Aria of the day : Bailero (from Canteloube's "Chants d'Auvergne")

Pastrè dè délaï l'aïo,
As gaïré dè buon tèms?
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Shepherd across the river,
You're hardly having a good time,
Sing baïlèro lèrô
No, I'm not,
And you, too, can sing baïlèro


I love this aria. I think, this song is mostly talking about a sheperd who is told to have a good time by the river-side, lay in the green grass & stare at the blue sky. This aria was composed by French composer Joseph Canteloube (1879-1957) as a part of its "Chants d'Auvergne" (Songs of Auvergne). The Auvergne is an region in France, west of Lyon.


I love the part the woodwind plays. It is so touching. peaceful. Also the piano sounds like the flowing of a river...


So, Bailero that I listen to is sung by British soprano Kate Royal. With her lyric soprano voice, she made this song even more dramatic..

Pastrè dè délaï l'aïo,
As gaïré dè buon tèms?
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Pastré lou prat faï flour,
Li cal gorda toun troupel.
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Pastré couci foraï,
En obal io lou bel riou!
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Another version you may have listened to was sung by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Sarah Brightman.
Kate Royal's recording of Bailero is taken from her album "Kate Royal - Academy of St.Martin in the Fields Edward Garner" (courtesy of EMI Classics)