CAN CAN (1858) Jacques Offenbach

Jacques Offenbach va ser un compositor i violoncelista alemany creador de l'opereta moderna i la comèdia musical. De les moltes obres que va crear, entre operetes, òperes, música pel teatre i ballets, la que ara ens interesa és l'òpera Orfeu als inferns, estrenada el 21 d'octubre de 1858, i que relata el viatge d'Orfeu als inferns per buscar la seva dona morta. La música del final d'aquesta obra es va convertir en el que tothom coneix com Cancàn.

Spectacular, Spectacular

Spectacular Spectacular
Spectacular, spectacular
No words in the vernacular
Can describe this great event
You´ll be dumb with wonderment
Returns are fixed at ten percent
You must agree, that´s excellent
And on top of your fee...
You´ll be involved artistically.

So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!

Elephants! Arabians!
Indians! And courtesans!
Acrobats! and juggling bears!
Exotic girls! Fire eaters!
Muscle Men! Contortionists!
Intrigue, danger, and romance!
Electric lights, Machinery,
Powered with electricity!

So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!

Spectacular, spectacular
No words in the vernacular
Can describe this great event
You´ll be dumb with wonderment

The hills are alive, with the sound of music...

So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!

Duke:Yes, but what happens in the end?

The courtesan and sitar man
Are pulled apart by an evil plan...
But in the end she hears his song...
And their love is just too strong.

It´s a little bit funny,
This feeling inside...

So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years--!

Sitar player´s secret song,
helps them flee the evil one...
Though the tyrant rants and rails,
it is all to no avail!

Zidler:
I am the evil maharajah! You will not escape!
Satine:
Oh Harold, no one could play him like you could!
Zidler:
No one´s going to!

So exciting, we´ll make them laugh
we´ll make them cry!
So delighting --!

Duke: And in the end should someone die?

So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting it will run for 50 years...!

Duke: Generally, I like it...!