Geneviève de Brabant
Encyclopedia
Geneviève de Brabant is an opéra bouffe
, or operetta
, by Jacques Offenbach
, first performed in Paris in 1859. The plot is based on the medieval legend of Genevieve of Brabant
.
For the 1867 version a comic duet for bass and baritone in the character of two gendarmes was added to Act 2: "Couplets des deux hommes d'armes". In English-speaking countries it is widely known as the "Gendarmes' Duet", from H. B. Farnie
's English adaptation. As well as being a popular performance-piece, it formed the basis for the U.S. "Marines' Hymn
".
libretto was written by Louis-Adolphe Jaime and Etienne Tréfeu
, and the opera was first staged at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
, Paris
on 19 November 1859. A new three-act version (in which the Gendarmes' Duet first appeared), revised by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux
, was first given at the Théâtre des Menus-Plaisirs, Paris, on 26 December 1867. An expanded five-act version was devised for a production at the Théâtre de la Gaîté
on 25 February 1875. A Paris revival in 1908 at the Théâtre des Variétés
with Geneviève Vix
in the title role ran for 58 nights.
Geneviève de Brabant was first performed in Vienna (Die schöne Magellone) and Berlin in 1861 and Brussels and Madrid in 1869.
The New York premiere was on 22 October 1868, and Farnie's version was first seen in London at the Philharmonic Theatre in Islington
, produced by and starring Emily Soldene
as Drogan, with Selina Dolaro
in the title role, on 11 November 1871. The production ran for a year and a half, and revivals took place over the following decade with Soldene repeating her Drogan.
At evening in the main square, the burgomaster Van der Prout announces the imminent return from a pilgrimage to the monastery of Mount Poupard of Duke Sifroid’s party. The Duke, married to the beautiful Geneviève of Brabant, has fallen under a curse which prevents them from having any children. To find a cure, a competition is organized and is won by Drogan, a young baker, offering a magic pie. Secretly in love with Geneviève, Drogan asks for his reward to be made the page of Geneviève. Upon his return, the Duke tastes the magic pie, and feels good (Couplets de la poule).
In Geneviève’s apartments, Drogan implores her to allow him to accept him as her page, and confesses that it is he who has been singing beneath her window each night. He leaves as the Duke joins Geneviève, but after an interruption announcing the imminent arrival of Charles Martel, the effects of the pie on the Duke begin, in the form of a terrible bout of indigestion. As the Duke tries to assuage his digestion with a cup of tea, his counsellor Golo and his poet Narcisse arrive to carry out a plot to seize the crown. Golo and Narcisse tell him that Geneviève and Drogan have been witnessed in an embrace: the Duchess and the page must be put to death. But then Charles Martel demands entry to the palace (Boléro), asking Sifroid and his knights to catch the 8.05 train and join his crusade to Palestine. Sifroid condemns Geneviève, then sets off with his soldiers, by the northern railway.
Drogan appears disguised as the statue of the hermit, and warns the men to abandon their pursuit as Sifroid is at the Château d'Asnières with Charles Martel. Even though he was married many years before, Golo threatens Geneviève with marriage. The statue of the hermit comes to life (Drogan) and sends the men-at-arms packing. Geneviève decides to feign death, Drogan takes a lock of her hair, and rushes off to reach the Duke.
Meanwhile, Charles Martel and Sifroid have ended their trip at the Château d'Asnières, where they make merry. Sifroid is taken with a masked lady, Isoline, who explains how her husband left her. Drogan arrives and announces the death of Geneviève. Sifroid decides to set off again with his retinue back to Curaçao to meet Golo – who, Isoline reveals, is the husband who abandoned her.
At the appointed hour Golo claims the crown, but he is denounced by Drogan and Sifroid has his crown restored. Isoline promises to punish her errant husband, and all ends well.
Opéra bouffe
Opéra bouffe is a genre of late 19th-century French operetta, closely associated with Jacques Offenbach, who produced many of them at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens that gave its name to the form....
, or operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
, by Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
, first performed in Paris in 1859. The plot is based on the medieval legend of Genevieve of Brabant
Genevieve of Brabant
Genevieve of Brabant is a heroine of medieval legend.-Legend:Her story is a typical example of the widespread tale of the chaste wife falsely accused and repudiated, generally on the word of a rejected suitor. Genovefa of Brabant was said to be the wife of the palatine Siegfried of Treves, and was...
.
For the 1867 version a comic duet for bass and baritone in the character of two gendarmes was added to Act 2: "Couplets des deux hommes d'armes". In English-speaking countries it is widely known as the "Gendarmes' Duet", from H. B. Farnie
Henry Brougham Farnie
Henry Brougham Farnie , often called H. B. Farnie, was a British librettist and adapter of French operettas and an author...
's English adaptation. As well as being a popular performance-piece, it formed the basis for the U.S. "Marines' Hymn
Marines' Hymn
The "Marines' Hymn" is the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps. It is the oldest official song in the United States military. The "Marines' Hymn" is typically sung at the position of attention as a gesture of respect...
".
Performance history
The two-act FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
libretto was written by Louis-Adolphe Jaime and Etienne Tréfeu
Étienne Tréfeu
Étienne Victor Tréfeu , was a French librettist, song writer and theatre manager...
, and the opera was first staged at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens is a Parisian theatre which was founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with an entrance at the back at 65 Passage Choiseul. In...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 19 November 1859. A new three-act version (in which the Gendarmes' Duet first appeared), revised by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux
Hector-Jonathan Crémieux
Hector-Jonathan Crémieux was a French librettist and playwright. His best-known work is his collaboration with Ludovic Halévy for Jacques Offenbach's Orphée aux Enfers, known in English as Orpheus in the Underworld....
, was first given at the Théâtre des Menus-Plaisirs, Paris, on 26 December 1867. An expanded five-act version was devised for a production at the Théâtre de la Gaîté
Théâtre de la Gaîté (rue Papin)
In 1862 during Haussmann's modernization of Paris the Théâtre de la Gaîté of the boulevard du Temple was relocated to the rue Papin across from the Square des Arts et Métiers....
on 25 February 1875. A Paris revival in 1908 at the Théâtre des Variétés
Théâtre des Variétés
The Théâtre des Variétés is a theatre and "salle de spectacles" at 7, boulevard Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement, in Paris. It was declared a monument historique in 1975.-History:...
with Geneviève Vix
Geneviève Vix
Geneviève Vix née Brouwer was a French soprano. She was a descendant of the Dutch painter Adriaen Brouwer.-Life and career:...
in the title role ran for 58 nights.
Geneviève de Brabant was first performed in Vienna (Die schöne Magellone) and Berlin in 1861 and Brussels and Madrid in 1869.
The New York premiere was on 22 October 1868, and Farnie's version was first seen in London at the Philharmonic Theatre in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, produced by and starring Emily Soldene
Emily Soldene
Emily Soldene was an English singer, actress, director, theatre manager, novelist and journalist of the late Victorian era and the Edwardian period...
as Drogan, with Selina Dolaro
Selina Dolaro
Selina Dolaro was an English singer, actress, theatre manager and writer. During a career in operetta and other forms of musical theatre, she managed several of her own opera companies and raised four children as a single mother...
in the title role, on 11 November 1871. The production ran for a year and a half, and revivals took place over the following decade with Soldene repeating her Drogan.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 19 November 1859, (Conductor: Jacques Offenbach) |
Revised version in three acts Première Cast 26 December 1867 (Conductor: Jacques Offenbach) |
Revised version in five acts Première Cast 25 February 1875 (Conductor: Jacques Offenbach) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sifroid (1859) / Sifroy (1867, 1875) Duke of Curaçao, husband of Geneviève | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Léonce Léonce Édouard-Théodore Nicole , known as Léonce, was a French actor and singer.-Biography:Léonce was born in Paris. After studying law, he made his stage debut at the Théâtre de Belleville.... |
Gourdon | Habay |
| Golo | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Désiré Désiré (baritone) Désiré was a French baritone, who is particularly remembered for creating many comic roles in the works of the French operetta composer Jacques Offenbach... |
Daniel Bac | Christian Christian (French actor) Christian Perrin, known by his stage-name Christian, was a French actor and singer in operetta, born in Paris, 1 January 1821, and died there in December 1889... |
| Vanderprout, bourgmeister | tenor | - | Le Riche | Grivot Pierre Grivot Pierre-Antonin-François Grivot, born Paris in 1834 , died 1912, was a French singer and actor who enjoyed a long career in Paris, in both operetta and opéra comique. His wife was the actress and singer Laurence Grivot.-Life and career:... |
| Charles Martel, King of France | bass | Guyot | Le Sage | Legrenay |
| Almanzor | Duvernoy | - | - | |
| Le jeune Arthur | Bonnet | - | - | |
| Pitou, sergeant | bass | - | Émile Gabel | Émile Gabel |
| Grabuge, his subordinate | bass | - | Paul Ginet | Scipion |
| Narcisse, poet | tenor | Desmonts | Lignel | Montaubry Achille-Félix Montaubry Achille-Félix Montaubry, was a French musician and operatic tenor, active in Paris; later a theatre director... |
| Premier savant | Jean-Paul | - | - | |
| Deuxième savant | Tautin | - | - | |
| Péterpip | - | Leroy | Jean-Paul | |
| Saladin | - | Destroges | - | |
| Don Quichotte | - | Perron | - | |
| Renaud de Montauban | - | Gustave | - | |
| L'ermite du Ravin | - | Deschamps | Thérésa | |
| Stockfish | - | - | Colleuille | |
| Raoul | - | - | Meyronnet | |
| Don Juan | - | - | Gaspard | |
| Almaviva | - | - | Henry | |
| Hercule | - | - | Chevalier | |
| Othello | - | - | Gally | |
| Barbe-Bleue | - | - | Victor | |
| Roméo | - | - | Mallet | |
| Hector | - | - | Alexandre fils | |
| Hogier | - | - | Paulin | |
| Arnold | - | - | Barsagol | |
| Mathieu Laensberg | soprano | Lise Tautin Lise Tautin Lise Tautin , was a French soprano, associated with the opéra-bouffe in Paris in the middle of the 19th century, particularly the works of Offenbach.-Life and career:... |
- | - |
| Gratioso (1859) / Drogan (1867, 1875) |
soprano | Zulma Bouffar Zulma Bouffar Zulma Madeleine Boufflar, known as Zulma Bouffar, born Nérac 24 May 1841, died Couilly-Pont-aux-Dames 20 January 1909, was a French actress and soprano singer, associated with the opéra-bouffe of Paris in the second half of the 19th century who enjoyed a successful career around Europe.-Life and... |
Denise Matz-Ferrare | |
| Le chevalier noir | - | - | ||
| Isoline (1859, 1867) / Biscotte (1875) |
soprano | Vallière | Thérésa | |
| La bohémienne | soprano | - | - | |
| Geneviève | soprano | Mareshal | Baudier | Berthe Perret |
| Églantine (1859) / Brigitte (1867, 1875) Geneviève's confidant | Chabert | De Brigny-Varney | Angèle | |
| Ugolin | - | - | ||
| Lahire | Marie Cico Marie Cico Marie Cico, born in Paris in 1843 and died Neuilly-sur-Seine on 11 September 1875 was a French singer of opéra-comique and operetta. She made her debut at the Palais-Royal, where she was noticed by Jacques Offenbach, who took her into his company... |
- | (M.) Henry | |
| Clé de sol | - | - | ||
| Blondette | Rose-Deschamps | - | - | |
| Lancelot | Léone | - | Jules Vizentini | |
| Irma | Naldy | - | - | |
| Silvia | Lasserre | - | - | |
| Edwige | Taffanel | - | - | |
| Premier page | Kid | - | - | |
| Deuxième page | Jeanne | - | - | |
| Gilda | Fassio | - | - | |
| Marthe | Lécuyer | - | - | |
| Christine | - | Collas | E. Gilbert | |
| Barberine | - | - | ||
| Gudule | - | Gourdon | Maury | |
| Grudelinde | - | - | ||
| Faroline | - | Colombe | Julia H. | |
| Irénée | - | - | ||
| Houblonne | - | Rose Bruyère | Durieu | |
| Griselis | - | - | ||
| Dorothée | - | Louisa | Baudu | |
| Yolande | - | Yriart | ||
| Gretchen, Rodogune | - | A. Rolland | - | |
| Rosemonde | - | Guyas | - | |
| Madame Armide | - | Jacobus | Thérésa | |
| Bradamante | - | Antoinette | - | |
| Dulcinée | - | Lalouvière | - | |
| Bibiane | - | - | Castello | |
| Fideline | - | - | Davenay | |
| Margotte | - | - | Godin | |
| Charlotte | - | - | Albouy | |
| Maguelonne | - | - | Gobert | |
| Ursule | - | - | Vernet | |
| Régine | - | - | Moralès | |
| Nanny | - | - | Capet | |
| Agathe | - | - | Roques | |
| Chorus: Gentlemen, Knights, Councillors, Men and Women, Pages, Drummers, Kitchen boys, Musicians, Boatsmen, Bacchantes, etc. | ||||
Act 1
- Place: Curaçao and in Brabant
- Time: Around AD730
At evening in the main square, the burgomaster Van der Prout announces the imminent return from a pilgrimage to the monastery of Mount Poupard of Duke Sifroid’s party. The Duke, married to the beautiful Geneviève of Brabant, has fallen under a curse which prevents them from having any children. To find a cure, a competition is organized and is won by Drogan, a young baker, offering a magic pie. Secretly in love with Geneviève, Drogan asks for his reward to be made the page of Geneviève. Upon his return, the Duke tastes the magic pie, and feels good (Couplets de la poule).
In Geneviève’s apartments, Drogan implores her to allow him to accept him as her page, and confesses that it is he who has been singing beneath her window each night. He leaves as the Duke joins Geneviève, but after an interruption announcing the imminent arrival of Charles Martel, the effects of the pie on the Duke begin, in the form of a terrible bout of indigestion. As the Duke tries to assuage his digestion with a cup of tea, his counsellor Golo and his poet Narcisse arrive to carry out a plot to seize the crown. Golo and Narcisse tell him that Geneviève and Drogan have been witnessed in an embrace: the Duchess and the page must be put to death. But then Charles Martel demands entry to the palace (Boléro), asking Sifroid and his knights to catch the 8.05 train and join his crusade to Palestine. Sifroid condemns Geneviève, then sets off with his soldiers, by the northern railway.
Act 2
With the help of her servant Brigitte Geneviève has escaped, along with Drogan, and they find themselves seven months later in a forest. As two men-at-arms approach they hide. The Gascon and Flemish men-at-arms tell how they have been tasked by Golo to kill a noble lady. Golo and Van der Prout come on the scene and after despatching the men-at-arms to hunt down Geneviève (Golo having put about the story that Sifroid has been killed in the crusades) he calls up the hermit of the ravine.Drogan appears disguised as the statue of the hermit, and warns the men to abandon their pursuit as Sifroid is at the Château d'Asnières with Charles Martel. Even though he was married many years before, Golo threatens Geneviève with marriage. The statue of the hermit comes to life (Drogan) and sends the men-at-arms packing. Geneviève decides to feign death, Drogan takes a lock of her hair, and rushes off to reach the Duke.
Meanwhile, Charles Martel and Sifroid have ended their trip at the Château d'Asnières, where they make merry. Sifroid is taken with a masked lady, Isoline, who explains how her husband left her. Drogan arrives and announces the death of Geneviève. Sifroid decides to set off again with his retinue back to Curaçao to meet Golo – who, Isoline reveals, is the husband who abandoned her.
Act 3
Geneviève and Brigitte are still in the forest with only a young hind for company. Drogan returns with four huntsmen, looking for Golo. Passing by on the way back from their 'crusade', Sifroid and Martel are stopped by the men-at-arms, but Geneviève recognises and vouches for her husband’s identity. Van der Prout swaps sides again and tells Sifroid that the treacherous Golo is planning to be crowned at a quarter to three. All continue back to Curaçao.At the appointed hour Golo claims the crown, but he is denounced by Drogan and Sifroid has his crown restored. Isoline promises to punish her errant husband, and all ends well.
Recordings
External links
- Libretto of the original two-act version as originally submitted for censorship
- English translation by H.B. FarnieHenry Brougham FarnieHenry Brougham Farnie , often called H. B. Farnie, was a British librettist and adapter of French operettas and an author...
- Listing of cast of London production and 1878 London revival