'Les Bohémiennes' - Michael Aspinall & Karen Christenfeld - Duet

The duet "Les Bohémiennes" ("The Gypsy Girls") was composed by Pauline Viardot Garcia after some of the 'Hungarian Dances' of Brahms. This performance comes from a recital given by Michael Aspinall, the 'Surprising Soprano', in the New York Town Hall in 1987. His fellow duettist was Karen Christenfeld and the pianist was David Triestram. Also uploaded here from the same recital is the Comic Duet 'La Mascotte.' Below are the lyrics by Victor Wilder and an English translation. Plus vagabondes que les chèvres, Roving more than goats, Et le refrain joyeux aux lèvres, With a happy song on our lips, Du fond de la Bohème nous venons, We come from far away Bohemia Jetant au vent l'écho de nos chansons. throwing to the winds the echo of our songs. Vives et prestes, Lively and nimble, Souples et lestes, supple and light, Tendant le pied, stretching our legs, cambrant les hanches. flexing our hips. Sur la bruyère, Upon the heath, Dans la poussière, In the dust, Nous dansons à l'ombre des branches, We dance in the shade of the trees, Nous dansons au son du tambourin! We dance to the sound of the tambourine! Ai-je faim? J'allonge la main, Am I hungry? I reach out my hand Pour cueillir les fruits du chemin! to pick the roadside fruits! Ai-je soif, j'ai pour ressource Am I thirsty? I can rely on L'onde fraiche de la source; The fresh waters of the spring; Et le soir, dans les roseaux, And in the evening, in the reeds Je fais mon nid ainsi que les oiseaux. I make my nest together with the birds. Ah! Plus vagabondes que les chèvres ... Ah! roving more than goats ... Je sais lire dans les cieux, I know how to read the skies, Dans la flamme de l'étoile, In the shining stars Dans les astres, à mes yeux, In the heavenly bodies, to my eyes L'avenir, l'avenir se dévoile! all the future is revealed! Jeunes belles et jeunes gens, Young girls and young men, Voulez-vous savoir qui vous aime, Would you like to know who loves you? Apportez vos écus sonnants, Bring your tinkling pennies Chez la fille de la Bohème. To the daughter of Bohemia. Plus vagabondes que les chèvres .... More roving than goats ....