Turret Opera
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sp_a4_finale4.bsp 
| “ | Perché non passi lontana? Sì, lontana da Scienza!
— Prima Donna Turret
|
” |
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 Transcript
[ATLAS AND P-BODY LOOK AT CHELL]
GLaDOS: Oh! Thank god, you're alright.
GLaDOS: You know, being Caroline taught me a valuable lesson.
Turret: BUT I NEED TO PROTECT THE HUMANS!
My satisfaction.
Aperture Science.
We do what we must
Because we can.
For the good of all of us.
Except the ones who are dead.
But there's no sense crying
Over every mistake.
You just keep on trying
Till you run out of cake.
And the Science gets done.
And you make a neat gun.
For the people who are
Still alive.
I'm not even angry.
I'm being so sincere right now.
Even though you broke my heart.
And killed me.
And tore me to pieces.
And threw every piece into a fire.
As they burned it hurt because
I was so happy for you!
Now these points of data
Make a beautiful line.
And we're out of beta.
We're releasing on time.
So I'm glad. I got burned.
Think of all the things we learned
For the people who are
Still alive.
Go ahead and leave me.
I think I prefer to stay inside.
Maybe you'll find someone else
To help you.
Maybe Black Mesa...
THAT WAS A JOKE, HA HA, FAT CHANCE.
Anyway this cake is great
It's so delicious and moist
Look at me still talking when there's Science to do
When I look out there
It makes me GLaD I'm not you
I've experiments to run
There is research to be done
On the people who are
Still alive.
And believe me I am still alive
I'm doing science and I'm still alive
I feel FANTASTIC and I'm still alive
While you're dying I'll be still alive
And when you're dead I will be still alive
Still alive
Still alive.
Finale Opera Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Cara bella, cara mia bella! (Beautiful dear, my darling beauty!)
Mia bambina, oh ciel! (My little girl, oh heaven!)
Che la stima! Che la stima! (How I adore you! How I adore you!)
Oh cara mia, addio! (Oh my dear, farewell!)
[Verse 2]
La mia bambina cara, (My dear little girl,)
Perché non passi lontana? (Why not go a long way away?)
Sì, lontana da Scienza! (Yes, far from Science!)
Cara, cara mia bambina, (Dear, my beloved little girl,)
Ah, mia bella! (Ah, my beautiful one!)
[Verse 3]
Ah, mia cara! Ah, mia cara! (Ah, my dear! Ah, my dear!)
Ah, mia bambina! (Ah, my little girl!)
Oh cara, cara mia! (Oh dear, my dear!)
[Instrumental Break]
[Repeat Verse 3]
Mia cara! Ah, mia cara! (My dear! Ah, my dear!)
Ah, mia bambina! (Ah, my little girl!)
Oh cara, cara mia! (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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