Gounod: Faust "Salut! Demeure chaste et pure"

 

Gounod: Faust "Salut! Demeure chaste et pure" - Di Stefano

 

Here is a legendery performance if there ever was one! Giuseppe Di

Stefano sings this Faust aria of exquisite beauty with an

unprecedented diminuendo on that famous ten-second-long highC..

No matter how many times I listen to this recording I still can't help

but get excited and speechless...

 

Those who speak French, please feel free to correct any

misspellings or bad translation. I would be glad to fix it as soon as I can...

 

 

from Charles Gounod's Faust, Act III

 

"Salut! Demeure chaste et pure"

 

Faust:

Quel trouble inconnu me pénètre?

Je sens l'amour s'emparer de mon être!

O Marguerite, à tes pieds me voici!

 

Salut! demeure chaste et pure!

Salut! demeure chaste et pure,

Où se devine la présence

D'une âme innocente et divine...

Que de richesse en cette pauvreté!

En ce réduit, que de félicité!

...

 

O Nature, C'est là que tu la fis si belle!

C'est là que cette enfant a dormi sous ton aile,

A grandi sous tes yeux.

Là que ton haleine

Enveloppant som âme,?

Tu fis avec amour

Epanouir la femme

En cet ange des cieux!

C'est là, oui, c'est là!

 

Salut! demeure chaste et pure!

Salut! demeure chaste et pure,

Où se devine la présence

D'une âme innocente et divine!

 

Translation:

 

Faust:

What unknown emotion now fills me?

I feel that my whole being is in the grip of love.

O Marguerite, here I am your feet!

Hail, chaste and pure dwelling where

One can feel the presence of an innocent and holy soul.

What wealth in this very poverty!

What bliss in this humble cottage!

O Nature, this is where you created her beauty!

This is where the maid grew up beneath your wing,

Grew up under your gaze!

Here, too, breathing into her soul,

You lovingly turned this angel of heaven

Into a blooming woman.

This is the place ... yes ... here it is!

Hail, chaste and pure dwelling, etc.