The cold song

In this video, Klaus Nomi sings Purcell’s strange aria The Cold Song from the English 17th century baroque opera King Arthur. It is his last performance. He is already sick and in less than 6 months he will be dead.

The opera’s composer Purcell died in 1695 from incurable Tuberculosis aged 36, while in 1983 Klaus Nomi sadly died succumbing to complications due to Aids, aged 39.

These are the lyrics:

What power art thou, who from below
Hast made me rise unwillingly and slow
From beds of everlasting snow
See’st thou not ( how stiff )2) and wondrous old
Far unfit to bear the bitter cold,
I ( can scarcely move or draw my breath )2)
Let me, let me freeze again to death.3)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ri8_C5mQx8

I cannot help thinking how pertinent is the song to the lives and deaths of both.

Interesting video. Thanks for the link.