Lyrics:
Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre,
señors, señors, car avec les soldats
oui, les toreros peuvent s’entendre;
pour plaisirs, pour plaisirs, ils ont les combats!
Le cirque est plein, c’est jour de fête!
Le cirque est plein du haut en bas;
les spectateurs perdant la tête,
les spectateurs s’interpellent à grands fracas!
Apostrophes, cris et tapage
poussés jusques à la fureur!
Car c’est la fête du courage!
C’est la fête des gens de coeur!
Allons! en garde!
allons! allons! ah!
Toréador, en garde!
Toréador! Toréador!
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant
qu’un oeil noir te regarde
et que l’amour t’attend,
Toréador, l’amour, l’amour t’attend!
Tout d’un coup, on fait silence,
on fait silence … ah! que se passe-t-il?
Plus de cris, c’est l’instant!
Plus de cris, c’est l’instant!
Le taureau s’élance en bondissant hors du toril!
Il s’élance! Il entre, il frappe! un cheval roule,
entraînant un picador.
“Ah! Bravo! Toro!” hurle la foule,
le taureau va … il vient … il vient et frappe encor!
En secouant ses banderilles,
plein de fureur, il court! … le cirque est plein de sang!
On se sauve … on franchit les grilles!
C’est ton tour maintenant!
Allons! en garde!
allons! allons! ah!
Toréador, en garde!
Toréador! Toréador!
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant
qu’un oeil noir te regarde
et que l’amour t’attend,
Toréador, l’amour, l’amour t’attend!
Toréador! Toréador! L’amour t’attend!
Henri Meilhac (1831-1897) and Ludovic Halévy (1834-1908), 1875
Lyrics:
To your toast, I will drink with pleasure
Senors, Senors, to your soldiers true.
Toreadors are like, for in a measure
We delight, we delight in brave combats too,
'Tis holiday, and crowds delighted
Rush in and fill each bench and seat;
Spectators brave, all wild excited,
Shout each to each, and the gallant Toreador greet!
Cries and cheering, and yells and shouting
[…]3)
[…]
[…]
Now advance Toreador! advance!
On guard now! advance! advance! Ah!
Toreador, be wary!
Toreador! Toreador!
Think while you strive and conquer in the fight,
There looks a darkeyed fairy
With love and with delight,
Toreador, with love and with delight!
[…]4) silent, the crowd is silent,
Ah! what can all this be?
Then come cries, “Look behold!”
Then come cries, “Look behold!”
Swift the fierce bull rushes
Bounding bold, Perfectly free!
On he rushes! He strikes in anger!
A horse is falling, Bearing down a Picador,
“Ah! bravo! Toro!” the crowd is calling,
On the bull goes, he comes! he comes! striking once more!
His banderilles he fierce is shaking, with furious mien he comes!
The ring is full of gore!
All in terror ah, they break the barriers!
Now advance Toreador! advance!
On guard now! advance! advance! Ah!
Toreador, be wary!
Toreador! Toreador!
Think while you strive and conquer in the fight,
There looks a darkeyed fairy
With love and with delight,
Toreador, with love and with delight!
Trans. Louis Charles Elson (1848-1920), 1878
Lyrics: Escamillo:
I can return your toast,
gentlemen, for soldiers -
yes - and bullfighters understand each other;
fighting is their game!
The ring is packed, it's a holiday,
the ring is full from top to bottom.
The spectators, losing their wits,
yell at each other at the tops of their voices!
Exclamations, cries and uproar
carried to the pitch of fury!
For this is the fiesta of courage,
this is the fiesta of the stouthearted!
Let's go! On guard! Ah!
Toreador, on guard!
And remember, yes, remember as you fight,
that two dark eyes are watching you,
that love awaits you!
Toreador, love awaits you!
Chorus:
Toreador, on guard! etc.
Escamillo:
Suddenly everyone falls silent;
ah - what's happening?
No more shouts, this is the moment!
The bull comes bounding
out of the toril!
He charges, comes in, strikes!
A horse rolls over, dragging down a picador!
“Ah! Bravo bull!” roars the crowd;
the bull turns, comes back,
comes back and strikes again!
Shaking his banderillas,
maddened with rage, he runs about!
The ring is covered with blood!
Men jump clear, leap the barriers.
It's your turn now!
Let's go! On guard! Ah!
Toreador, on guard! etc.