Armide – Gluck

Armide was Gluck’s last opera. The translation was commissioned by the Buxton Festival for their 2006 production, which was directed by Aidan Lang and conducted by Robert King.

Christoph Willibald Gluck

Air – Les enfers ont prédit cent fois…

ARMIDE

All the forces of Hell maintain
that I have hoped in vain to see Renaud in prison
and he will conquer my domain:
ah! it would be so sweet to treat him with derision
and stop the course of his triumphant reign.
Ah, how I hate him, his attitude’s outrageous!
Though it is true, he is brave and courageous,
it’s his brazen pride I detest.
Through every hour I’m haunted by this vision,
every day, every night, he disturbs my rest…