Siciliènne
French source:
Joseph Méry
La beauté,
Ciel que dore
La gaîté,
Loin des villes
Frais asiles,
Flots tranquilles
C'est l'été!
Lune pleine,
Mer qui luit,
Tiède haleine
Qui la suit.
Sous la treille,
Douce veille,
Sans pareille:
C'est la nuit!
Feu qui dore
Tout séjour
Et dévore
Chaque jour,
Deuil et fête,
Dans la tête
Du poète :
C'est l'amour!
Siciliènne
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
By beauty,
Sky gilded
By gaiety,
Far from towns,
Fresh shelters,
Peaceful waves,
This is summer.
Full moon,
Gleaming sea,
Warm breath
Which follows it.
Beneath the vine-arbour,
We sweetly
And peerlessly lie in wait:
This is night.
Fire which gilds
Every home
And consumes
Each day.
Mourning and celebration
In the head
Of the poet:
This is love.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Siciliènne
French source:
Joseph Méry
Siciliènne
English source:
Richard Stokes
Fleurs qu'adore
Flowers adorned
La beauté,
By beauty,
Ciel que dore
Sky gilded
La gaîté,
By gaiety,
Loin des villes
Far from towns,
Frais asiles,
Fresh shelters,
Flots tranquilles
Peaceful waves,
C'est l'été!
This is summer.
Lune pleine,
Full moon,
Mer qui luit,
Gleaming sea,
Tiède haleine
Warm breath
Qui la suit.
Which follows it.
Sous la treille,
Beneath the vine-arbour,
Douce veille,
We sweetly
Sans pareille:
And peerlessly lie in wait:
C'est la nuit!
This is night.
Feu qui dore
Fire which gilds
Tout séjour
Every home
Et dévore
And consumes
Chaque jour,
Each day.
Deuil et fête,
Mourning and celebration
Dans la tête
In the head
Du poète :
Of the poet:
C'est l'amour!
This is love.
Composer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a German opera composer of Jewish birth who has been described as perhaps the most successful stage composer of the nineteenth century.
