggiadro viso,
in pianto o in riso, è menzognero.

La donna è mobil qual piuma al vento,
muta d'accento e di pensier, e di pensier, e di pensier.

È sempre misero chi a lei s'affida,
chi le confida mal cauto il core!
Pur mai non sentesi felice appieno,
chi su quel seno non liba amore!

La donna è mobil qual piuma al vento,
muta d'accento e di pensier, e di pensier, e di pensier.

TRANSLATION BELOW                    TRANSLATION BELOW

This woman is flighty like a feather in the wind,
She changes her voice — and her mind.
Always sweet, pretty face,
In tears or in laughter, — she is always lying.

This woman is flighty like a feather in the wind,
She changes her voice — and her mind.

Always miserable is he who trusts her,
He who confides in her — his unwary heart!
Yet one never feels fully happy
Who on that bosom — does not drink love!

This woman is flighty like a feather in the wind,
She changes her voice — and her mind.