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Get cultural! Way back in season one, the episode “Marriage of Figaro” is named after the Mozart opera, natch. The comedic opera, subtitled “Day of Madness”, isn’t hugely supportive of marriage, aptly enough for our burgeoning Pete and Don characters.

This aria, played during Sally’s birthday party (you know, the one where Don peaces out on his fam and comes back with a dog?), is called “Voi Che Sapete”, and it plays during the second act of Mozart’s opera, sung by a young pageboy falling in love.

The lyrics, translated, go:

You who know what love is,
Ladies, see if I have it in my heart.
I’ll tell you what I’m feeling,
It’s new for me, and I understand nothing.
I have a feeling, full of desire,
Which is by turns delightful and miserable.

I freeze and then feel my soul go up in flames,
Then in a moment I turn to ice.
I’m searching for affection outside of myself,
I don’t know how to hold it, nor even what it is!
I sigh and lament without wanting to,
I twitter and tremble without knowing why,
I find peace neither night nor day,
But still I rather enjoy languishing this way.
You who know what love is,
Ladies, see if I have it in my heart.

P.S. Matthew Weiner loves this aria! He also used it in an episode of The Sopranos.

• footnote - by Natasha Simons

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