Turret Opera

The Turret opera is a cinematic operatic song featured at the end of Portal 2. The song seems to be an Italian aria, but unfortunately it is not accompanied by official lyrics. Nevertheless, fans of Portal 2 with an understanding of Italian have both transcribed them in their original tongue and translated them into English. The composer, writer, and singer are currently unknown. However, the singer is believed to be Ellen McLain, voice of GLaDOS and the turrets, as McLain is a professional opera singer.

Overview


The opera can be seen/heard after Chell awakens in GLaDOS' main control room and is subsequently expelled from the facility via an elevator. The game then cuts to an ending cinematic where Chell first encounters a group of four sentry turrets who, after aiming their lasers at Chell, begin to play the music of the opera as if they were accordions.

After seeing these turrets, the elevator continues its upward path and eventually ends up in a large amphitheater-like room full of turrets. The singer appears to be a turret that is wider/larger than the other, typical turrets and also has a spotlight on it. The thicker size of the apparent turret could be a play on the American stereotype that Grand Opera sopranos are typically overweight and related colloquialism that "it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." The official Portal 2 guide gives further credence to such conjecture, as it refers to the 'fat' turret as the "Soprano Turret".

Also of note is an enormous, crowned animal king sentry turret in what seems to be jaguar-print camouflage, which can be seen in the back of the amphitheater during the opera. It appears to be playing the deeper bass tones of the opera.

Lyrics


Italiano:


 * Cara bella, cara mia bella!
 * Mia bambina, oh Chell/oh ciel!
 * Oh cara mia, addio!
 * Oh cara mia, addio!
 * Oh cara mia, addio!


 * La mia bambina cara,
 * perché non passi lontana?
 * Sì, lontana da Scienza,
 * Cara, cara mia bambina?
 * Ah, mia bella!
 * Ah, mia cara!
 * Ah, mia cara!
 * Ah, mia bambina!
 * Oh cara, cara mia...

English:


 * Darling dear, my darling beauty!
 * My baby girl, oh Chell/oh heavens!
 * ??? (see note below)
 * Oh my darling, goodbye!
 * Oh my darling, goodbye!


 * My dear baby girl,
 * why do you not walk far away?
 * Yes, far away from Science,
 * My dear, my dear baby girl?
 * Ah, my beauty!
 * Ah, my dear!
 * Ah, my dear!
 * Ah, my baby girl!
 * Oh dear, my dear...

Note: There is some disagreement about this line. Until Valve releases official lyrics, it is unlikely that this issue will be resolved.

Also note that Chell's name is a pun on "ciel" (skies or heavens in lyrical italian), as it sounds roughly the same.

Trivia

 * An "animal king takeover" is first mentioned in one of the Aperture Science demonstrational videos seen during the elevator rides in Chapter 2: The Cold Boot.


 * On the third tier between the "fat" and animal king turrets, right of center and in front of one of the lit, concrete walls, the shadowed figure of a Franken-cube can be seen hobbling along.


 * Earlier in the game, there is an easter egg where four sentry turrets can be seen playing a tune different from that of the "Cara Mia". They are believed to be the same four which begin the opera and are probably practicing for the event. The "fat" turret is also present in a crate across from them, but does not sing.


 * On the elevator ride in-between the first four turrets and the room with all of the singing turrets, you can see some turrets that were ensnared by a giant potato from Chell's experiment from "Bring your Daughter to Work Day" that grew around them.


 * In the test chamber where the Preservation of Mass achievement is earned, the opera or something similar can be heard in the background. It is possible they were rehearsing.