Translations from “24 French Songs and Arias by Women Composers”
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Oh, the moaning of wind in the twig brooms-
While nonchalant, feet at the andirons,
One dreams sweetly in the old house,
Cradled by the sobs with this voice that weeps!
What does it matter if the night is sullen
And if the cold places frost on the window panes
and snow on the rooftop.
The hearth is illuminated by a joyous flame,
and each hour is like the other,
And well blessed. - Georges Champenois -
My dear children, be sympathetic without hunger,
(for) thirst presses me,
deigns to relieve me,
evils never cease to grieve me.I’m a crippled old maid
I must not be abandoned,
I never refuse anyone.We don’t know to whom we give humanity,
Charity, humanity…much more than we think is rewarded. - M.E. Bayon -
The sun in the plain
barely appeared near the fountain
I ran at first worried, distraught
nothing comes to my sight, nothing
the night came and I was still waiting.O fatal omen,
Alas, is he fickle, or far from this village,
has he ended his days after such a long absence?
I have no more hope and yet I think about it
and I'm still waiting for him.-Eugène Scribe and Jacques Féréol Mazas
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1. I was still alone in life, and I believe I existed,
before seeing her friend, how did I say I was living?
There is no happiness for you who have not yet told us: Us2. I saw you and I loved you
I recognized your sweet law;
My solitude was charmed, My life began with you
You taught me this sweethappiness, This true happiness to understand: Us.3. Us, you tell me, tomorrow together,
I repeat Us: for always;
Ah what eloquence brings together this first Us; we love! Here it is, this happiness so sweet,
Happiness to be together: Us!4. Never did his first crown move the young warrior so much,
Oh, when a heart of ours gives itself isn’t myrtle then laurel?
But happiness yes, the sweetest,
Is to say again together, Us! -
At the moment when your soul will fly to God,
on the wings of death,
may a pious zeal ignite you,
that deep in your heart may remorse penetrate!See: this poor abandoned one,
who has forgiven you,
who is still trembling for you,
in the name of your past love,
begging you on her knees.
-Eugène Adenis -
In the stormy time of madness,
I dared to choose a winner;
A victim of his treachery, his voice destroyed my error;
but, my fate was worthy of envy,
As long as he shared my ardor.
In every moment of life,
Only love provides pleasure.2. Finally healed from my torments,
I rested for two years;
But in this world which forgets me I have retained all inclinations;
And, in spite of my philosophy
Alas, I feel it in my heart!
Throughout one’s life
Only love provides pleasure. -
I am intoxicated; I have lost my soul.
I sing and I roam no longer knowing where;
In the sky I believe an angel calls to me.
I go, I return, I laugh like crazy!
I have lost my soul and my heart;
what does it matter?
An immense joy entered me.
The spring called me and took me for a king!
A gentle breeze carries me and takes me away.
It has been since yesterday and for a long time,
I am reborn or die in the world, it seems to me,
I climb to the middle of floating evening incense
I lost my soul and my heart together!
Yet I have drunk neither wine nor liquor,
I fly and I hover, surprised to live,
I’m not crazy, I’m not drunk;
I gave my soul and gave my heart!
I drank hope in a sweet smile;
I drew love from a clear gaze,
My heart melted like wax,
My soul is gone like a lightning bolt!
- Leon Dierx -
In winter, in the evening, when the sky is dark,
have you ever seen the moon?
She seems like a penny to the poet,
who seeks lost fortune !A night of spring, did you see the moon venture,
through the fields,
to better enlighten a crazy love.
Who wants to flirt with his/her brunette?By the sea, see the air deserting,
soaking the moon in azure;
His thin profile, held by a thread,
trembles, hung on the dune.Night owls, beggars, all of us who, youthful,
make holes in the moon,
To the only bourgeois who snores at midnight,
Phoebe will hold a grudge!- L. Fortolis
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If the stranger who finds you pretty
offered you his treasures for your love
If you say with a voice that begs;
“let’s leave these places,
follow me to other borders.
In my palace where wealth shines, oh, you will see,
I will beautify your days, believe me,
Stay poor girl, stay always. “2. If he told you, “you will see in Ireland,
all my vassals will hurry to please you”
Braiding a garland for you over and over
where our two names will be intertwined
to adorn you, abandon the mantilla,
You can choose the noblest attire.
Believe me, believe me.- Emile Barateau
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1. Already the summer advances,
Sewing roses under his feet.
But me I haven’t any hope
Because he announces my death.
My white bouquet of betrothal
will fade without ever serving me-We’re preparing my hymn
and I’m going to die.2. Look young girl,
this divine sun in the heavens,
for the last time shines
this morning, maybe in your eyes.
Alas! In my delighted soul
I sense a final pleasure
that makes me seek life,
and yet I am going to die.3. Good bye, green mountains, Where I was going in the shade of the woods,
With my shy companions forming dances so many times.
Alas! From your sweet shade
Soon I will not be able to enjoy them,
I am at the flower of my age
and I am going to die.-Gustave Wattier
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1.Young beauty, cause of my martyrdom,
Whose attractions inflamed me too much
I love you, Alas! And don’t dare tell you.
God, what a torment it is to be silent and to love !2.I guess it’s you with your light walk,
My heart trembles with the sound of your voice,
I don’t know what involuntary trouble
Come to seize me as I see you.3.You have to speak, no, I can no longer
Hide my ardor from you any longer,
Ah, in my eyes when I see you appear
You read the secret of my heart all too well.4.The peaceful silence is broken,
You can’t ignore my torment,
Pronouncing at last a vain hope
Is no longer enough, cruel one, for your lover. -
Water falling drop by drop,
Chrysa, I no longer hear the noise
the sky is clear, the hurricane flees,
the bird is playing by the roadside.
Between the winding paths,
under the green bushes of the hawthorns
among the tufts of wild roses
Chrysa, wants you,
wants you to come two by two.The butterflies at dusk, are again spread out,
the wind sounds in the wavy
meadow,
the quail sings in the wheat, Ah!
Come before the day ends,
Come Chrysa, give me your hand.
From the valley let's take the path,
the hour for sweet dreams is propitious,
the hour for sweet dreams is favorable,
come before the day ends. Come!-Charles Dovalle
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Colette:
From the first day of spring we see the smiles of nature
Abalone are buttoned and our fields are already covered with greenery.
The sincere sparrow on our bushes sings the language of love,
There are flowers of all seasons, there is love for all ages.Antonio :
Time alone matures talents, at the edges of the Permesse* waters,
We pick the violet by walking slowly before the rose.
It is only taught by your lessons that we deserve your approval;
There are flowers of all seasons, there are talents of all ages.-Alexandre-Louis Robineau
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In the biblical book named after her, Esther, a young Jewish woman living in the Persian diaspora, finds favor with the king. She becomes queen, and risks her life to save the Jewish people from destruction when the court official Haman persuades the king to authorize a pogrom against all the Jews of the empire.
Recitative 1:
From your husband, you must look for support, but are you trembling?For the reckless who approach the King without permission, there is a speedy sentence of Death.
Recitative 2:
But what, will you not at least dare a good effort ? It’s done, she leaves and heaven comforts her.Her natural impulse is overcome by her virtue. She will expose herself to death for the sake of the Jews.
-Antoine Houdar de la Motte
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In the plain full of perfumes,
near the golden millstones, grinding hay, in the setting sun,
My charming lover Rose,
Wandered over the cut wheat searching for me.Worried, Mignonette,
Repeated my name, her wide eyes in tears:
“Unfaithful one, come, I call you,
Me, who brought you such beautiful flowers!”And the fever burns my lips!
The flowers that I see, these are your kisses!
I demand, oh my dear soul!
The sealed kisses that you have refused me!“It calls to me! from where does she come,
this voice so tender that holds my heart?
Yes, I love you more than myself,
Take all my kisses, my happy victor!My charming one! My rose lover!
Here your shepherd waits for you always !
In the plain, full of perfumes,
The golden stars will see our love! -
Le Saïs, refers to a member of the Ottoman empire who clears the way for important dignitaries. Using spoken dialog interspersed with arias and occasional use of Arabic in comedic moments, the opera is set in Cairo. Tefida, soprano and Naghib, tenor have a love affair in progress, though it's forbidden as each is betrothed to someone else. Mezzo soprano, Nasleh, the nursemaid sings this comedic aria to Naghib, teasing him about the affair but later helps the lovers escape across the Nile to be together.
1.Beautiful Sais, you can come anytime
to leave this home.
You were pampered, you were happy
to be loved by the beautiful child,
from the dreams of her fair head,
from her heart ignorant of the world,
she gave you the first one.
Aren’t you a lucky winner!
Be generous, take only that,
and let the Pacha take his turn.2.In this astonishing house
you were introduced to marriage.
To want the Sultan at this moment,
so tired of this beautiful child
(really it would not be wise
to oppose the marriage.)
You have just offered today,
a diamond that he will not have .
Be generous, take only that
and let the Pacha take his turn.-Marguerite Olagnier
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Refrain:
Beautiful Artesian, your homeland is mine, tell me the song of the country; your song so happy for our hearts has cherished accents; because never, no never forget the air so sweet that speaks of the country.1.Tell us on the hills, the voice of the mandolines, which so charms our hearts, in the language of the flowers!
Refrain: Beautiful Artesian…….
2. Tell us, in Provence, the games of our childhood; our Christmas carols that rose to the sky!
Refrain: Beautiful Artesian……
3. Say the holy prayers and the tears of our mothers, who alas, are very old, waiting for us down there.
Refrain: Beautiful Artesian………
-Gustave Lemoine
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From plains to distant plains
The ether*, the clear sky is velvet.
The soul of the lime trees in half sleep
leads the floating of serene hours.Hot and sleepy with love
The ether is velvet.
The soul of the lime trees from plains to distant plains
of languid hours rocking the serene earth.- Robert de Souza
*ether referring to the human connection to the spiritual
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He nails, he nails, with hard blows,
the carpenter of the dead.
Good carpenter, in the tree, in the walnut tree,
Cut a coffin very large, very heavy,
so that I can put my love in it.Let it be covered in white satin like his teeth,
And also put blue ribbons like his eyes.
There near the stream under the elms
At the time when the cuckoo sings
another one lowers it to the neck.Good carpenter, in the tree, in the walnut tree,
Cut a coffin very large, very heavy
so that I can put my love in it.- Jean Moréas
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Scene 6
Ah, my God, what did I just learn,
I’m going to have to marry,
This old fogey, this other Cassandre.
Alas, how can we refuse him
With his arms and legs all bent.
Ugly sot, quarrelsome and jealous
Was born at the time of the crusades,
That’s who my husband will be! Ah!.....Refrain: No,no I need my youth,
the gaiety, the songs, the tenderness
I gave my heart and my faith,
but it’s not yours!Verse 2. Thus, an abandoned victim,
subjected to this awful old man
I would go to the temple,
to marry a Cradoussard.
I would condemn my poor soul,
darling donkey, he is an old fogey,
who would come to tell me about his passion,
with his reedy voice. Ah!…Refrain: No, I need my youth…
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Before starting her housekeeping
Madeline always sang.
She was the pearl of the village,
I was her dearest love.
Alas! Since then, it is the opposite;
She’s teasing, she’s angry
And she says; “ Dear husband,
you are brutal and jealous.
Come on, walk, Obey!”I do not know,
But fear takes hold of all my being,
and I the master, fearing the blows,
I walk softly..O Madeline!
You, so mutinous,
Who will tell me what changed you?
Adored wife, my beloved!
For you, night and day, I burn with love!- Constant Jardry
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More every day, I see with terror,
his speeches, his image, engraved in my heart.
I hardly dare say it, but often, night and day,
In secret I sigh! Would it be love
Tell me, do I have to follow this voice that intoxicates me?
And whose enchantment, filling my whole being,
Is born in my heart, an unrest so charming.- Louis Pomey
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Refrain:
We are the good fairies,
of dawn and of the blue topped sky,
we are the good fairies.On the wings of the breeze
that rocks us and intoxicates us,
We sail in the air
but we see ourselves appearing,
as soon as a mortal has been born;
Summer, like winter.We are the good fairies……….
If later in life,
the sadness or suffering
brings us down suddenly
we’ll return right away,
and escape the pains, like grief.We are the good fairies….
- Jean Meudrot
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Let’s leave, if you wish, to the country of dreams,
Let’s forget life with its resentments,
And in that forgetfulness we have a respite
Where our hearts can finally melt.Let’s leave, if you wish, to the land of dreams!
Side by side as in legends,
We will go, hand in hand,
Walking always toward the immense moors,
Without taking care of our way,
Side by side as in legends, Both left to the land of dreams.Dear one, we will live in constant happiness,
What is important to us is that the hour is brief,
If the hour is for us the ideal romance,
Both of us are left in the land of dreams.-Rene Louis