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[Au bord]1 d'un torrent, Ophélie Cueillait tout en suivant le bord, Dans sa douce et tendre folie, Des pervenches, des boutons d'or, Des iris aux couleurs d'opale, Et de ces fleurs d'un rose pâle, Qu'on appelle des doigts de mort. Puis élevant sur ses mains blanches Les riants trésors du matin, Elle les suspendait aux branches, Aux branches d'un saule voisin; Mais, trop faible, le rameau plie, Se brise, et la pauvre Ophélie Tombe, sa guirlande à la main. Quelques instants, sa robe enflée La tint encor sur le courant, Et comme une voile gonflée, Elle flottait toujours, chantant, Chantant quelque vieille ballade, Chantant ainsi qu'une naïade Née au milieu de ce torrent. Mais cette étrange mélodie Passa rapide comme un son; Par les flots la robe alourdie Bientôt dans l'abîme profond; Entraïna la pauvre insensée, Laissant à peine commencée Sa mélodieuse chanson.
1 Berlioz: "Auprès"
Text Authorship:
- by Ernest-Wilfrid Legouvé (1807 - 1903) [an adaptation] [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 7
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869), "La mort d'Ophélie", op. 18 no. 2 (1841-2), published 1848 [ soli, chorus, and piano or orchestra ], from Tristia, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Charles Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921), "La Mort d'Ophélie", c1857, published 1858 [ high voice and piano ], Éd. Richault [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Adrien Dézamy (d. 1896) ; composed by Delphine Ugalde.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The death of Ophelia", copyright © 2019
- GER German (Deutsch) (Emma Klingenfeld) , "Der Tod der Ophelia"
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "La morte di Ofelia", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Pablo Sabat) , "La muerte de Ofelia", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-13
Line count: 28
Word count: 143
Junto a un arroyo, Ofelia, Caminando recogía En su suave y gentil locura, Vincas, botones de oro, Irises del color del ópalo, Y esas flores pálidas de tono rosáceo, Que llaman Dedos de Muerto. Luego, levantando en sus blancas manos El feliz tesoro de esa mañana, Las cuelga de las ramas, De las ramas de un sauce cercano; Pero muy débil, la rama se dobla, Se rompe, y la pobre Ofelia Cae, su guirnalda en la mano. Por un instante, su hinchado vestido Resiste la corriente Y como una vela al viento, Ella continúa flotando, cantando, Cantando alguna antigua balada, Cantando como una ninfa del río Nacida en los dominios de este arroyo. Pero esta extraña canción Calla, tan rápido como el sonido Pues las olas pronto hacen pesado su vestido Y a lo profundo Arrastra a la pobre niña desvariada, Dejando su canción melodiosa Apenas comenzada.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to Spanish (Español) copyright © 2019 by Pablo Sabat, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Ernest-Wilfrid Legouvé (1807 - 1903) [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 7
This text was added to the website: 2019-12-08
Line count: 28
Word count: 147