Rebroff got his big break in 1968. When he played Paris Tevjo in the musical Anatevka (over 1400 performances), known in Denmark as Fiddler on the Roof. He also had many lead roles in operas, theater, films and appeared frequently in television broadcasts and concerts in concert halls and churches. On his first Ruslandstourne in 1988 he was received enthusiastically by the Russian audience.
He also appeared in his final year with approx. 200 concerts annually, but with predominantly classic church concerts. He gave his last concert on 9th December in Vienna. Then he took a concert break because of health problems.
He lived partly in Zell-Weierbacher, a small town near Offenburg and on the Greek island Skopelos.
Ivan Rebroff died 27th February 2008, age 76 years, of heart failure at a hospital in Frankfurt. His last wish was to be burned at a ceremony in Germany and that his ashes be scattered in the Greek seas.
La Paloma
Ivan Rebroff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
L'histoire d'un bateau perdu et d'un oiseau blanc
Un jour le bateau s'en va droit vers l'océan
Et seule, le coeur plein d'amour une fille attend
Le marin lui a dit: "n'oublie pas je t'aime"
L'hiver et le printemps elle attend quand même
Elle voit un oiseau blanc se poser près d'elle
Qui portait quelques mots au creux de son aile
La paloma adieu, adieu c'est toi que j'aime
Ma vie s'en va mais n'aie pas trop de peine
Oh mon amour adieu!
La paloma adieu, adieu c'est toi que j'aime
Ma vie s'en va mais n'aie pas trop de peine
Oh mon amour adieu!
Elle prend tout contre son coeur le bel oiseau blanc
Tout deux ils s'ont repartis droit vers l'océan
L'amour ne meurt jamais j'ai vue deux colombes
S'envoler vers la mer et que la nuit tombe
La paloma adieu, adieu c'est toi que j'aime
Ma vie s'en va mais n'aie pas trop de peine
Oh mon amour adieu!
La paloma adieu, adieu c'est toi que j'aime
Ma vie s'en va mais n'aie pas trop de peine
Oh mon amour adieu!
The lyrics of Ivan Rebroff's song, La Paloma, recount a story that the singer's mother used to sing to him when he was a child. The story is about a lost boat and a white bird. The boat sails towards the ocean, leaving behind a girl with a heart full of love. The sailor tells her to never forget that he loves her, and she waits for him through the winter and spring. One day, a white bird lands beside her, carrying a message from the sailor.
The chorus of the song repeats the message brought by the white bird; the sailor loves the girl but must say goodbye. The girl takes the bird close to her heart and they set off together towards the ocean, where two doves are seen flying into the setting sun. The story ends with the girl bidding farewell to her lover, telling him not to worry too much about her.
Line by Line Meaning
Le soir ma mère nous chantait quand j'étais enfant
When I was a child, my mother used to sing to us in the evening
L'histoire d'un bateau perdu et d'un oiseau blanc
The story of a lost boat and a white bird
Un jour le bateau s'en va droit vers l'océan
One day, the boat went straight towards the ocean
Et seule, le coeur plein d'amour une fille attend
And alone, a girl with a heart full of love waits
Le marin lui a dit: "n'oublie pas je t'aime"
The sailor said to her, "Don't forget, I love you"
L'hiver et le printemps elle attend quand même
Through winter and spring, she still waits
Elle voit un oiseau blanc se poser près d'elle
She sees a white bird land near her
Qui portait quelques mots au creux de son aile
That carried a few words within its wing
La paloma adieu, adieu c'est toi que j'aime
Farewell, La Paloma, it is you that I love
Ma vie s'en va mais n'aie pas trop de peine
My life is leaving, but don't be too sad
Oh mon amour adieu!
Oh, my love, farewell!
Elle prend tout contre son cœur le bel oiseau blanc
She takes the beautiful white bird close to her heart
Tout deux ils sont repartis droit vers l'océan
Both of them went straight back to the ocean
L'amour ne meurt jamais j'ai vue deux colombes
Love never dies, I saw two doves
S'envoler vers la mer et que la nuit tombe
Fly towards the sea as night falls
La paloma adieu, adieu c'est toi que j'aime
Farewell, La Paloma, it is you that I love
Ma vie s'en va mais n'aie pas trop de peine
My life is leaving, but don't be too sad
Oh mon amour adieu!
Oh, my love, farewell!
La paloma adieu, adieu c'est toi que j'aime
Farewell, La Paloma, it is you that I love
Ma vie s'en va mais n'aie pas trop de peine
My life is leaving, but don't be too sad
Oh mon amour adieu!
Oh, my love, farewell!
Contributed by Nathan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.