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PhrasesAt the Theatre and OperaPossibile che cantino il bis?
B2

Possibile che cantino il bis?

Is it possible they will sing an encore?

Pronunciation

pos-SEE-bee-leh keh KAN-tee-noh eel bees.

When to use it

After a spectacular aria when you sense the audience wants more. The bis (encore) in Italian opera is a request for immediate repetition of a piece just performed.

What it means

Il bis is the encore — literally 'twice' in Italian. Cantino is the third-person plural subjunctive of cantare (to sing) — used after 'possibile che'. The cry of 'bis!' from the audience is a demand for repetition.

Variations

Si grida 'bis' per chiedere il bis?

Do you shout 'bis' to ask for an encore?

Yes — shouting 'bis' or 'ancora' requests repetition.

Ha ripetuto l'aria — è una cosa normale?

He repeated the aria — is that normal?

Confirming that an encore has occurred.

Il direttore può rifiutare il bis?

Can the conductor refuse the encore?

The conductor has authority to allow or refuse.

Mini Dialogue

— Possibile che cantino il bis? — Con questo applauso? Sicuramente. Sente come gridano 'bis'? — Sì! Il tenore sembra esitare. — Il direttore ha deciso… sì! Ricominciano! — Straordinario. Non l'ho mai visto dal vivo prima.

— Is it possible they will sing an encore? — With this applause? Certainly. Do you hear them shouting 'bis'? — Yes! The tenor seems to hesitate. — The conductor has decided… yes! They are starting again! — Extraordinary. I have never seen this live before.

Cultural Note

The bis (encore during the performance) is a distinctively Italian operatic tradition. At La Scala, it was officially banned in the 1980s to maintain dramatic continuity, but Italian audiences continue to demand and sometimes receive them. A tenor singing Nessun Dorma twice in one evening is a memory for life.