JE DIS QUE RIEN NE M’EPOUVANTE – an aria from the opera Carmen

The online guide of Bizet’s aria JE DIS QUE NE RIEN ME EPOUVANTE

Read Interesting facts and hear great YouTube Videos about the famous Aria “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante”.

If you want to hear more about the opera Carmen, click on the link to the opera portrait

The aria – synopsis and background

Synopsis: Micaela arrives in the mountains where José leads his life with the smugglers. She is still in love with Don José but is afraid of this environment and Carmen. She encourages herself not to be afraid («Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante»). Listen to Leontyne Price in this dreamy scene .

The aria is introduced with a wonderful expressive horn motif that draws the full moon scene in the most appropriate way and introduces the aria in the appropriate mood.

Micaela’s aria must capture the magic of the full moon night from the very beginning. Soon fear must be heard in the voice when she sings “J’ai tort d’avoir peur” but in “vous me donnerez du courage” the tone becomes firmer again and with a diminuendo and ritardando on “seigneur” she finds the confidence she needs.

In the middle part, which is more agitated, she prepares herself for the confrontation with Carmen  (“Je vais voir de près cette femme”). She wants to defeat her adversary with her love for Don José, so the tone in this passage remains peaceful and tender and not aggressive (Elle est dangereuse… elle est belle!).

In the third part the motives of the first part are taken up again. The “De celui que j’aimais jadis!” has to be sung with much love and a beautiful diminuendo and ritardando on seigneur finishes this great aria of Micaela.

The aria – the text of JE DIS QUE NE RIEN ME EPOUVANTE

RECITATIVE
C’est des contrebandiers le refuge ordinaire.
Il est ici; je le verrai!
Et le devoir que m’imposa sa mere
Sans trembler je l’accomplirai

ARIA
Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante,
Je dis, hélas! que je réponds de moi;
Mais j’ai beau faire la vaillante…
Au fond du coeur je meurs d’effroi!
Seule en ce lieu sauvage
Toute seule j’ai peur,
Mais j’ai tort d’avoir peur.
Vous me donnerez du courage;
Vous me protégerez, Seigneur!
Je vais voir de près cette femme,
Dont les artifices maudits
Ont fini par faire un infâme
De celui que j’aimais jadis!
Elle est dangereuse… elle est belle!
Mais je ne veux pas avoir peur!
Non, non, je ne veux pas avoir peur!
Je parlerai haut devant elle… ah!
Seigneur, vous me protégerez.
Protégez-moi! Ô Seigneur!
Donnez-moi du courage!

I say that nothing frightens me,
I say alas that I answer for myself,
But no matter how brave I am,
At the back of the yard, I’m dying of terror
Alone, in this wild place
Alone, I’m afraid,
But I’m wrong to be afraid,
You will give me courage,
You will protect me, Lord.
I’m going to see this woman up close
Including the accursed devices
Ended up doing an infamous
Of the one I once loved;
She is dangerous, she is beautiful,
But I do not want to be afraid,
No, no, I do not want to be afraid!
I will speak loudly in front of her,
Ah! Lord … you will protect me.
Ah! I say nothing frightens me, etc.

Protect me! O Lord!
Give me courage!
Protect me! O Lord!
Protect me! Lord!

Written for a “lyrical soprano”

The role of Michaela is written for a lyrical soprano. The lyrical soprano must have a voice with a warm timbre and must be able to convince with a  bell-like sound in the high register. This should be colourful and must not sound forced. The middle register must be rich.

Famous interpretations of JE DIS QUE NE RIEN ME EPOUVANTE

Leontyne Price sings in a wonderful lyric Interpretation.

Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante (1)  –  Price

Another convincing recording can be heard from Kiri Te Kanawa, who interprets a more expressive than dreamy Micaela with a beautiful legato and the luminous high notes.

Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante (2)  –  Te Kanawa / Karajan

Angela Gheorghiu offers a thrilling and intense performance of Michaela’s aria. Sung in perfect French.

Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante (3) –  Gheorghiu

As a rarity, you will hear Elisabeth Schwarzkopf sing in French.

Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante (4)  –  Schwarzkopf

Peter Lutz, opera-inside, the online opera guide to the aria Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante from the opera Carmen