Habanera (aria) Totally Explained

Everything about Habanera Aria totally explained

The "Habanera" is an aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, adapted from the habanera "El Arreglito" originally composed by Sebastián Yradier. The song is also sometimes known by its first two lines, "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser". Its melody, among the most famous in the Western musical tradition, 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. In live performances, after singing the concluding words of the song (prends garde à toi!), Carmen tosses a flower to Don José. Later on, in the celebrated Flower Song, Don José tells how he treasured the flower while in prison.

Libretto

French

Translation in English

ť Quand je vous aimerai?

:Ma foi, je ne sais pas, ť Peut-être jamais, peut-être demain.

   Mais pas aujourd'hui, c'est certain. ť L'amour est un oiseau rebelle

   que nul ne peut apprivoiser, ť et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle,

   s'il lui convient de refuser. ť Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière,

   l'un parle bien, l'autre se tait: ť Et c'est l'autre que je préfère,

   Il n'a rien dit mais il me plaît. ť L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! L'amour!

ť L'amour est enfant de Bohème,

   il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; ť si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime:

   si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (x2) ť L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre

   battit de l'aile et s'envola ... ť l'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre;

   tu ne l'attends plus, il est là! ť Tout autour de toi, vite, vite,

   il vient, s'en va, puis il revient ... ť tu crois le tenir, il t'évite,

   tu crois l'éviter, il te tient. ť L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! L'amour!

ť L'amour est enfant de Bohème,

   il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; ť si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime:

   si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (x2)

ť When will I love you?

   Good lord, I don't know, ť Maybe never, maybe tomorrow.

   But not today, that's for sure. ť Love is a rebellious bird

   that nobody can tame, ť and you call him quite in vain

   if it suits him not to come. ť Nothing helps, neither threat nor prayer.

   One man talks well, the other keeps silent; ť it's the other one that I prefer.

   He never said anything, but I like his looks. ť Love! Love! Love! Love!

ť Love is a Bohemian child,

   it has never, ever, known law; ť if you love me not, then I love you;

   if I love you, you'd best beware! etc. ť The bird you thought you'd caught

   beat its wings and flew away ... ť love stays away, you wait and wait;

   when least expected, there it is! ť All around you, swift, so swift,

   it comes, it goes, and then returns ... ť you think you hold it fast, it flees

   you think you're free, it holds you fast. ť Love! Love! Love! Love!

ť Love is a Bohemian child,

   it has never, ever, known law; ť if you love me not, then I love you;

   if I love you, you'd best beware!

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