The Fair Maid of Perth – Bizet

…a text for Amanda Holden to translate… with characteristic clarity and singability
Opera

The Fair Maid of Perth is loosely based on Walter Scott’s novel. The music has dazzling moments and the opera is dramatically and musically more satisfactory than the same composer’s Pearlfishers. This production claimed to be the British stage premiere of the score as Bizet originally intended it to sound.

This translation was commissioned for the 2006 Buxton Festival where it was directed by Mike Ashman and conducted by Martin André; the cast included James Rutherford, Yvonne Howard, Mary Hegarty, Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, Jonathan Best and Donald Maxwell.

Georges Bizet

Final chorus – Aux premiers rayons du matin

CHORUS

Now that the sun begins to shine,
my faithful Valentine good morning.
Your faithful lover’s waiting here to kiss you,
and you will be my Valentine!

See the sun brightly shine!
I am yours, you are mine!
Good morning dearest Valentine, it’s you!
Good morning Valentine!