L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Georges Bizet
I listened to a lot of renditions of the popular aria from Bizet's Opera, Carmen; but I found them all of them either too exaggerated, or unnatural, or too slow, or something just not quite right.
But then I chanced upon Julia Migenes' performance and I fell in love. To me, it's perfect; sung in a light and lively style, with deep passion throughout.
This aria is how the main character is introduced, and the score was adapted by Bizet from a habanera originally composed by a Spanish musician. Bizet believed the habanera to be a common folk song, and upon finding out it was composed by a musician, he added a note to the score crediting the source.
Migenes' performance is taken from the 1984 film.
It can be found on the album, 40 Most Beautiful Arias.
Part one of Migenes' performance
French
[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 est un oiseau rebelle) L'amour...
(Que nul ne peut apprivoiser,) L'amour...
(Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle,) L'amour...
(S'il lui convient de refuser.) L'amour...
L'amour est enfant de bohème,
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'amour est enfant de bohème,)
(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! (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!
(Tout autour de toi, vite, vite) L'amour...
(Il vient, s'en va, puis il revient.) L'amour...
(Tu crois le tenir, il t'évite,) L'amour...
(Tu crois l'éviter, il te tient!) L'amour...
L'amour est enfant de bohème,
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'amour est enfant de bohème,)
(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! (Prends garde à toi!)
English Translation
[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 none can tame,
And it is well in vain that one calls it
If it suits him to refuse
Nothing to be done, threat or prayer.
The one talks well, the other is silent;
And it's the other that I prefer
He says nothing but he pleases me.
(Love is a rebellious bird) Love...
(that none can tame,) Love...
(and you can call him, although it is, quite in vain,) Love...
(because it suits him not to come) Love...
Love is a gypsy's child,
It has never, never known the law;
If you do not love me, I love you;
If I love you, take guard yourself (Take guard yourself!)
If you do not love me,
If you do not love me, I love you (Take guard yourself!)
But if I love you, if I love you
Take guard yourself!
(Love is a gypsy's child,)
(It has never, never known the law;)
(If you do not love me, I love you;)
(If I love you, take guard yourself) (Take guard yourself!)
If you do not love me,
If you do not love me, I love you (Take guard yourself!)
But if I love you, if I love you
Take guard yourself! (Take guard yourself!)
The bird you hoped to catch
Beat its wings and flew away ...
Love is far, you can wait for it
You no longer await it, there it is
All around you, swift, swift,
It comes, goes, then it returns ...
You think to hold it fast, it flees you
You think to flee it, it holds you
(All around you, swift,) Love...
(It comes, goes, then it returns) Love...
(You think to hold it fast, it flees you) Love...
(You think to flee it, it holds you) Love...
Love is a gypsy's child,
it has never, never known the law;
if you love me not, then I love you;
if I love you, take guard yourself (Take guard yourself!)
if you love me not,
if you love me not, then I love you (Take guard yourself!)
but if I love you, if I love you
take guard yourself!
(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, take guard yourself) (Take guard yourself!)
if you love me not,
if you love me not, then I love you (Take guard yourself!)
but if I love you, if I love you
take guard yourself (Take guard yourself)