Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix

"Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" is a popular mezzo-soprano aria from Camille Saint-Saëns's opera Samson and Delilah, known in English as "Softly awakes my heart", or more literally "My heart opens itself to your voice".

It is sung by Delilah in act 2 as she attempts to seduce Samson into revealing the secret of his strength.

which he repeats between the first and second verses of her aria; these interjections are omitted in recital performances or sometimes sung to the changed words "Samson!

"; Samson's part in the final 22 bars of the stage aria where he joins Delilah in a duet is also omitted in a recital, although some performers, notably Marilyn Horne and Jessye Norman, have sung Samson's final words – changed as above, rising to a high B-flat.

réponds"); the tempo indication is andantino (=66) for the verses and un poco più lento (a little slower) for the refrain.

The melismatic setting of the lyrics present a particular challenge for the performance of this aria as it requires legato singing over a wide range.

Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix, comme s'ouvrent les fleurs aux baisers de l'aurore!

Mais, ô mon bienaimé, pour mieux sécher mes pleurs, que ta voix parle encore!

Ainsi qu'on voit des blés les épis onduler sous la brise légère, ainsi frémit mon cœur, prêt à se consoler, à ta voix qui m'est chère!

Like one sees the blades Of wheat that wave In the light wind, So trembles my heart, Ready to be consoled, By your voice that is so dear to me!

My heart at thy dear voice Wakes with joy, like the flow'r At the sun's bright returning!

But O, my dearest one, That grief may lose its pow'r, Say 'tis mine, thy heart's yearning!

The dart is not so swift, Bearing fear in its flight, As I speed to be held In thine arms of delight!

The aria's melody appears in the song "Night", written by John Lehmann and Ron Miller and performed in 1960 by Jackie Wilson.

's Joseph Simmons' rendition of this song appears on the 1997 album The Rapsody Overture: Hip Hop Meets Classic, a collection of hip hop songs intertwined with classical vocals and music.

[7] A montage of the last two lines of this aria has been recorded by English alternative rock band Muse, and is included in the track titled "I Belong to You (+Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix)" of their 2009 album The Resistance.