The score of the aria was adapted from the habanera "El Arreglito ou la Promesse de mariage", by the Spanish musician Sebastián Iradier, first published in 1863, which Bizet thought to be a folk song. When others told him he had used something written by a composer who had died 10 years earlier, he added a note of its derivation in the first edition of the vocal score which he himself prepared. Although the French libretto of the complete opéra comique was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, the words of the habanera originated from Bizet. The Habanera was first performed by Galli-Marié at the Opéra-Comique on 3 March 1875. Bizet, having removed during rehearsals his first version of Carmen's entrance song, in with a refrain in, rewrote the Habanera several times before he were satisfied with it.
Music
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Although Bizet kept the basic layout of the Iradier song, which has each verse in D minor and each refrain in the tonic major, he let go of the long ritornelli and second half material, and by adding chromaticism, variations in the refrain and harmonic interest in the accompaniment, made it a memorable number. The reharmonization, addition of triplets in the vocal line and the flute in its low register add to the effect. Despite the change in mode there is no actual modulation in the aria, and the implied pedal point D is maintained throughout. The vocal range covers D4 to F5 with a tessitura from D4 to D5. Although Bizet borrowed the melody from a song by Iradier he developed it "with his inimitable harmonic style and haunting habanera rhythm". The orchestration for the number consists of the two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, timpani, triangle and tambourine, full strings, and pistons. The orchestral complement for the premiere run was 62 or 57 musicians in total. José is the only person on stage who pays no attention to Carmen while she sings the Habanera, and after she finishes she approaches him, and at the end of the following short scene, after Carmen's spoken words "épinglier de mon âme" and her throwing a cassia flower at José, the female chorus reprise the refrain "L'amour est enfant de bohème, Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime, Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi !". The refrain also returns briefly at the end of the act, in scene XI, No.1 Final where Carmen hums it in the face of the lieutenant Zuniga.
Libretto
Lyrics in parentheses are sung by the chorus. ' Quand je vous aimerai ? Ma foi, je ne sais pas, Peut-être jamais, peut-être demain... Mais pas aujourd'hui, c'est certain ! ' L'amour est un oiseau rebelle Que nul ne peut apprivoiser, Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle, S'il lui convient de refuser. Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière, L'un parle bien, l'autre se tait, Et c'est l'autre que je préfère, Il n'a rien dit, mais il me plaît. L'amour ! L'amour ! L'amour ! L'amour ! L'amour est enfant de bohème, Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime, Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi ! Si tu ne m'aimes pas, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime ! Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, Prends garde à toi !
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime ! Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, Prends garde à toi! L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre Battit de l'aile et s'envola, L'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre; Tu ne l'attends plus, il est là ! Tout autour de toi, vite, vite, Il vient, s'en va, puis il revient, Tu crois le tenir, il t'évite, Tu crois l'éviter, il te tient ! L'amour ! L'amour ! L'amour ! L'amour ! L'amour est enfant de bohème, Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime, Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi ! Si tu ne m'aimes pas, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime ! Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, Prends garde à toi !
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime ! Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, Prends garde à toi ! ' When will I love you? Good Lord, I don't know, Maybe never, maybe tomorrow... But not today, that's for sure! ' Love is a rebellious bird That none can tame, And it is well in vain that one calls it, If it suits it to refuse. Nothing to be done, threat or prayer, The one talks well, the other is silent, And it's the other that I prefer, He said nothing, but he pleases me. Love! Love! Love! Love! Love is a gypsy child, It has never, never known the law, If you don't love me, I love you, If I love you, be on your guard! If you don't love me, If you don't love me, then I love you! But if I love you, if I love you, Be on your guard!
If you don't love me, If you don't love me, I love you! But if I love you, if I love you, Be on your guard! The bird you hoped to catch Beat its wings and flew away, Love is far, you can wait for it; You no longer await it, there it is! All around you, swift, swift, It comes, goes, then it returns, You think to hold it fast, it flees you, You think to flee it, it holds you! Love! Love! Love! Love! Love is a gypsy child, It has never, never known the law, If you don't love me, then I love you, If I love you, be on your guard! If you don't love me, If you don't love me, then I love you! But if I love you, if I love you, Be on your guard!
If you don't love me, If you don't love me, then I love you! But if I love you, if I love you, Be on your guard!
