The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation will honor soprano Ailyn Pérez with a Distinguished Achievement Award at their annual Gala on October 23 in New York City, hosted at JAZZ at Lincoln Center. Ms. Pérez receives this honor alongside three colleagues: soprano Mariana Zvetkova, tenor Bryan Hymel, and soprano Nadine Sierra. Ailyn will sing the aria “Io son l’umile ancella” from Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur, in memory of Ms. Albanese’s tremendous legacy. 

“Look here; I’m scarcely breathing…
I’m but the humble servant
of the brilliant creator;
He offers me the words
that I impart to the heart…
I’m the verse’s music,
the echo of human drama,
the fragile instrument,
the lowly hand-maiden…
Timid, joyous, terrible,
I’m called Faithfulness.
My voice is just a whisper,
which, with the new day, will die.”
 
{Ecco, respiro appena…
Io son l’umile ancella
del genio creator;
Ei m’offre la favella
Io la diffondo ai cor…
Del verso io son l’accento,
l’eco del dramma uman
il fragile strumento
vassallo della man…
Mite, gioconda, atroce,
Mi chiamo Fedeltà;
•Un soffio è la mia voce,•
che al novo di morrà.}
 
“Io son l’umile ancella” – Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur