Thirstin
03-07-2007, 01:52 PM
Ok I don't know how many people out there like/love/tolerate/sleep through opera. I really enjoy going. In fact I am going this Saturday. One of my favorite "songs" if you will is the Barcarolle from the Tales Of Hoffman. It is beautifully sung my 2 ladies as a duet. It's in French and I always wondered what the words mean. I mean just listening to the music and the melody you get a clue. I hope this link works, as it is one of the better performances I have heard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fepL7ez06ew I am not a big fan of von Otter but the other chick, the soprano (Giulietta if you are wondering), really belts it out. Below is the libretto and my lousy attempts at translation if anyone is more familiar with French please take a look over, drag out your red pen and tell me where I messed up. I hear that this piece was the inspiration to the Doors song Light My Fire by the way.
Nicklausse
Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour, Beautiful night, oh beautiful night of love
Souris à nos ivresses! Mouse? of our intoxications
Nuit plus douce que le jour, Night’s Softer than the Day
Ô belle nuit d'amour! Oh beautiful night of love
Giulietta, Nicklausse
Le temps fuit et sans retour Time flies away never to return
Emporte nos tendresses, Carries our tenderness
Loin de cet heureux séjour Far from this happy day
Le temps fuit sans retour. Time flies away never to return
/ Giulietta
| Zéphyrs embrasés, Zephyrs (the god? Winds?) set us ablaze
| Versez-nous vos caresses, Pour to us your caresses
| Zéphyrs embrasés, Zephyrs set us ablaze
| Donnez-nous vos baisers! Give to us your kisses
| Versez-nous vos baisers! Ah! Pour to us your kisses
| Nicklausse
| Zéphyrs embrasés, Zephyrs (Winds?) set us ablaze
| Versez-nous, Pour us
| Versez-nous vos caresses, Pour to us your caresses
vos baisers! Your kisses
\ Versez-nous vos baisers! Ah! Pour to us your kisses
/ Giulietta, Nicklausse
| Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour, Etc.
| Souris à nos ivresses,
| Nuit plus douce que le jour,
| Ô belle nuit d'amour!
| Choeur [SATTB]
\ Ah! ah!
/ Nicklausse|
Ô belle nuit d'amour!
| Souris à nos ivresses,
| Ô belle nuit d'amour!
| ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah!
| Giulietta
| Ah! Souris à nos ivresses!
| Nuit d'amour, ô nuit d'amour!
| Ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah!
| Choeur [SATTB]
| Ah! ah!
\ Ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah!
Nicklausse
Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour, Beautiful night, oh beautiful night of love
Souris à nos ivresses! Mouse? of our intoxications
Nuit plus douce que le jour, Night’s Softer than the Day
Ô belle nuit d'amour! Oh beautiful night of love
Giulietta, Nicklausse
Le temps fuit et sans retour Time flies away never to return
Emporte nos tendresses, Carries our tenderness
Loin de cet heureux séjour Far from this happy day
Le temps fuit sans retour. Time flies away never to return
/ Giulietta
| Zéphyrs embrasés, Zephyrs (the god? Winds?) set us ablaze
| Versez-nous vos caresses, Pour to us your caresses
| Zéphyrs embrasés, Zephyrs set us ablaze
| Donnez-nous vos baisers! Give to us your kisses
| Versez-nous vos baisers! Ah! Pour to us your kisses
| Nicklausse
| Zéphyrs embrasés, Zephyrs (Winds?) set us ablaze
| Versez-nous, Pour us
| Versez-nous vos caresses, Pour to us your caresses
vos baisers! Your kisses
\ Versez-nous vos baisers! Ah! Pour to us your kisses
/ Giulietta, Nicklausse
| Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour, Etc.
| Souris à nos ivresses,
| Nuit plus douce que le jour,
| Ô belle nuit d'amour!
| Choeur [SATTB]
\ Ah! ah!
/ Nicklausse|
Ô belle nuit d'amour!
| Souris à nos ivresses,
| Ô belle nuit d'amour!
| ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah!
| Giulietta
| Ah! Souris à nos ivresses!
| Nuit d'amour, ô nuit d'amour!
| Ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah!
| Choeur [SATTB]
| Ah! ah!
\ Ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! ah!