Nouvelle publication de la chaîne YouTube de Carnets sur sol

German & French texts, French comments available there : http://operacritiques.free.fr/css/index.php?2009/03/08/1166

End of scene between Brünnhilde and Wotan, and Wotan's farewell. It was never recorded in French with the scene before, and never anyway in this translation.

The musical Wilder translation is a very rare case in which the translated libretto is far better than the original one. This French poetry, however deeply respectful to Wagner's drama, shows an first category inspiration, with extraordinary verbal force. (In French verse, without any agogic change !) Victor Wilder only omits the reference to Wotan's incestuous love : "Mais si le sort jaloux, si le destin cruel" repeats the same idea, while Wagner says "Muss ich verlieren dich, die ich liebe" ("If I have to lose you whom I love"). Light fault when one considers the superlative quality of this translated libretto.

It changes spectacularly the colour of the score - but it is also bound to the mixed technique I use, as I often sing French opera or melody, and lied. It cannot be used in big theatres for this role, as the large orchestra claims for richer harmonics from the singer (simply to be heard). But with piano in a modest concert room, this works.

I do not like at all most of the Arthur Rackham illustrations I used to make this video, but this is a very convenient and coherent found to accompagny our journey.

Disclaimer : Amateur recording (interpretation and sound). Moreover, I am playing and singing (all roles) at the same time, which is not very helpful to do this correctly. It does not pretend to be an honest version of the score : it is only made to give some idea of rare repertoire. Not to propose a reference.

(See 'Part 1/2' to read complete text.)

WOTAN
Ces yeux, si joyeux et si graves,
Que je vis briller tant de fois -
Quand tu nous amenais des braves
Dont les doux accents de ta voix
Vantaient les fiers et mâles exploits.
Ces yeux, souriantes étoiles,
Devenus soudain solennels -
Quand ton regard perçait les voiles
Où le Sort dérobe aux mortels
Ses décrets éternels -
Dans un baiser que j'y dépose
Vont s'éteindre sous ta paupière close.
Qu'elle s'ouvre au baiser
D'un plus heureux que moi
L'immortel condamné qui marche à sa ruine.
Et maintenant le dieu se détourne de toi -
En t'enlevant ton essence divine.
Loge, viens ! Viens à ma voix !
Dans le fleuve embrasé de ces pierres stériles,
Fais jaillir le torrent de tes flammes subtiles,
Viens ! Je le veux ! Cède à mes lois !
Décris un cercle immense, protège la fille du dieu !
Loge ! Loge ! Viens !
Qui tremblera devant ma lance
Jamais ne franchira ce feu !