Mes amis, écoutez l'histoire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article is orphaned as few or no other articles link to it.
Please help introduce links in articles on related topics. (January 2007)


Mes amis, écoutez l'histoire, also known as The Test of Tenors, is an aria featured in the opera Le postillon de Lonjumeau, an opera written by Adolphe Adam and one of his most recognized works, in the genre of the ballet "Giselle" and the Christmas song "Cantique de Noël". The aria holds the record for including the highest note written for a tenor.

The aria is known as "The Test of Tenors" due to the demanding high D in the end of the aria, which is perhaps the reason why this aria is rarely performed. Famous performers of this aria are: Nicolai Gedda (Gustav Ustinov) and Jewish tenor Joseph Schmidt, performing the German version, "Freunde vernehmet die geschichte".

[edit] Lyrics

French
English version

Mes amis écoutez l'histoire
D'un jeune et galant postillon.
C'est véridique, on peut m'en croire
Et connu de tout le canton.
Quand il passait dans un village,
Tout le beau sexe était ravi
Et le cœur de la plus sauvage
Galopait en croupe avec lui

Oh Oh Oh Oh
Qu'il était beau le postillon de Longjumeau
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Qu'il était beau le postillon de Longjumeau

Maintes dames de haut parage
En l'absence de son mari
Parfois se mettaient en voyage
Pour être conduites par lui.
Au procédé toujours fidèle
On savait qu'adroit postillon
S'il versait parfois une belle
Ce n'était que sur le gazon

Oh Oh Oh Oh
Qu'il était beau le postillon de Longjumeau
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Qu'il était beau le postillon de Longjumeau

Mais pour conduire un équipage,
Voilà qu'un soir il est parti
Depuis ce temps dans le village
On n'entend plus parler de lui
Mais ne déplorez pas sa perte
Car de l'hymen suivant la loi
La reine d'une île déserte
De ses sujets l'a nommé roi

Oh Oh Oh Oh
Qu'il était beau le postillon de Longjumeau
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Qu'il était beau le postillon de Longjumeau

Dear friends, listen to the story
of a young Postilion (coachman),
Believe me, I'll tell the truth,
everyone here knows about it.
When they heard his horn sounding,
all the girls ran to meet him,
and when they heard him sing,
he broke many a heart in two.

Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Our handsome hero,
The Postilion of Longjumeau.


Fine ladies from the best circles,
stopped using their own carriages,
and took the stage coach instead,
just so that they could travel the World with him
not only did he speed like the wind,
he also provided other services for them,
many a fine lady spoke of those journeys,
happily for years to come!

Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Our handsome hero,
The Postilion of Longjumeau.


And then one evening it happened,
One special Beauty stole him away!
And no one saw any more of him,
Although they searched everywhere.
Later it was heard that that the lady
rewarded him with a fine marriage,
and now he's well known with a famous name


Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Our handsome hero,
The Postilion of Longjumeau.