Preparing to go to bed on the last night of her life, Desdemona remembers her nursemaid from when she was a child and the song she used to sing about a willow tree.
„Io per amarlo e per morir…
Cantiamo! Cantiamo!
Salce! Salce! Salce!“
Emilia, addio. Come m'ardon le ciglia!
È presagio di pianto. Buona notte
Ah! Emilia, Emilia
Addio, Emilia, addio!
O salce, salce was written by Arrigo Boito & Giuseppe Verdi.