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Bonsoir, Mignonne, il se fait l'heure
Où se closent vos yeux si doux.
Voulez-vous pas que je demeure
Près de votre lit, à genoux ?
Que seulement ma bouche effleure
Le lin de vos rideaux jaloux !
Pauvres gens, que nous sommes fous !
Ne voyez-vous pas que je pleure...
Bonsoir !
Si votre pitié n'est qu'un leurre,
J'aimerais mieux votre courroux;
Si vous ne voulez que je meure,
Hélas, pourquoi me dites-vous:
Bonsoir -- !
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, written 1866, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 11 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Antony Choudens (1849 - 1902), "Bonsoir Mignonne", published c1872 [ voice and piano ], from 20 Mélodies, no. 1, Paris: Choudens [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Joseph Jongen (1873 - 1953), "Bonsoir", 1893 [ soprano and piano ], from Sept mélodies d’Armand Silvestre, no. 7 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Paul-Jean-Jacques Lacôme d'Estalenx (1838 - 1920), "Bonsoir Mignonne", published [1877] [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edmond Michotte (1831 - 1914), "Bonsoir, Mignonne" [ high voice and piano ], from Mignonne, no. 10, Bruxelles, Schott Frères [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gabriel Pierné (1863 - 1937), "Bonsoir" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Alexis Jean Hubert Rostand (1844 - 1919), "Bonsoir, Mignonne !" [ high voice and piano ], from Vingt mélodies, no. 4, Paris, Éd. 'Au Ménestrel' Heugel et Fils [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-03-14
Line count: 14
Word count: 70
Good evening, pretty one, now is the time when your gentle eyes close. Would you mind if I stay here near your bed, on my knees? And may my mouth just touch the linen of your jealous curtains! Poor folk, how crazy we are! Can't you see that I am weeping... Good evening! If your pity is just a deception I would prefer your anger. If you don't want me to die, alas, why are you saying to me "Good evening!"
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2022 by Peter Low, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, written 1866, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 11
This text was added to the website: 2022-08-03
Line count: 14
Word count: 81