Habanera (aria)

In the form of habanera, there is a famous aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. It is sometimes referred to as "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle." ("Love is a rebellious bird"). Its score was adapted from the habanera "El Arreglito," originally composed by the Spanish musician Sebastián Yradier. Bizet thought it to be a folk song; when others told him he had used something that had been written by a composer who had died only ten years earlier, he had to add a note to the vocal score of Carmen, acknowledging its source. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.

It is based on a descending chromatic scale followed by variants of the same phrase in first the minor and then the major key, corresponding with the vicissitudes of love expressed in the lyrics.^{[citation needed]}

Opening theme to the Habanera

Text

All lyrics in parentheses are sung by Choir

French

Translation in English

(spoken intro) Quand je vous aimerai? Ma foi, je ne sais pas, Peut-être jamais, peut-être demain. Mais pas aujourd'hui, c'est certain (sung) L'amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser, et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle, s'il lui convient de refuser. Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière, l'un parle bien, l'autre se tait: Et c'est l'autre que je préfère, Il n'a rien dit mais il me plaît. L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! Carmen: L'amour est enfant de Bohême, il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (Prends garde à toi!) Si tu ne m’aimes pas, Si tu ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime! (Prends garde à toi!) Mais, si je t’aime, Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi! L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre battit de l'aile et s'envola ... l'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre; tu ne l'attends plus, il est là! Tout autour de toi, vite, vite, il vient, s'en va, puis il revient ... tu crois le tenir, il t'évite, tu crois l'éviter, il te tient. L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! Carmen: L'amour est enfant de Bohême, il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (Prends garde à toi!) Si tu ne m’aimes pas, Si tu ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime! (Prends garde à toi!) Mais, si je t’aime, Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi! Choir: L'amour est enfant de Bohême, il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (Prends garde à toi!) Carmen: Si tu ne m’aimes pas, Si tu ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime! (Prends garde à toi!) Mais, si je t’aime, Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi!

(spoken intro) When will I love you? Good Lord, I don't know, Maybe never, maybe tomorrow. But not today, that's for sure. (sung) Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame, and you can call him (although it is) quite in vain, because it suits him not to come. Nothing helps, neither threat nor prayer. One man talks well, the other, silent; but it's the other that I prefer. He says nothing, but he pleases me. Oh, love! Love! Love! Love! Carmen: Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (You'd best beware!) if you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware! The bird you hoped to catch beat its wings and flew away ... love stays away, you wait and wait; when least expected, there it is! All around you, swift, swift, it comes, goes, then it returns ... you think you hold it fast, it flees you think you're free, it holds you fast. Oh, love! Love! Love! Love! Carmen: Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (You'd best beware!) if you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware! Choir:Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (You'd best beware!) Carmen: if you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

See also

• Habanera for a discussion of the history of the habanera.

External links

• Text and translation at Aria-Database.com. The translation is a metrical one that tries to preserve the rhythm and meter of the original over nuance of meaning. For instance, the phrase prends garde à toi! is translated there as keep guard of yourself, whereas a more direct translation might be simply watch out!.
• Habanera: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
• Free sheet music of Habanera for voice & piano from Cantorion.org
• El Arreglito: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.