E lucevan le stelle

"E lucevan le stelle" ("And the stars were shining") is a romantic aria from the third act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca from 1900, composed to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is sung in act 3 by Mario Cavaradossi (tenor), a painter in love with the singer Tosca, while he waits for his execution on the roof of Castel Sant'Angelo.

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Written in B minor, it is one of the most famous opera arias. The vocal range extends from F♯3 to A4. The aria is considered part of the spinto tenor repertoire.[1]

The aria is introduced by a somber clarinet solo. The incipit of the melody (heard in outline earlier in the act, as the sky lightens and the gaoler prepares for the execution) is repeated on the lines "O dolci baci, o languide carezze" ("Oh, sweet kisses and languorous caresses"), and also restated in forte in the closing bars of the opera, as Tosca jumps from the ramparts.

"E lucevan le stelle"
Sung by Leo Slezak, 1913, recorded on Edison cylinder
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  1. ^ Clark, Mark Ross (April 25, 2007). Guide to the Aria Repertoire. Bloomington, Illinois: Indiana University Press. p. 390.