Turret Opera

The Turret Opera or "Cara Mia" (no official name is given) is a cinematic opera featured at the end of Portal 2. The song, unfortunately, is not accompanied by lyrics, which has led to some speculation by fans of the game. According to some preliminary theoretical transcriptions, the opera is an Italian aria. The composer, writer and singer are currently unknown. However, the singer can 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 colloquialism that "it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings".

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

(Theorized) Lyrics


Italian:


 * Cara bel, cara mia bella.
 * Mia bambina, o Chell,
 * che la stima...
 * che la stima.
 * A cara mia, addio!


 * La mia bambina cara,
 * perchè non passi lontana?
 * Si, lontana da scienza
 * cara, cara mia bambina?
 * Ah, mia bella.
 * Ah, mia cara.
 * Ah, mia cara.
 * Ah, mia bambina.
 * O cara, care a mi.

English:


 * Dear beautiful, my beautiful darling,
 * My child, oh Chell,
 * whom I hold in esteem...
 * whom I hold 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, dear to me.

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.