BIZET WOULD BE SO PLEASED THAT THERE IS SUCH INTEREST IN
THE LYRICS TO THE "HABENERA". FROM THE VERY FIRST TIME
I HEARD IT, I LOVED IT, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T SPEAK THE
LANGUAGE, AND CERTAINLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE SONG,
WORD FOR WORD, THE SINGER CERTAINLY MADE IT CLEAR
THAT THIS WAS A FLIRTY LOVE SONG.
SINCE THEN I'VE ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE THE FILM
"CARMEN JONES", WHICH IS AN UPDATED, BLACK VERSION
OF THE OPERA, AND PROBABLY YOUR BEST BET TO FIND THE
WORDS, IN ENGLISH, ALTHOUGH, I AM SURE THERE HAS BEEN
SOMETHING LOST IN TRANSLATION. HOWEVER, AT LEAST
THIS PRESENTAION OF "CARMEN" HAS WORDS THAT FIT NICELY
WITH THE MUSIC, AND IS EASIER TO SING.
ALSO LOST IN TRANSLATION WAS THE BEAUTY OF THE OPERA,
BECAUSE OF COURSE THE SETTING IS DIFFERENT, THE
COSTUMING IS NOT RICH AND SULTRY,AND CARMEN IS NOT
THE MUCH SOUGHT AFTER CIGARETTE MAKER OF THE
ORIGINAL OPERA.
IN THE ORIGINAL OPERA, "THE HABENERA" IS THE SONG THAT
BASICLY INTRODUCES CARMEN, AND HER SONG IS COMPARING
LOVE TO A LITTLE BIRD THAT FLIES AWAY WHEN YOU SEEK
AFTER IT, BUT TURN YOUR BACK TO IT, AND IT WILL COME BACK...
LA MORE,LAMORE, LAMORE,LAMORE...
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I RECALL MARIA CALLAS SANG
CARMEN, BUT I COULD BE WRONG.
IN THE UPDATED MOVIE, DOROTHY DANDRIGE PLAYED
CARMEN, AND IN HER VERSION OF THE "HABENERA", THE
LITTLE BIRD IS GONE, AND THE SONG IS MORE PERSONALIZED.
FOR EXAMPLE;" YOU DON'T CARE FOR ME, BUT I LOVE YOU,
BUT IF YOU LOVE ME, BABY THAT'S IT FOR YOU" AND IN
ANOTHER LINE, "YOU LOVE ME, BUT I'M TABU !"
MIGHT I SUGGEST THAT YOU GO OUT AND BUY THE SHEET
MUSIC FOR CARMEN, AND SEE BOTH VERSIONS, AND
THEN DECIDE HOW TO PROCEED?
OUI?
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