The Toreador Song is the popular name for the

aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

"" ("I toast you"), from the French opera '' Carmen'', composed by Georges Bizet to a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. It is sung by the

bullfighter A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activity ...

(French: '' toréador'') Escamillo as he enters in act 2 and describes various situations in the

bullring A bullring is an arena where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with the Iberian Peninsula, but they can also be found through Iberian America and in a few Spanish and Portuguese ex-colonies in Africa. Bullrings are ...

, the cheering of the crowds and the fame that comes with victory. The refrain, "", forms the middle part of the prelude to act 1 of ''Carmen''.

Music

The bass-baritone couplet has a

vocal range Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of st ...

from B₂ to F₄ and a

tessitura In music, tessitura (, pl. ''tessiture'', "texture"; ) is the most acceptable and comfortable vocal range for a given singer or less frequently, musical instrument, the range in which a given type of voice presents its best-sounding (or characte ...

from C₃ to E₄. Its

time signature The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note va ...

common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...

(4/4), its key is

F minor F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature consists of four flats. Its relative major is A-flat major and its parallel major is F major. Its enharmonic equivalent, E-sharp mi ...

with the refrain in

F major F major (or the key of F) is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative minor is D minor and its parallel minor is F minor. The F major scale is: : F major is the ...

. The tempo indication is ''allegro molto moderato'', =108. The orchestra introduces the first melodic section, which is jaunty and flashy. Like Carmen's Habanera, it is built on a descending chromatic scale as Escamillo describes his experiences in the bullfighting ring. In the chorus praising the toreador, the music turns celebratory and confident in character. Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Moralès, Zuniga and the chorus join for the repeat of the refrain.Score
French text, English translation by

Theodore Baker Theodore Baker (June 3, 1851"Passed Away," ''Musical America'' (Nov. 10, 1934), p. 32."Dr. Theodore Baker," ''Musical Courier'' (Nov. 3, 1934), p. 20. – October 12, 1934)William and Gayle Cook Music Library,

Jacobs School of Music The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music. It has more than 1,500 students, approximately half of whom ar ...

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, or simply Indiana) is a public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the flagship campus of Indiana University and, with over 40,000 students, its largest ca ...

Libretto

Cuyahoga County Opera presents Carmen, WPA poster, 1939

Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre, Señors, señors car avec les soldats oui, les toréros, peuvent s'entendre; Pour plaisirs, pour plaisirs, ils ont les combats! Le cirque est plein, c'est jour de fête! Le cirque est plein du haut en bas; Les spectateurs, perdant la tête, Les spectateurs s'interpellent À grand fracas! Apostrophes, cris et tapage Poussés jusques à la fureur! Car c'est la fête du courage! C'est la fête des gens de cœur! Allons! en garde! Allons! allons! Ah! (Refrain ×2) Toréador, en garde! Toréador! Toréador! Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant Qu'un œil noir te regarde, Et que l'amour t'attend, Toréador, l'amour, l'amour t'attend! Tout d'un coup, on fait silence, On fait silence... ah! que se passe-t-il? Plus de cris, c'est l'instant! Plus de cris, c'est l'instant! Le taureau s'élance en bondissant hors du toril! Il s'élance! Il entre, il frappe!... un cheval roule, entraînant un picador, "Ah! Bravo! Toro!" hurle la foule, le taureau va... il vient... il vient et frappe encore! En secouant ses banderilles, plein de fureur, il court! Le cirque est plein de sang! On se sauve... on franchit les grilles! C'est ton tour maintenant! Allons! en garde! allons! allons! Ah! (Refrain ×2) L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! Toréador, Toréador, Toreador! I toast you, Señores, Señores, because with soldiers yes, toreros can get along; For the pleasures, for the pleasure they fight! The circus is full, it is a celebrating day! The circus is full from top to bottom; The crowd goes mad, the crowd is arguing with great deal! Apostrophes, shouts and noises Push to the breaking point! Because it is the celebration of courage! It is the celebration of the braves of heart! Let's go! On guard! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Ah! (Refrain ×2) Toreador, on guard! Toreador! Toreador! And contemplate well, yes contemplate as you fight that a dark eye is watching you, and that love is waiting for you, Toreador, love, love is waiting for you! All at once, we are silent, we are silent,... Oh, what is happening? No more shouts, this is it! No more shouts, this is it! The bull is rushing while jumping out of its fence! He is rushing in! He's entering, hitting! A horse is falling, Dragging down a

picador A ''picador'' (; pl. ''picadores'') is one of the pair of horse-mounted bullfighters in a Spanish-style bullfight that jab the bull with a lance. They perform in the ''tercio de varas'', which is the first of the three stages in a stylized bullf ...

. "Ah! Bravo! Toro!" the crowd is calling, The bull goes on... he comes... he comes, hitting once more! While shaking his banderillas , full of rage, he runs!... the circus is full of blood! We flee... we pass the gates! It's your turn now! Let's go! On guard! Let's go! Let's go! Ah! (Refrain ×2) Love! Love! Love! Toreador, Toreador, Toreador!

References

External links

Opera Company of Philadelphia Opera Philadelphia (prior to 2013 Opera Company of Philadelphia (OCP)) is an American opera company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is the city's only company producing grand opera. The organization produces one festival in September (Festival O ...

Reading Terminal Market Reading Terminal Market is an enclosed public market located at 12th and Arch Streets in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It opened originally in 1893 under the elevated train shed of the Reading Railroad Company after the city of Phila ...

in 2011
French text and English translation
{{Authority control, state=collapsed Arias by Georges Bizet Carmen Opera excerpts Baritone arias Arias in French 1875 compositions Songs about sportspeople Songs about cattle Songs about Spain Compositions in F minor Compositions in F major Bullfighting