Saturday, January 1, 2011

Elina Garancha as Carmen: CHANSON BOHÉMIENNE (Gypsy Song) w. Translation

Elina Garancha (or Garanca), as CARMEN in Georges Bizet opera, sings CHANSON BOHÉMIENNE (Gypsy Song) (Translation's below):


CHANSON BOHÉMIENNE (Gypsy Song) w. Translation

Carmen
The sistrums had the clanging sound
That their rods made as they were swaying,
And then with that strange music playing
The Gypsy girls rose to the ground.
The tambourines would race along,
And stubborn hands that kept up with them
Gave their guitars a furious rhythm,
The same refrain, the same old song,
The same refrain, the same old song.
Tra la la la
Tra la la la
Tra la la la
Tra la la la la la la la.

The copper and the silver rings
On swarthy skins were bright and shining;
And skirts with red or orange lining
Would flutter in the wind like wings.
The dance was married to the song,
The dance was married to the song,
At first unsure and hesitating,
Then lively and accelerating…
It all kept rising, rising all along!

The men, with strength as if from hell,
Now beat their instruments to sound them,
And with that dazzling noise around them
The women fell under its spell.
And to the rhythm of the song,
And to the rhythm of the song,
All hot and crazy, fevered, sweating,
Intoxicated, they were letting
The whirlwind carry them along!

Music Reading Made Easy

CHANSON BOHÉMIENNE Lyrics:

Carmen
Les tringles des sistres tintaient
avec un éclat métallique,
et sur cette étrange musique
les zingarellas se levaient.
Tambours de basque allaient leur train,
et les guitares forcenées
grinçaient sous des mains obstinées,
même chanson, même refrain,
même chanson, même refrain.
Tra la la la
tra la la la
tra la la la
tra la la la la la la la.

Les anneaux de cuivre et d’argent
reluisaient sur les peaux bistrées;
d’orange ou de rouge zébrées
les étoffes flottaient au vent.
La danse au chant se mariait,
la danse au chant se mariait;
d’abord indécise et timide,
plus vive ensuite et plus rapide...
cela montait, montait, montait, montait!

Les Bohémiens, à tour de bras,
de leurs instruments faisaient rage,
et cet éblouissant tapage
ensorcelait les zingaras.
Sous le rhythme de la chanson,
sous le rhythme de la chanson,
ardentes, folles, enfiévrées,
elles se laissaient, enivrées,
emporter par le tourbillon!


Elina Garanca: Habanera