Prayer for New Orleans About the "Ave Maria" Prayer "Ave Maria" is an aria (which is the Italian word for song) from Giuseppe Verdi's Opera, Otello. The plot for Otello is based on Shakespeare's great tragedy, Othello. (You'll note that while the English spelling of Othello includes the "h", there is no 'h' in the Italian.) The Ave Maria aria is sung by Desdemona (Otello's wife) in Act 4, as she kneels in prayer with a troubled mind before going to bed. The libretto (the Italian word for text) for Verdi's Otello was written by a former rival of Verdi's, Arrigo Boito. Boito skillfully condensed Shakespeare's five acts into four, without losing the dramatic qualities of the original — especially those vital to the action. He also did an excellent job rendering Shakespeare's lines into Italian. It is Verdi's music, of course, that makes this opera a masterpiece. It was written late in Verdi's life (at the age of 74), after many thought he had retired. Verdi surprised everyone by composing this opera in a new, straightforward and dramatic style 15 years after his previous opera. He completed the music on November 1, 1886. The first performance took place at the famous La Scala opera house in Milan on February 5, 1887. The Aria (in the original Italian) Ave Maria from Otello by Verdi Ave Maria, piena di grazia, eletta Fra le spose e le vergini sei tu, Sia benedetto il frutto, o benedetta, Di tue materne viscere, Gesù. Prega per chi adorando a te si prostra, Prega nel peccator, per l'innocente, E pel debole oppresso e pel possente, Misero anch'esso, tua pietà dimostra. Prega per chi sotto l'oltraggio piega La fronte e sotto la malvagia sorte; Per noi, per noi tu prega, Prega sempre e nell'ora della morte nostra, Prega per noi, prega per noi, prega.   Ave Maria . . . Nell'ora della morte. Ave!. . . Amen! The English Translation  Ave Maria, overflowing with grace,     Blessed be the fruit of thy womb.    Blessed are you above all women     for delivering to us Christ Jesus.    Pray for the one     who kneels in prayer before you,    Pray for the wrongdoer     ...and for the innocent,    Pray for the weak and oppressed,     ...and for those in power,    For the wretched, likewise,     show your mercy.    Pray for the one suffering     cruel misfortune,    Pray for the one who bows his head     under injustice and cruel fate.    And for us... pray for us,      pray always...    ...and in the hour       of our death.    Pray for us...       Pray for us...           for us.    Ave Maria . . .  ...In the hour of our death.    Ave...                  Amen.