In Leonard Bernstein's musical adaptation of Voltaire's 18th century novel Candide, the title character is madly in love with with Cunegonda, daughter of the baron of Thunder-ten-Tronckh.
In this duet the two mismatched lovers imagine themselves ideally suited for each other, in spite of their extreme differences.
(Candide's lines are in regular print, Cunegonda's in italics)
O Happy We!
Soon with the earnings from my labors, we’ll buy a modest little farm,
Our mansions will amaze our neighbors, there we'll entertain with lavish charm.
Cows and chickens,
Social whirl,
Peas and cabbage,
Ropes of pearl.
Soon we'll have little ones beside us, we'll have a sweet Westphalian home.
Somehow we'll grow as rich as Midas! We'll live in Paris when we're not in Rome!
Smiling babies,
Marble halls,
Sunday picnics
Costume balls.
O won't my robes of silk and satin be chic! I'll have all that I desire!
And someone will tutor us in Latin and in Greek, while we sit beside the fire.
Glowing rubies,
Glowing logs,
Faithful servants,
Faithful dogs.
We'll round the world enjoying high life, All will be gaiety and gold.
We'll lead a rustic and a shy life, feeding pigs and sweetly growing old.
Breast of peacock,
Apple pie,
I love marriage!
So do I!
Together:
Oh happy pair, Oh happy we!
It's very rare how we agree!
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