"Non più andrai" Lyrics and Text Translation

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Posthumous portrait. Oil on canvas. 1819
Imagno/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Mozart composed "The Marriage of Figaro" in 1786, and wrote this aria for bass for the title character. Figaro performs it at the end of the first act. A jealous Count Almaviva has discovered Figaro's friend, Cherubino, in the quarters of Susanna, a woman who the married count desires as his mistress. To punish Cherubino, and eliminate his competition, the count conspires to send the young man off to his regiment in Seville. 

Cherubino has enjoyed the life of a flirtatious libertine while residing in the count's palace. Now, he will be compelled to live the more Spartan life of a soldier. With this aria, Figaro playfully teases his friend about the pleasures he is about to abandon. While he wishes his comrade no harm, Figaro's blithe, final reference to the bullet that will "whistle past your ear" reminds us of the dangers Cherubino may well face. 

Italian Text

Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso,
Notte e giorno d'intorno girando,
Delle belle turbando il riposo,
Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Delle belle turbando il riposo,
Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Non piu avrai questi bei penacchini,
Quel cappello leggiero e galante,
Quella chioma, quell'aria brillante,
Quel vermiglio donnesco color!
Quel vermiglio donnes color!

Non piu avrai quei penacchini,
Quel cappello
Quella chioma, quell'aria brillante

Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso,
Notte e giorno d'intorno girando,
Delle belle turbando il riposo,
Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Delle belle turbando il riposo,
Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Fra guerrieri, poffar Bacco!
Gran mustacchi, stretto sacco,
Schioppo in spalla, sciabla al fianco,
Collo dritto, muso franco, Un gran casco, o un gran turbante,
Molto onor, poco contante.
Poco contante
Poco contante

Ed in vece del fandango
Una marcia per il fango.

Per montagne, per valloni,
Con le nevi, e i solioni,
Al concerto di tromboni,
Di bombarde, di cannoni,
Che le palle in tutti i tuoni,
All'orecchio fan fischiar.

Non piu avrai quei penacchini,
Non piu avrai quel cappello
Non piu avrai quella chioma
Non piu avrai quell'aria brillante.

Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso,
Notte e giorno d'intorno girando,
Delle belle turbando il riposo,
Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Delle belle turbando il riposo,
Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor.

Cherubino, alla vittoria!
Alla gloria militar!
Cherubino, alla vittoria!
Alla gloria militar!
Alla gloria militar!

Alla gloria militar!

English Translation of "Non piu andrai"

You won't go any more, amorous butterfly,
Fluttering around inside night and day
Disturbing the sleep of beauties,
A little Narcissus and Adonis of love.
You won't have those fine feathers any more,
That light and jaunty hat,
That hair, that shining aspect,
That womanish red color [in your face]!
Among soldiers, by Bacchus!
A huge moustache, a little knapsack,
Gun on your back, sword at your side,
Your neck straight, your nose exposed,
A big helmet, or a big turban,
A lot of honour, very little pay.
And in place of the dance
A march through the mud.
Over mountains, through valleys,
With snow, and heat-stroke,
To the music of trumpets,
Of bombards, and of cannons,
Which, at every boom,
Will make bullets whistle past your ear.
Cherubino, go to victory!
To military glory!