Chapter 9 - Test Chamber 00
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| “ | Perché non passi lontana? Sì, lontana da Scienza!
— Prima Donna Turret
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The Turret Opera is an event in the single-player campaign of Portal 2 in which a group of Sentry Turrets form a unique melody via the movement sounds of their weaponry casings.
The opera is introduced as an easter egg in Test Chamber 16 of GLaDOS' testing tracks in Chapter 3: The Return, hidden beside a wall with a gap near the start of the chamber, where a Turret can be seen inside it. Upon entering, Chell would be able to witness various Turrets beneath the room as they serenade to the Prima Donna Turret.
The Turret Opera is seen again for the last time, as a closure to the game's single-player campaign, based on the popular opera phrase "it's not over until the fat lady sings" - in which the Prima Donna Turret finally sings in the game along with the other Turrets.
The opera sequence begins after GLaDOS sends Chell on a lift towards the surface. The lift stops in front of some Turrets aimed at Chell, making it seem like GLaDOS's promise of freedom was a lie. Instead, the Turrets begin serenading her. As the lift ascends even further, Chell witnesses an even larger group of Turrets awaiting her arrival as the Prima Donna Turret sings the lead vocals and the Animal King Turret provides the bass notes. The opera is still audible as the lift arrives at the top, lingering until the moment Chell finally steps outside.
Finale Opera Lyrics
Original:
[Verse 1]
Cara bella, cara mia bella!
Mia bambina, oh ciel!
Che la stima! Che la stima!
Oh cara mia, addio!
[Verse 2]
La mia bambina cara,
Perché non passi lontana?
Sì, lontana da Scienza!
Cara, cara mia bambina,
Ah, mia bella!
[Verse 3]
Ah, mia cara! Ah, mia cara!
Ah, mia bambina!
Oh cara, cara mia!
[Instrumental Break]
[Repeat Verse 3]
Mia cara! Ah, mia cara!
Ah, mia bambina!
Oh cara, cara mia!
Translated (English):
[Verse 1]
Beautiful dear, my darling beauty!
My little girl, oh heaven!
How I adore you! How I adore you!
Oh my dear, farewell!
[Verse 2]
My dear little girl,
Why not go a long way away?
Yes, far from Science!
Dear, my beloved little girl,
Ah, my beautiful one!
[Verse 3]
Ah, my dear! Ah, my dear!
Ah, my little girl!
Oh dear, my dear!
[Instrumental Break]
[Repeat Verse 3]
My dear! Ah, my dear!
Ah, my little girl!
Oh dear, my dear!
Production
The song itself was produced by Valve composer Mike Morasky and vocalized by the voice of GLaDOS and the turrets, Ellen McLain, though the librettist is unknown. It was added to the Portal 2: Songs to Test By and the Portal 2: Songs to Test By (Collector's Edition) albums, the latter of which is available on Spotify and is accredited to Aperture Science Psychoacoustic Laboratories. The albums both act as the official soundtrack for Portal 2, with the Collector's Edition adding in songs from the series' first installation and even an audible mini-comic, among others.[1] It was revealed by McLain that she "made up the words out of [her] bad Italian [...] on the spot."[2]
Trivia
- The lyrics can otherwise be read here in both its original and translated form on the popular lyric-recording and speculation site, Genius.
- In the finale opera sequences, the Companion Cube from Portal can be seen flowing upwards through the tubes in the background as the lift rises. Some people have mistaken this for Doug Rattmann running around. Moving, in fact, is a Frankenturret.
- The word "Ciel" in the lyrics is speculated to be a play on words; it is pronounced almost the same as Chell. Despite the song being an Italian aria, "Ciel" itself can be translated from French to mean 'sky,' but in some specific and appropriate cases, 'heaven.'
- A single Frankenturret can be seen waddling behind the group of Turrets on the left side of the finale opera room.
- Before becoming a voice actress, Ellen McLain was an opera singer.
- In Portal 2, Weighted Companion Cubes can be heard humming it when nearby.
Sheet Music
Sebastian Wolff has transcribed the song and provided free sheet music:
References
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