Turret Opera



The Fat Lady Sings, also known as Cara Mia 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 song was composed by Valve composer Mike Morasky. The writer and singer are currently unknown, but 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.

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 stay far away?
 * Yes, away from Science!
 * My dear, dear baby...
 * Ah, my beauty!
 * Ah, my dear!
 * Ah, my dear!
 * Ah, my li'l girl!
 * Oh my dearest one!


 * Note that "ciel" ("sky" or "heaven" in lyrical italian) is a pun on Chell's name, 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 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". 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 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.


 * Before entering the older "Condemned Testing Facilities," wreckage that is similar to the "fat turrets" can be seen on the ground, indicating they may have been an older model.