What are the lyrics to the Turret Opera at the end of Portal 2?

Solution 1:

Ellen McLain explained a bit about the creation of the Turret Opera at Anime Midwest 2011:

Video transcription starting from 3:30 up to 4:55...

When we were in the studio, I did all of the recording in a lot of different syllables. You know... Doo-doo-doo, va-va-va, la-la-la... You know, different consonants and different vowel combinations. And then Mike said: "Well, can you just make up some words?" And I said: "Sure!" So I made up words in my very bad high-school Italian, because I studied Italian when I was in the high school. And I have to say that Mike and I have decided that we are not going to divulge exactly what I said, because we love all the creativity. On the Internet, the translations are close or not so close, but none of them have been absolutely correct. But it was, because Mike Morasky told me in the recording session, he said: "This is the goodbye. This is the goodbye to the player. So, hence, this is the goodbye to Chell." So I started making up words in Italian.

Maybe we will never know for sure what are the the correct, "official" lyrics, but we know they are Italian (or something that resembles Italian), and also that some unofficial translations got pretty close.

EDIT: I just noticed that Keaanu had posted a comment linking to Ellen McLain answering questions from Reddit:

5.Q) “What is the story behind the Turret opera song? Was this something you wanted to do with your opera background?”

5.A) The composer, Mike Morasky was the driving force behind the Turret Opera. He wrote all the music. He requested that I use my legit voice (operatic sound) on some of the takes. He chose the takes to use. He asked me to make up some words. So I did so in my bad Italian.

Solution 2:

It's an aria in Italian. However, even being an Italian myself, I'm having a very hard time transcribing it. Words I'm unsure about are in italic

Cara, bel, cara mia, _{Dear, beautiful, my dear,}
bella bambina, _{beautiful girl,}
oh Chell, _{oh Chell,}
que lastima, _{what a shame,}
que lastima, _{what a shame,}
deh! Cara mia, _{well, My dear,}
addio. _farewell.

Mia bambina, _{My girl,}
cara, _dear,
perchè non passi _{why don't you stay}
lontana, deh _away
sì lontana _{yes, away}
da scienza? _{from science?}

Cara, cara _{Dear, dear,}
mia bambina, _{my girl,}
ah mia bel, _{my beautiful,}
ah mia cara, _{my dear,}
la mia cara, _{my dear,}
la mia bamina, _{my girl,}
oh cara, _{my dear,}
cara mia… _{my dear…}

Notes on my bad transcription and translation:

• "que lastima" is the transcription I can make the best sense of, based on Dave McClelland suggestion. However, it is probably incorrect, since the rest of the song is in Italian. I still like this the best.
• "bambina" actually means "pre-adolescent girl"; I'm not aware of an English equivalent.

Alternative readings of those lines of first stanza most people seem to disagree on:

oh ciel, _{oh sky,}
che la stima, _{which holds her in esteem,}
che la stima, _{which holds her in esteem,}

---

oh ciel, _{oh sky,}
[per]chè la stima, _{for it holds her in esteem,}
[per]chè la stima, _{for it holds her in esteem,}

---

oh ciel, _{oh sky,}
[per]chè la stimo, _{for I hold her in esteem,}
[per]che la stimo, _{for I hold her in esteem,}

Solution 3:

Here is another interpretation which looks quite correct to me, it really feels like a song...

Italian:

Cara bella, cara mia bella!
Mia bambina, o ciel! [pun: Chell = It. "Ciel" = Sky"]
Ché la stimo...
Ché la stimo.
O cara mia, addio!

La mia bambina cara,
perché non passi lontana?
Sì, lontana da Scïenza, [personified]
cara, cara mia bambina?
Ah, mia bella!
Ah, mia cara!
Ah, mia cara!
Ah, mia bambina!
O cara, cara mia...

English:

Dear beautiful, my beautiful darling!
My child, oh Chell! [pun: "oh heavens!"]
For I hold her in esteem...
For I hold her in esteem.
Farewell to my dear!

My dear girl,
why do you not walk away?
Yes, away from Science,
my dear, my dear girl?
Ah, my beautiful!
Ah, my dear!
Ah, my dear!
Ah, my child!
Oh dear, my dear...

Remarks:

• Attempts have been made by the author to translate non-literal but still with the same meaning.
• bambina is a female child, in English you can drop this as it's clear from context.
• Ciel seems to be used in a fun context, but in English only Chell would fit.
• "Ché lástima" is "Ché la stimo" here, which turns into a better "for I hold her in esteem".

Spoiler:

Imho, this song amongst other research around a portrait most likely reveals the parents of Chell.

I think this is true, because else they wouldn't use "bambina" nor let you search for the portrait.
Chell's project makes this even more convincing...

Solution 4:

Here's a youtube video of the song you're referring to.

Around 2:15 I distinctly hear the soloist say Que lastima which I know is Spanish for "that's too bad." The rest of the song, though, sounds like a Latin or Italian aria, so my guess would be that it is Italian or Latin with Que lastima meaning something in those languages as well (I would assume).

I'm not a huge language buff, so this is the best information I can offer. Hopefully the video can help someone who is more language-minded identify the language and hopefully lyrics