The London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Chorus
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
June Anderson, Della Jones, Jerry Hadley, & Kurt Ollmann
June Anderson & Jerry Hadley
Jerry Hadley
London Symphony Chorus
The London Symphony Orchestra
Jerry Hadley
Adolph Green
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
Jerry Hadley
The London Symphony Orchestra
June Anderson
June Anderson & Jerry Hadley
Christa Ludwig
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
London Symphony Chorus
Nicolai Gedda & June Anderson
1989 Concert Cast of Candide &
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
Christa Ludwig, June Anderson, & Nicolai Gedda
The London Symphony Orchestra
Jerry Hadley
Adolph Green
Nicolai Gedda & London Symphony Chorus
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
London Symphony Chorus
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
Jerry Hadley
London Symphony Chorus
1989 Concert Cast of Candide
This aria comes at a point in the opera when Candide has reunited with Dr. Pangloss, only to find him horribly disfigured by syphilis. True to his nature, Pangloss chooses to see the bright side of this.
The song was written for the opera’s original 1956 production, but dropped before opening night...
[PANGLOSS]
Dear boy, you will not hear me speak
With sorrow or with rancor
Of what has paled my rosy cheek
And blasted it with canker
'Twas love, great love that did the deed
Through nature's gentle laws
And how should ill effects proceed
From so divine a cause?
Dear boy
Sweet honey comes from bees that sting
As you are well aware
To one adept in reasoning
Whatever pains disease may bring
Are but the tangy seasoning
To love's delicious fare
[MEN & PANGLOSS]
Sweet honey comes from bees that sting
Dear boy
Sweet honey comes from bees that sting
Dear boy
Sweet honey bees that sting
[PANGLOSS]
Columbus and his men, they say
Conveyed the virus hither
Whereby my features rot away
And vital powers wither
Yet they had they not traversed the seas
And come infected back
Why, think of all the luxuries
That modern life would lack!
Dear boy
All bitter things conduce to sweet
As this example shows
Without the little spirochete
We'd have no chocolate to eat
Nor would tobacco's fragrance greet
The European's nose
[MEN & PANGLOSS]
All bitter things conduce to sweet
Dear boy
All bitter things conduce to sweet
Dear boy
All bitter things to sweet
[PANGLOSS]
Each nation guards its native land
With cannon and with sentry
Inspectors look for contraband
At every point of entry
Yet nothing can prevent the spread
Of love's divine disease
It rounds the world from bed to bed
As pretty as you please
Dear boy
Men worship Venus everywhere
As can be plainly seen
Her decorations which I bear
Are nobler than the croix de guerre
And gained in service of our fair
And universal queen
[MEN & PANGLOSS]
Men worship Venus everywhere
Dear boy
Men worship Venus everywhere
Dear boy
Men worship everywhere
[MEN & PANGLOSS]
Dear boy!
Dear Boy was written by Richard Wilbur & Leonard Bernstein.
Dear Boy was produced by Hans Weber.