♫ Join my melons to your lemons... ♪♬

[anteros_lmc]

Earlier today partner and I went over to Edinburgh for an International Festival concert by Les Arts Florissants. The performance was a mixed programme of French Baroque opera pieces performed in Edinburgh's gorgeous late-Georgian Queens Halls. It was a beautiful concert, but partner and I nearly lost it during the first recital of highlights from Robert Cambert's Pomone owing to the ludicrously suggestive libretto. The piece was performed in French, but the programme helpfully provided the following translation:

Pomone
The God of Gardens

Let us join our hearts and our empires;
Add to the fruits of your orchards
The herbs of my kitchen gardens,
Join my melons to your lemons;
And mix with your pine-kernels
My truffles and my mushrooms.

Excuse me???! Strangely, partner and I seemed to be the only ones struggling to stifle our sniggers...

Comments

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

The last time I was invited to join my melons to someone's lemons I slapped him across the face.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Just a slap? Sounds like he had a lucky escape :P

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Years ago when M*A*S*H came out (the movie) a friend and I went to see it. Both of us then being in the service, we were the only ones to laugh (snigger) about "short arm" inspection.
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

*ROFL* Shocking behaviour! XD

[esteven]

Such a delightful song
*wonders at you and your partner*
...
*absolutely sporfles and then happily finds it on
Youtube*
So it was performed by two male voices?
:)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Oh lordy! When I posted this I had no idea it was intended to be sung by two male voices. As we only heard excerpts of Pomone, this piece was sung by a single bass. There was also another tenor singing, but not in this piece. Thank heavens they didn't sing this together. Partner and I would have been thrown out for sure! XD

[esteven]

:)
Tht's how it sounded to me, but I may have been into the next song when I listened to the Youtube version of Pomone (which it was also a ship)

I would not put it past them. :)

Btw, have you ever listened to Mahler's Song of the Earth alternately sung by baritone and tenor, instead of the usual baritone-alto?

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

My truffles and my mushrooms. ???

Is is true? Two male voices? My - you have a luck! :) That cries for a fic!!!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Sadly no. When we heard this it was sung by a single male voice. Probably just as well, otherwise we would have been incapable!

That cries for a fic!!!
Go right ahead! :P

[aletheiafelinea.livejournal.com]

*cough* Are we talking about mushrooms like this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus_impudicus)? :>

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Why yes, I do believe the mushroom in question are just like that! XD

[nodbear.livejournal.com]

*chortles hugely *

reminds me of the way the guy who shouts the stock on our street market fruit and veg stall always times his " ripe melons " to those ladies who -to his delight - look cross and flustered. He does not do much for the stalls sales it has to be said...though I was delighted one day to hear a very posh sounding citizen retort by holding out her money and saying " very nice ! but pity the carrots are so tiny right now"

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Which in turn reminds me of a comic strip in the local paper some months ago. Parents are watching their son build a snowman in the yard. Suddenly Mom yells... "Son, that's not where the carrot goes!"
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Who knew Baroque opera was so filthy?! We only heard excerpts of this opera so it's possible that this is followed by a female duet lamenting the tiny carrots ;P