Opera Diploma: Lyrics and Translations

April 8, 2025

Content warning (click to open)

Come, Now a Roundel

TYTANIA
Come, now a roundel and a fairy song;
Then, for the third part of a minute, hence –
Some to kill cankers in the muskrose buds,
Some war with reremice for their leathern wings,
To make my small elves coats, and some keep back
The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders
At our quaint spirits.
Sing me now asleep;
Then to your offices and let me rest.

Come along, darling
NANCY
You oughtn’t to whistle!
I told you that, Sid!

SID
It’s perishing cold standing here in the street!
Twenty five minutes!-- I’m frozen stiff

NANCY
I slipped down the stairs as quick as I could.

SID
Let’s call at the pub for a couple of ports.

NANCY
Sid, we mustn’t!

SID
Warm us up quick

NANCY
Oh, no! People will talk
It’s getting terrible chilly
It’ll be terrible cold up there on the Common.

SID
You needn’t be frightened with me!
Come along, darling
Come follow me quick
Time is racing us round the clock,
Ticking and tocking our evening away
Which we hoped for and longed for all day!

NANCY
Hurry to work,

SID
Hurry to work,

SID & NANCY
Hurry to play,
Youth must hurry at head long pace,
Seizing and squeezing the pleasures of life,
In a cheerful, and a fearful embrace.

Hurry to work, (Nancy!)
Hurry to play (Nancy!)
Youth must hurry! (Nancy!)

SID
Give us a kiss, Nancy!

NANCY
Not here in the light!

SID
Kiss me!

NANCY
Windows have eyes!

SID
Kiss me!

SID & NANCY
Time is a glutton,
Time is a thief
Youth must challenge hum as he flies
Darling and sharing its dreams of delight
Between eight and eleven
At night!

Cease ruler of the day, to rise

HERCULES
You are deceived!
Some villain has bely’d my ever faithful love and constancy.

DEJANIRA
Would it were so,
And that the babbler fam had not through all the Grecian cities spread the shameful tale!

HERCULES
The priests of Jupiter prepare with solemn rites
to thank the god for the success of my victorious arms:
the ready sacrifice expects my presence.
I go, meantime let these suspicions sleep,
Nor causeless jealousy alarm thy breast

DEJANIRA
Dissembling false,
perfidious Hercules!
Did he not swear, when first he woo’d my love,
the sun should cease to dawn,
the silver moon be blotted from her orb,
ere he prov’d false?

Cease ruler of the day, to rise,
nor, thou Cynthia, gild the ev’ning skies,
to your bright beams he made appeal,
with endless night his falsehood seal

Some kinder pow’r inspire me,
to regain his alienated love,
and bring the wand’rer back!
Ha! Lucky thought!
I have a garment, dipt in Nessus’ blood,
When from the wound he drew the barbed shaft, sent by Hercules hand;
It boasts a wond’rous virtue,
to revive th’expiring flame of love:
so Nessus told me, when ying to my hand he trusted it –
I will prevail with Hercules to wear it, and prove its magic force.
Till then be still, my jealous fears,
and let my tongue dissemble the torture of my heart.

The princess Iöle!
Forgive me, princess,
If my jealous frenzy too roughly greeted you!
I see, and blame the error,
That misled me to insult that innocence and beauty.

IÖLE
Thank the gods, that have inspir’d your mind with calmer thoughts,
And remov’d the vulture, jealousy!
Live, and be happy in Hercules love,
While wretched Iöle –

DEJANIRA
Princess, no more!
But lift those beauteous eyes to the fair prospect of returning happiness.
at my request Hercules shall restore you to liberty
and your paternal throne.

Look! Through the port comes the moonshine astray

BILLY BUDD
Look!
Through the port comes the moon-shine astray!
It tips the guard′s cutlass and silvers this nook;
But 'twill die in the dawning of Billy′s last day.
Ay, ay, all is up;
and I must up too early in the morning, aloft from below.

On an empty stomach, now, never would it do.
They'll give me a nibble – bit of biscuit ere I go.
Sure, a messmate will reach me the last parting cup;
But turning heads away from the hoist and the belay,
heaven knows who will have the running of me up!
No pipe to those halyards – but ain't it all sham?
A blur′s in my eyes; it is dreaming that I am.

But Donald he has promised to stand by the plank,
so I′ll shake a friendly hand ere I sink.
But no! no!
It is dead then I'll be, come to think.
They′ll lash me in hammock,
drop me deep, fathoms down, fathoms –
how I'll dream fast asleep.
I feel it stealing now...
Roll me over fair.
I′m sleepy, and the oozy weeds about me twist.

Chacun le sait

MARIE
Chacun le sait, chacun le dit,
Le régiment par excellence
Le seul à qui l’on fass’ crédit
dans tous les cabarets de France...
le régiment, en tous pays,
l'effroi des amants des maris...
mais de la beauté bien suprême!

Il est là, morbleu! Le voilà corbleu!
Il est là, le voilà le beau Vingt-unième!

Il a gagné tant de combats,
que notre empereru, on le pense,
fera chacun de ses soldats,
à la paix, maréchal de France!
Car, c’est connu le régiment
le plus vainqueur, le plus charmant,
qu'un sexe craint, et que l’autre aime.

Il est là, morbleu! Le voilà corbleu!
Il est là, le voilà le beau Vingt-unième!

Translation: Everyone knows it

MARIE
Everyone knows it, everyone says it,
It is the regiments without equal!
The only one to which everyone gives credit to
In all the taverns of France...
This regiment in all countries,
Is the terror of all lovers and husbands...
But with beautiful women, it is the best!

It is there, the devil! There it is, good Lord!
It is there, there it is, the grand Twenty-first!

It has won so many battles
That our Emperor, one it thinks,
Will make every one of its soldiers,
In the peace time, a marshal of France!
For, it’s well known this regiment,
The most victorious, the most charming,
That one sex fears, and the other loves.

It is there, the devil! There it is, good Lord!
It is there, there it is, the grand Twenty-first!

Parto! Ma tu ben mio

SESTO
Parto, ma tu ben mio,
Meco ritorna in pace;
Saro qual più ti piace;
Quel che vorrai fato.

Guardami, e tutto oblio,
E a vendicarti io volo;
A questo sguardo dolo
Da me si pensera.
Ah qual poter, oh Dei!
Donaste alla belta.

Translation: I go, but, my dearest

SEXTUS
I go, but, my dearest,
make peace again with me.
I will be what you would most
have me be, do whatever you wish.

Look at me, and I will forget all
and fly to avenge you;
I will think only
of that glance at me.
Ah, ye gods, what power
you have given beauty!

The Idle King

ULYSSES
It little profits that an idle king
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Match'd with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.

I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees: All times I have enjoy'd
Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those
That loved me, and alone, on shore
I am become a name;

For always roaming with a hungry heart
Much have I seen and known
And drunk delight of battle with my peers,
Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
I am a part of all that I have met;

Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'
Gleams that untravell'd world whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!
As tho' to breathe were life! Life piled on life
Were all too little, and of one to me
Little remains.

Abends will ich schlafen gehn

HÄNSEL
Sandmann war da!

GRETEL
Lass uns den Abendsegen beten!

GRETEL, HÄNSEL
Abends will ich schlafen gehn,
vierzehn Engel um mich stehn:
zwei zu meinen Häupten,
zwei zu meinen Füssen,
zwei zu meiner Rechten,
zwei zu meiner Linken,
zweie, die mich decken,
zweie, die mich wecken…

GRETEL
…zweie, die mich weisen
zu Himmels Paradeisen!

HÄNSEL
… zweie, die zum Himmel weisen!

Translation: I want to go to sleep in the evening

HANSEL
The Sandman was here!

GRETEL
Let us pray the evening prayer!

GRETEL, HANSEL
I want to go to sleep in the evening,
fourteen angels stand around me:
two at my head,
two at my feet,
two to my right,
two to my left,
two who cover me,
two who wake me ...

GRETEL
... two who point me
to heaven Paradeisen!

HANSEL
... two, who point to heaven!

Wo bin ich?

GRETEL
Wo bin ich? Wach’ ich? Ist es ein Traum?
Hier lieg’ ich unterm Tannenbaum!
Hoch in den Zweigen da lispelt es leise,
Vöglein singen so süsse Weise,
Wohl früh schon waren sie aufgewacht
Und haben ihr Morgenliedchen dargebracht.
Ihr lieben Vöglein, liebe Vöglein, guten Morgen!

Sieh da, der faule Siebenschläfer!
Wart nur, dich weck’ ich!
Tirelireli, ‘s ist nich mehr früh!
Die Lerche hat’s gesungen
Und hoch sich aufgeschwungen.
Tirelireli!

Translation: Where am I?

GRETEL
Where am I? Am I awake? Is this a dream?
Here I am laying under the fir tree!
High in the braches are soft whispers,
Little birds singing sucha sweet melody,
They probably were awakened very early
And now have brought us their morning song.
You dear little birds, dear little birds, good morning!

Look there, the lazy dormouse!
Just wait, I’ll wake you up!
Ti re li re li! It is no longer early!
The lark has already sung
And flown high into the sky.
Ti re li re li!

Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen

FRITZ
Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen,
es träumt sich zurück.
Im Tanze gewann ich,
verlor ich mein Glück.
Im Tanze am Rhein,
bei Mondenschein,
gestand mirs aus Blau-aug
ein inniger Blick,
Gestand mirs ihr bittend Wort:
o bleib, o geh mir nicht fort,
bewahre der Heimat
still blühendes Glück.

Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen,
es träumt sich zurück.
Zauber der Ferne
warf in die Seele den Brand,
Zauber des Tanzes lockte,
ward Komödiant.
Folgt ihr, der Wundersüssen,
lernt unter Tränen küssen.
Rausch und Not,
Wahn und Glück:
Ach, das ist Gauklers Geschick.

Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen,
es träumt sich zurück.

Translation: My longing, my dreaming

FRITZ
My longing, my dreaming,
it dreams itself back.
I won in the dance,
I lost my luck.
Dancing on the Rhine,
by moonlight,
confessed it to me out of blue eyes
an intimate look,
Her pleading word confessed it to me:
oh stay, oh don't go away from me,
protect the homeland
quietly blooming happiness.

My longing, my dreaming,
it dreams itself back.
Magic from afar
threw fire into the soul,
The magic of dance beckoned,
became a comedian.
Follow her, the wonderfully sweet one,
learns to kiss through tears.
intoxication and distress,
Madness and luck:
Oh, that's Gaukler's skill.

My longing, my dreaming,
it dreams itself back.

Und dann, und dann, und dann

JULIETTE
Und dann, und dann, und dann, ersparen Sie die Müh,
Ich weiss zu veil schon, schweigen Sie!

FIRMIN
Nein, nein! Nein! Hören müssen Sie.
Juliette! Was ich bei Monsieur Simon sah was ich sah,
Als er das Brieflein las, haha!
Da schlug er eine Pirouette und einen Entrechat dazu.

JULIETTE
O weh, o der hat das Billet doux der kommt gewiss zum Rendezvous

FIRMIN
So küsste er das Billetdoux, und machte Entrechats dazu!
Nun warum lachst du nicht? Mein Kind?

JULIETTE
Warum? Warum, weil Sie ein Tölpel sind.

FIRMIN
Ein Tölpel ich? Ist das mein Lohn?

JULIETTE
Was laufen Sie so schnell davon?

FIRMIN
Weil du so flügge mich geküsst

JULIETTE
Weil du der grösste Dummkopf bist.

FIRMIN
Das ist zu viel, Mademoiselle. Genugthuung gleich auf der Stell!

JULIETTE
Aus meinen Augen, fort hinaus, sonst kratz ich dir die Augen aus.

FIRMIN, JULIETTE
O weh, O weh.

FIRMIN
Mit Weiber Herzen ist nicht zu scherzen, denn bittre Schmerzen sind oft der Lohn.

JULIETTE
Ach mit den Herzen, ist nicht zu scherzen, denn bittre Schmerzen trägt man davon,

FIRMIN
Die heute lachen sind morgen Drachen, und solche Schen trägt man davon.

JULIETTE
Gut wollt ichs machen, helfen und wavhen und solche Sachen sind nun mein Lohn.

FIRMIN, JULIETTE
Ach mit dem Herzen man scherze nur nicht denn solche Sachen sind dann der Lohn.

FIRMIN
Juliette schliessen wir den Frieden mir ward ja schon mein Theil beschieden,
Kann ich dafür wenn man gelacht, und einen Entrechat gemacht.

JULIETTE
Abscheulicher du kaüst noch höhnen, er spottet über meine Thränen,
Er hat kein Herz

FIRMIN
Oho! Und wie und das ist gar zu schwach für Sie!
Für Sie bin ich so schnell geflogen, für Sie trug ich den Schlag davon,
D’rum Kind sei wie der mir gewogen und gib mir meinen Botenlohn
Der erste Kuss war gar so süss nun krieg ich nichts mehr!

JULIETTE
Nichts als dies!
Ha das ist heute nun schon die zweite!

FIRMIN, JULIETTE
Mit Weiber Herzen...

Translation: And then, and then, and then

JULIETTE
And then, and then, and then, save yourself the trouble,
I know too much already, keep quiet!

FIRMIN
No, no! No! You have to listen.
Juliette! What I saw at Mr. Simon’s, what I saw,
When he read the letter, ha ha!
Then he did a pirouette and an entrechat.

JULIETTE
Oh dear, Oh he has the love letter and will definitely come to the rendezvous

FIRMIN
So he kissed the love letter and made entrechats to it!
Now why aren’t you laughing? My child?

JULIETTE
Why? Why, because you are an idiot.

FIRMIN
I’m an idiot? Is that my reward?

JULIETTE
Why are you running away so quickly?

FIRMIN
Because you kissed me like that

JULIETTE
Because you are the biggest fool.

FIRMIN
This is too much, Mademoiselle. Satisfaction right away!

JULIETTE
Out of my sight, get away, or I will scratch your eyes out.

JULIETTE & FIRMIN
Oh dear, oh dear.

FIRMIN
With women’s hearts you shouldn’t play, for bitter pain is often the reward.

JULIETTE
Oh with hearts you shouldn’t joke, because you carry bitter pain.

FIRMIN
Those who laugh today are dragons tomorrow, and things like that get carried away.

JULIETTE
I wanted to do well, help and watch and things like that are now my reward.

JULIETTE & FIRMIN
Oh, with your heart just don’t joke because things like that are the reward.

FIRMIN
Juliette, let’s make peace, I’ve already been given my part
I can do that if you laughed and did an entrechat.

JULIETTE
More hideous you can still sneer, he mocks my tears,
He has no heart

FIRMIN
Oh no! And how and that is too weak for you!

For you I flew so fast, for you I took the hit,
Therefore child, be kind and give me my messenger’s wages,
The first kiss was so sweet, but now I can’t get it anymore! (turning his cheek)

JULIETTE
Nothing but this! (slaps his face)

FIRMIN
Ha! This is the second one today!

Près des remparts de Séville

CARMEN
Près des remparts de Séville,
Chez mon ami Lillas Pastia,
J'irai danser la séguedille
Et boire du Manzanilla!
J'irai chez mon ami Lillas Pastia.
Oui, mais toute seule on s'ennuie,
Et les vrais plaisirs sont à deux .
Donc pour me tenir compagnie,
J'emmènerai mon amoureux
Mon amoureux! ... Il est au diable
Je l'ai mis à la porte hier .
Mon pauvre coeur très consolable,
Mon coeur est libre comme l'air .
J'ai des galants à la douzaine,
Mais ils ne sont pas à mon gré;
Voici la fin de la semaine,
Qui veut m'aimer je l'aimerai.
Qui veut mon âme ... elle est à prendre .
Vous arrivez au bon moment,
Je n'ai guère le temps d'attendre,
Car avec mon nouvel amant
Près des remparts de Séville.
Chez mon ami Lillas Pastia,
Nous danserons la séguedille
Et boirons du Manzanilla.
Tra la la la la la la la la la la!

Translation: Near the ramparts of Seville

CARMEN
Near the ramparts of Seville,
At my friend Lillas Pastia's,
I will dance the seguid
And drink Manzanilla!
I'll go to my friend Lillas Pastia's house.
Yes, but all alone is bored,
And the real pleasures are two.
So to keep me company,
I will take my lover
My lover! ... he is at odds
I kicked him out yesterday.
My poor heart very consolable,
My heart is free as the air.
I have gallants at the dozen,
But they are not to my liking;
Here is the end of the week,
Who wants to love me I will love him.
Who wants my soul ... she is to take.
You arrive at the right moment,
I do not have time to wait,
Because with my new lover
Near the walls of Seville.
At my friend Lillas Pastia's,
We will dance the seguid
And drink of Manzanilla.
Tra la la la la la la la la la!

Nous avons en tête une affaire

Dancairo:
Pas trop mauvaises les nouvelles,
Et nous pouvons encor faire quelques beaux coups!
Mais nous avons besoin de vous.

The three women:
Besoin de nous?

Dancairo:
Oui, nous avons besoin de vous.
Nous avons en tête une affaire.

Mercédès:
Est-elle bonne, dites-nous?

Dancairo:
Elle est admirable, ma chère;
Mais nous avons besoin de vous.

The three women:
De nous?

The two men:
De vous, car nous l’avouons humblement
Et fort respectueusement,
Quand il s’agit de tromperie, de duperie, de volerie,
It est toujours bon, sur ma foi,
D’avoir les femmes avec soi,
Et sans elles, mes toute belles,
On ne fait jamais rien de bien.

The three women:
Quoi! Sans nous jamais rien de bien?

The two men:
N’êtes-vous pas de cet avis?

The three women:
Si fait, je suis de cet avis.

All five:
Quand il s’agit de tromperie, etc.

Dancairo:
Cet dit alors, vous partirez.

Merédès and Frasquita:
Quand vous voudrez.

Dancairo:
Mais tout de suite.

Carmen:
Ah! Permettez. S’il vous plaît de partir, partez
Mais je ne suis pas du voyage,
Je ne pars pas!

Dancairo and Remedado:
Carmen, mon amour, tu viendra,
Et tu n’auras pas le courage
De nous laisser dans l’embarras.

Carmen:
Je ne pars pas!

Dancairo:
Mais au moins la raison, Carmen, tu la diras?

Carmen:
Je la dirai certainement.

Dancairo, Remendado, Frasquita, Mercédès:
Voyons!

Carmen:
La raison c’est qu’en ce moment…

All four:
Eh bien?...

Carmen:
Je suis amoureuse.

The two men:
Qu’a-t-elle dit?

The two women:
Elle dit qu’elle est amoureuse!

All four:
Amoureuse!

Carmen:
Oui, amoureuse!

Dancairo:
Voyons, Carmen, sois sérieuse.

Carmen:
Amoureuse à perdre I'esprit!

Remendado, Dancairo:
La chose certes nous étonne,
mais ce n'est pas le premier jour
Où vous aurez su, ma mignonne,
faire marcher de front le devoir et l'amour.

Carmen:
Mes amis, je serais fort aise
De partir avec vous ce soir
Mais cette fois, ne vous déplaise,
Il faudra que l’amour passe avant le devoir.

Dancairo:
Ce n’est pas là ton dernier mot?

Carmen:
Absolument!

Remendado:
Il faut que tu te laisses attendrir.

All four:
Il faut venir, Carmen,pour notre affaire,
C’est nécessaire, car entre nous…

Carmen:
Quant à cela, je l’admets avec vous…

All five:
Quand il s’agit tromperie, etc.

Translation: We have a job in mind

Dancairo:
Not too bad, the news,
And we can still pull off some lovely jobs!
But we are in need of you.

The three women:
Need of us?

Dancairo:
Yes we are in need of you.
We have in mind a job.

Mercédès:
Is it a good one, tell us?

Dancairo:
It is admirable, my dear;
But we have need of you.

The three women:
Of us?

The two men:
Of you, for we admit it humbly
And quite respectfully,
When its a matter of trickery, of deceit, of thievery,
It is always good, upon my faith,
Having the women with us,
And without them, my beautiful one,
We never do anything well.

The three women:
What! Without us never anything well?

The two men:
Aren’t you not of that opinion?

The three women:
Indeed, I am of that opinion.

All five:
When its a matter of trickery, etc.

Dancairo:
It’s settled then, you will go.

Merédès and Frasquita:
Whenever you wish.

Dancairo:
But immediately.

Carmen:
Ah! Allow me. If it pleases you to go, go,
But I am not for this trip,
I am not going!

Dancairo and Remendado:
Carmen, my love, you will come,
And you won’t have the heart
To leave us in the lurch.

Carmen:
I am not going!

Dancairo:
But at least the reason, Carmen, you will tell us?

Carmen:
I will tell you, certainly.

Dancairo, Remendado, Frasquita, Mercédès:
Let’s hear it!

Carmen:
The reason is that at this moment…

All four:
Well?...

Carmen:
I am in love.

The two men:
What did she say?

The two women:
She says that she is in love!

All four:
In love!

Carmen:
Yes, in love!

Dancairo:
See here, Carmen, be serious.

Carmen:
I am head over hells in love!

Remendado, Dancairo:
The matter surely astounds us,
but it is not the first time
where you will have known, my pretty,
It's not the first time that you went ahead and combined duty and love.

Carmen:
My friends, I would be most happy
To leave with you this evening
But this time, may it not displease you,
It is necessary that love go before the duty.

Dancairo:
It is not that your last word?

Carmen:
Absolutely!

Remendado:
It is necessary that you allow yourself to be softened.

All four:
You must come, Carmen, for the sake of our job,
It is necessary, for between ourselves…

Carmen:
As far as that, I admit it with you…

All five:
When its a matter of trickery, etc.

Soave sia il vento

FIORDILIGI, DORABELLA e DON ALFONSO
Soave sia il vento,
Tranquilla sia l'onda,
Ed ogni elemento
Benigno risponda
Ai nostri/vostri desir.

Translation: May the Wind be Gentle

FIORDILIGI, DORABELLA AND DON ALFONSO
Gentle be the breeze,
Calm be the waves,
And every element
Smile in favour
On their wish.