Excerpts from Balfe's The Bohemian Girl

Rebecca Hains and Steve Macdonald sing a duet sequence from Balfe's The Bohemian Girl. Accompanied by William Gatens. http://rebecca.hains.net

LYRICS
Thaddeus
(taking her hand and pointing to the mark)
The wound upon thine arm,
Whose mark thro' life 'twill be,
In saving thee from greater harm
Was there transfix'd by me.

Arline
By thee?

Thaddeus
Ere on thy gentle head
Thy sixth sun had its radiance shed,
A wild deer, who had lain at bay,
Pursued by hunters cross'd thy way.

Arline
Well?

Thaddeus
By slaying him I rescued thee.

Arline
Yes!

Thaddeus
And in his death-throe's agony,
They tender form, by his antler gor'd,
This humble arm to thy home restor'd.

Arline
Strange feeligns move this breast,
It never knew before,
And bid me here implore
That you reveal, that you reveal the rest.

Thaddeus
The secret of her birth
To me is only known,
The secret of a life whose worth
I prize beyond mine own, beyond mine own.

Arline
The secret of my birth
To him is only known,
The secret of a life whose worth
Perchance he will disown, disown.

/ Arline
| The secret of my birth
| To him is only known,
| The secret of a life whose worth
| Perchance he will disown, he will disown;
| The secret of my birth
| To him is only known,
| The secret of a life whose worth
| Perchance he will disown.
|
| Thaddeus
| The secret of her birth
| To me is only known,
| The secret of a life whose worth
| I prize beyond mine own, beyond mine own;
| The secret of her birth
| To me is only known,
| The secret of a life whose worth
| I prize beyond mine own.

Arline
Speak, tell me, ease my tortur'd heart,
Speak, and that secret, evil or good, evil or good, impart.

Thaddeus
I will tell thee, I will tell thee all,
tho' I lose thee, I lose thee forever.

Arline
Speak, tell me, ease my tortur'd heart.

Thaddeus
I will tell the all, tho' I lose,
tho' I lose thee forever.

Arline (with great feeling)
What is the spell hath yet effac'd
The first fond lines that love hath trac'd,
And after years have but imprest
More dep in love's confiding breast?


Thaddeus
And yet few spells have e'er effac'd
The first fond lines that love hath trac'd,
And after years have but imprest
More deep in love's confiding breast!

Arline
Speak, ease my tortur'd breast.

Thaddeus
I'll tell thee all, though I lose thee forever.

Arline
Speak, speak, speak!

Thaddeus
I will tell thee all.

Arline and Thaddeus together
Ah! What is the spell hath yet effac'd
The first fond lines that love hath trac'd,
And after years have but imprest
More deep in love's confiding breast?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Balfe
• Bohemian
• Girl
• soprano
• tenor
• duet

[qklq42]

You can search the integrale opera on two CD's. The label is ARGO number 433 324-2. The sound of this recording is a little bit cold. I have a 78-rpm with highlights on the legendary label Zonophone. I will try to post it on YT. And there is always the motionpicture of Laurel and Hardy from 1936 !

[kate18234]

How wonderful to hear Balfe -- I searched a couple of years ago at Tower Records and found nought. Memories of childhood.

[kate18234]

Where to find the CDs?

[kincsem1]

hear hear! opera south did it this year 2008, hope somewhere else does it soon! thanks..

[gmmix]

Any effort expended to keep this fine opera before the public is greatly appreciated. Nice voices. The choruses in Bohemian Girl are truly magnificent. If you've never heard the entire opera, try to lay hands on the 2-CD set and give it a listen! You won't be disappointed. THANKS for this posting.