Turret Opera

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Cara Mia Addio
Release	April 19, 2011
Genre	Neoclassical
Length	~1:30 (in-game) / 2:33 (Portal 2 soundtrack)
Production information
Singer	Ellen McLain
Writer	Mike Morasky

The Turret opera.

Ditto, when the Animal King starts.

The Turret Opera is a piece of music featured at the end of Portal 2, where numerous Aperture Science Sentry Turrets sing the song "Cara Mia Addio," an Italian aria.

"Cara Mia Addio" is an Italian aria, but it is not accompanied by official lyrics. 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, but the librettist is unknown. Ellen McLain is the vocalist for the song, as she also voiced GLaDOS and the turrets. In an interview, McLain claimed that she "made up the words out of [her] bad Italian [...] on the spot".

Overview

The chorus 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 a cinematic ending where Chell first encounters a group of four sentry turrets who, after aiming their lasers at Chell, begin to beep and whir to the tune of the chorus.

After seeing these turrets, the elevator continues its upward path and eventually ends up in a large amphitheater-like room full of turrets. The vocal part is sung by a larger turret in the center, who is highlighted by a spotlight. 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 scene. It emits the deeper bass tones of the opera.

Lyrics

Italian Cara bella, cara mia bella! Mia bambina, oh ciel (Chell)! Che la stima! Che la stima! O cara mia, addio! La mia bambina cara... perché non passi lontana? Sì, lontana da Scienza! Cara, cara mia bambina... Ah, mia bella! Ah, mia cara! Ah, mia cara! Ah, mia bambina! Oh cara, cara mia...

English Beautiful dear, my darling beauty! My child, oh heavens(chell)! That she respects! That she respects! Oh my dear, farewell! My dear child... Why don't you walk far away? Yes, far away from Science! My dear, dear baby... Ah, my beloved! Ah, my dear! Ah, my dear! Ah, my little girl! Oh dear, my dear...

Notable opera members

The Soprano Turret

A render of the Turret Wife.

The Soprano Turret, also known as the "Pea Turret" by fans and "Turret Wife" in the game files and song title by it is first seen in the beginning of chapter 6, but not in full form, they are blown to pieces and can be found on fire. Then in Test Chamber 11, going up in a lift right before Chell enters her own lift. It is next seen in Test Chamber 16, where the Turret Quartet plays the song "Turret Wife Serenade," as titled by volume 1 of the Portal 2 soundtrack. She is last seen in the Single Player campaign Turret Opera. She is also witnessed in the ending credits of the Cooperative Campaign.

The Turret Quartet

In the first test where Turrets can be destroyed with Thermal Discouragement Beams (Test Chamber 16), there is a Turret behind a metal grating. If this Turret is destroyed, the grating will come off, and one can then enter the vent and discover four singing Turrets below, each in a separate compartment and with the Soprano Turret, idle, opposite them. The vent also features scribblings done by Doug Rattmann.

The Quartet is seen again during the song at the very end of the game, which they open at the first elevator stop, before being picked up by the Turret group in the amphitheater.

The Animal King

The Animal King turret appears at the back of the Turret Opera's primary room, serving as the source of bass tones.

Other Opera Members

Besides obviously the immeasurable numbers of Sentry Turrets, you can spot the two varieties of Defective Turrets (sideways and Plateless) also singing on the way up in the elevator to the main opera. Also, a lone Frankenturret is creeping along in the back of the orchestra. One with an astute eye can even spot the Bird in its nest.

Trivia

The initial Turret Quartet which begins the opera.

• The "animal king" turret seen in the background is first mentioned in one of the Aperture Science demonstrational videos seen during the elevator rides in Chapter 1: The Courtesy Call.

• Earlier in the game, there is an easter egg where four sentry turrets can be seen playing the Turret Wife Serenade. The "fat" turret ("Turret Wife") is also present in a crate across from them, but does not sing.

• In Test Chamber 07, where the Preservation of Mass achievement is earned, the song or something similar can be heard in the background ("Love as a Construct"). It hums as an accompaniment to the tune played by the Companion Cube.
  • Similarly, the song 'space phase' has part of an 8-bit version of the song in the background.
  • The song can also be heard in the background of the music that emanates from Hard Light bridges, "Hard Sunshine".

• After GLaDOS retrieves Chell from space, the melody of the opera can faintly be heard as Chell passes out.

• Ellen McLain, the voice of GlaDOS and the turrets, voiced every turret individually. The recording sessions directly followed McLain's recording of "Want you Gone". After recording many layers of the Opera (Do do, Va va va, etc.), Mike Morasky asked McLain to make up some lyrics, which she did so in her bad Italian she learned in High School. McLain was told that the Opera would serve as the goodbye to Chell and the player.

External links

• Portal 2 Turret Opera on YouTube
• Portal 2 Turret Opera with Lyrics in Latin and English on YouTube
• Turret Opera - a cappella on YouTube
• Correct lyrics by an Italian professional translator
• Sheet music