Turret Opera

The Turret Opera is an opera made of Aperture Science Sentry Turrets featured at the end of Portal 2, where they sing the song "Cara Mia", a cinematic, operatic song.

"Cara Mia" is an Italian aria, but it is not accompanied by official lyrics. Fans of Portal 2 with an understanding of Italian have both transcribed them in their original tongue and translated them into English. The song was composed by Valve composer Mike Morasky, but the lyricist is unknown. . Ellen McLain is the vocalist for the song, as she also voiced GLaDOS and the turrets.

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, more 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.

Italian

 * cara bel, cara mia bella!
 * Mia bambina, oh ciel (Chell)!
 * Che ella stima!
 * Che ella stima!
 * Oh cara mia, addio!


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

English

 * My beautiful dear, my darling beauty!
 * My baby, oh Chell!
 * That she holds her in such esteem!
 * That she holds her in such esteem!
 * Oh my beloved, fare thee well!


 * My dear child...
 * Why don't you walk away?
 * Yes, away from Science!
 * My dear, dear baby...
 * Ah, my beauty!
 * Ah, my dear!
 * Ah, my dear!
 * Ah, my little girl!
 * Oh my dearest one!

The Soprano Turret
The Soprano Turret, also known as the "Turret Wife" in the game files, or the Fat Lady, is first seen in Test Chamber, going up in a life right before the player enters his/her own lift. It is next seen in Test Chamber 16, where the Turret Quartet plays the song "Turret Wife Serenade" from the official soundtracks. She is last seen in the Turret Opera.

The Turret Quartet
In the first test where Turrets can be destroyed with Thermal Discouragement Beams (Test Chamber 16), there is a Turret behind a metal grating. If this Turret is destroyed, the grating will come off, and one can then enter the vent and discover four singing Turrets below, each in a separate compartment and with the Fat Lady, idle, opposite them. The vent also features scribblings done by Doug Rattmann.

The Quartet is seen again during the opera song at the very end of the game, "The Fat Lady Sings", which they open at the first elevator stop, before being picked up by the Turret group in the amphitheater.

Trivia



 * The "animal king" turret seen in the background is first mentioned in one of the Aperture Science demonstrational videos seen during the elevator rides in Chapter 1: The Courtesy Call.


 * On the far back 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 Frankenturret 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". The "fat" turret is also present in a crate across from them, but does not sing.


 * In test chamber 07, where the Preservation of Mass achievement is earned, the opera or something similar can be heard in the background. It hums as an accompaniment to the tune played by the Companion Cube.


 * After GLaDOS retrieves Chell from space, the melody of the opera can faintly be heard as Chell passes out.


 * In the games files, the "Fat Lady" turret's name is "turret_wife".