FIRST COURSE: ITALY

"Brindisi" from Verdi's La Traviata

[Alfredo]
Let's drink from the joyful glasses
where beauty is blossoming.
Let the fleeRng hour yield to our intoxicaRon. Let’s drink to love’s sweet shivers,
to those eyes that pierce the heart.
Let's drink to love –
to wine that warms our kisses.

[Chorus]
Let’s drink to love – to wine that warms our kisses.

[Violetta]
With you, I would share my days of happiness.
Everything is folly in this world, unless I brings us pleasure. Let's enjoy life,
for the joys of love are swi] and fleeRng -
Like a flower that lives and then dies,
and can no longer be enjoyed.
Let’s take our pleasure!
While its ardent, brilliant summons lure us on.

[Chorus]
Let’s take our pleasure of wine, singing, and joy, unRl the paradise of a new day dawns on us.

[Violetta]
Life is just pleasure...

[Alfredo]
But if one waits for love...

[Violetta]
I know nothing of that – don’t tell me!

[Alfredo]
But it’s there that my fate lies.

[Violetta, Alfredo and Chorus]
Let’s take our pleasure of wine, singing, and joy, unRl the paradise of a new day dawns on us.

"Sempre Libera" from Verdi's La Traviata

[Violetta]

It's madness! It's empty delirium!

A poor, lonely woman

Abandoned in this

teeming desert

They call Paris!

What can I hope?

What should I do?

Enjoy myself!

Plurge into the vortex

Of pleasure and drown there!

Enjoy myself!

Free and aimless I must flutter

From pleasure to pleasure,

Skimming the surface

Of life's primrose path.

As each day dawns,

As each day dies,

Gaily I turn to the new delights

That make my spirit soar.

SECOND COURSE: GERMANY

"Widmung" from Schumann's Myrthen

You my soul, you my heart,

You my rapture, O you my pain,

You my world in which I live,

My heaven you, to which I aspire,

O you my grave, into which

My grief forever I’ve consigned!

You are repose, you are peace,

You are bestowed on me from heaven.

Your love for me gives me my worth,

Your eyes transfigure me in mine,

You raise me lovingly above myself,

My guardian angel, my better self!

"Klange der Heimat" from Strauss' Die Fledermaus

[Rosalinde]

Sounds of my homeland,

you rouse my longing,

bring tears into my eyes!

When I hear you, you songs of home,

I am drawn back, my Hungary, to you!

O homeland so wondrous,

how brightly the sun shines there!

How green your forests, how smiling the meadows,

o land where I was so happy!

Yes, your beloved image quite fills my soul,

your beloved image!

And though I am far, so far from you, for all eternity

my thoughts will evermore

all be dedicated to you alone!

O homeland so wondrous,

how brightly the sun shines there!

Fervor, zest for life swell the true Hungarian breast,

Hurrah! For the sprightly dance

the csárdás sounds loud and clear!

Brown-skinned girl, you must be my dancing partner;

give me your arm quickly, dark-eyed child!

Thirsty tipplers, take up the cup,

pass it swiftly from hand to hand!

Sip the fire in the tokay,

give a cheer from the fatherland! Ha!

Fervor, zest for life

swell the true Hungarian breast,

Hurrah! For the sprightly dance

the csárdás sounds loud and clear!

La, la, la, la, la, la!

THIRD COURSE: SPAIN

“El día que me quieras” by Carlos Gardel

Caress my dream

The soft murmur

Of your sigh

How life laughs

If your dark eyes

Want to look at me

And if yours is the shelter

Of your gentle laughter

Which is like a song

It soothes my wound

Everything, everything is forgotten

The day you love me

The rose that adorns

Will dress up for a party

In its best color

And in the wind the bells

Will say that you are mine

And the fountains, mad with joy

Will tell each other of their love

The night you love me

From the blue of the sky

The jealous stars

Will watch us pass

And a mysterious ray of light

Will nest in your hair

Curious fireflies will see

That you are my comfort

The day you love me

There will be nothing but harmony

The dawn will be clear

And the spring will be joyful

The breeze will bring

The murmur of melody

And the fountains will give us

Their crystal song

The day you love me

The singing bird

Will sweeten its strings

Life will blossom

There will be no pain

The night you love me

"Habanera" from Bizet's Carmen

[Carmen]

Love is a rebellious bird

That no one can tame,

And it is in vain that it is called

If he agrees to refuse.

Nothing works; threat or prayer,

One speaks well, the other is silent;

And that's the other one I prefer,

He did not say anything, but I like him.

Love is Bohemian child,

He never, never knew a law;

If you do not love me, I love you;

If I love you,

Beware!

The bird that you thought surprised

Battled the wing and flew away

Love is far away, you can wait for it

You do not expect him anymore ... he is here

All around you, fast, fast,

He comes, goes, then comes back

You think you're holding him, he's avoiding you,

You think you're avoiding him, he's holding you.

Love is Bohemian child,

He never knew a law;

If you do not love me, I love you;

If I love you,

Beware!

FOURTH COURSE: FRANCE

“Non, vous n’avez jamais” from Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots

[Urbain]

No, no, no, you have never, I take it, no, never heard anything like it from the voice of a young page! 

Ah! No, no, no, and the girls of the village will never forget the sight! 

Surrounded by people, over his eyes a blindfold, a handsome gentleman appears; gliding like a shadow he passes, and treading lightly he crosses the space; and young and old, follow him with their eyes and say: 

"Who is he?" and then, "Where is he going?" and “What is he looking for?” 

It's a big hubbub! 

The gentleman can't see a thing. 

He gropes his way along, his neck stretched out. 

The children naughty... tease him with their hands; they throw flowers at him! 

It is a laughing and beautiful procession! 

Ah! What a laughing and beautiful procession! 

The gentleman beneath his blindfold follows, pressed by the young girls of the village, advances, approaches the castle.  

What a festival for the castle, what a festival. 

It is him, he comes, he comes here! 

“Chanson a boire” from Ravel's, Don Quichotte

[Don Quichotte]

A pox on the bastard, illustrious Lady,

Who to discredit me in your sweet eyes,

Says that love and old wine

Are saddening my heart and soul!

I drink

To joy!

Joy is the only goal

To which I go straight... when I'm... drunk!

A pox on the jealous wretch, O dusky mistress,

Who whines and weeps and vows

Always to be this lily-livered lover

Who dilutes his drunkenness!

I drink

To joy!

Joy is the only goal

To which I go straight... when I'm... drunk!

“Ah! Leve-toi, soleil” Gounod, Roméo et Juliette

[Romeo]

Ah! get up, sun! make the stars pale

Who, in the azure without veils,

Shine in the firmament.

Ah! get up! seem! seem!

Pure and charming star!

She's dreaming! she undoes

A hair curl

Who is caressing his cheek!

Love! Love! give him my wishes!

She speaks! That she is beautiful!

Ah! I did not hear anything!

But her eyes speak for her,

And my heart answered