From the semi-finals of the BBC North Region Opera Singers Competition
(Recorded 8th/9th May, 1967, Stockport Town Hall)
(Broadcast by the BBC Home Service on 26th June)
Isobel Flinn, piano
Rodolfo - George Cox
Marcello - Peter Walker
Schaunard - Thomas Allen
Colline - Gwynne Howell
The English translation was by William Grist and Percy Pinkerton.
===============
In the semi-finals of this competition, the 29 contestants each sang an aria with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra under Charles Groves. They also took part in an ensemble with an accompanist (as heard here). The BBC only broadcast highlights from this stage of the competition, and these apparently didn't include Allen's solo aria. He failed to reach the final, which was won by Norman Welsby.
===============
RODOLFO
Fuel!
MARCELLO
Wine, too!
COLLINE
Cigars!
RODOLFO
Fuel!
MARCELLO
Bordeaux!
RODOLFO, MARCELLO AND COLLINE
All the luxury of Christmas
we are fated yet to know!
SCHAUNARD
Such wealth in the balance
outweighs the Bank of France.
COLLINE
Then, take them. Then, take them.
MARCELLO
Tin medals? Inspect them.
SCHAUNARD
You're deaf then, or blind?
What face do they show?
RODOLFO
King Louis Philippe:
to my monarch I bow.
RODOLFO, MARCELLO, SCHAUNARD AND COLLINE
Shall King Louis Philippe
at our feet thus lie low?
SCHAUNARD
Now I'll explain:
this gold here, or rather silver,
has its own noble story-
MARCELLO
First the stove to replenish.
COLLINE
So much cold has he suffered.
SCHAUNARD
'Twas an Englishman, then-
lord, or milord, as may be-
desired a musician-
MARCELLO
Off! Let us furnish the table.
SCHAUNARD
I flew to him-
RODOLFO
Where is the food?
COLLLINE
There.
MARCELLO
Here.
SCHAUNARD
I pay my homage;
accepted, I enquire-
COLLINE
Here's cold roast beef.
MARCELLO
And savoury patty.
SCHAUNARD
"When shall we start the lessons?"
When I seek him, in answer to my questions,
"When shall we start the lesson?",
he answers, "Now, at once!"
"Just look there", showing a parrot
that on the first floor hung,
then continues, "You must play until
the bird has ceased to live"-
RODOLFO
Brilliantly lightens the room into splendour.
SCHAUNARD
Thus it befell:
three days I play and yell-
MARCELLO
Here are the candles.
SCHAUNARD
Then on the servant girl try all
the charms wherewith I'm laden;
I fascinate the maiden-
MARCELLO
With no tablecloth eat we?
RODOLFO
An idea!
MARCELLO AND COLLINE
"The Constitutional"!
RODOLFO
Excellent paper!
SCHAUNARD
With parsley I approach the bird-
RODOLFO
One eats a meal and swallows news at the same time!
SCHAUNARD
His beak Lorito opens;
Lorito, his wings outspread,
Lorito opens his beak,
a little piece of parsley gulps-
as Socrates, is dead!
COLLINE
Who?
SCHAUNARD
The devil fly away with you entirely!
What are you doing? No!
Dainties of this kind
are but the stored-up fodder,
saved for the morrow,
fraught with gloom and sorrow.
To dine at home on the day of Christmas vigil,
while the Quartier Latin embellishes
its way with dainty food and tempting relish?
Meanwhile the smell of savoury fritters
the old street fills with fragrant odour;
there singing joyously, merry maidens hover-
RODOLFO, MARCELLO AND COLLINE
'Tis the gladsome Christmas Eve!
SCHAUNARD
Having for echo each a student lover!
A little of religion, comrades, I pray;
within doors drink we, but we dine away!
===============
"La bohème" ("The Bohemian") is an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The libretto is based on the novel "Scenes of Bohemian Life" by Henri Murger. It was first performed at the Teatro Regio in Turin on 1st February, 1896.
15 сен 2023
