Il signor Fagotto
Encyclopedia
Il signor Fagotto is a one-act opérette by Jacques Offenbach
to a French
libretto
by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter
and Étienne Tréfeu
, first performed in 1863. The story of a father outwitted and true love winning is set within “a burlesque of musical styles”.
Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
, Rue Monsigny, Paris
, a few months later, where it enjoyed several revivals. The work was performed in a revised form in Vienna shortly after the premiere of Die Rheinnixen
in 1864 and dedicated to Eduard Hanslick
.
Il signor Fagotto forms part of the Keck Offenbach edition. The autograph of the score, in the possession of Offenbach descendants, and sources from Vienna have formed a critical edition of three versions (Bad Ems, Paris, Vienna), which was premiered at the Opéra National de Lyon
in October 2001.
A bourgeois salon in the 19th century
Music lover Bertolucci wants his daughter Clorinda to marry the old antique dealer Caramello, who is knowledgeable about classical music, and also a member of the 'National Academy of Amphorae of Pompeii'.
Bertolucci has had framed and hung around his salon all the letters sent to him by his musical idol the great Signor Fagotto.
Caramello arrives to woo her, the lyre of Pindar
under his arm. However, Clorinda is in love with her music tutor Fabricio, a young composer whose work is not music to Bertolucci's ears, but whom Clorinda hopes to wed with the help of her maid Moschetta.
Fabricio arrives and gives Clorinda her music lesson. Bertolucci's servant Bacòlo spots an opportunity for him to win the heart and hand of Moschetta, who has spurned him so far, by assisting with a plot to outwit their master and musical snob.
This very day Fagotto has consented to be witness at the signing of the marriage contract between Clorinda and Caramelo.
Fagotto appears wearing an eccentric costume; he then displays some especially gymnastic skills and his talent in imitative music including animals and fireworks. Fagotto of course is not the real maestro but Bacòlo in disguise; Bertolucci overwhelmed by his artistry and his admiration knows no bounds.
When Caramelo declaims an ode, this is met with scorn by Fagotto, who lauds the music of young Fabricio, whose talent – as revealed by the great Fagotto – is now praised in turn by Bertolucci. Having previously treated him with contempt, with Fagotto’s imprimatur Bertolucci would now consent to him marrying his daughter.
Caramello is furious and attacks Fagotto, and in the confusion Bacòlo loses his wig and the scheme is revealed.
Bacòlo admits that he was the author of the letters received by Bertolucci from his idol. The marriage of Clorinda and Fabricio is agreed and Moschetta, impressed by Bacòlo’s work, agrees she will have him in the end.
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....
to a French
French 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
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter
Charles-Louis-Etienne Nuitter
Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter was a French librettist, translator, writer and librarian born in Paris, France on 24 April 1828. He died there on 23 February 1899 after suffering a stroke a few days before.-Librettist and translator:...
and Étienne Tréfeu
Étienne Tréfeu
Étienne Victor Tréfeu , was a French librettist, song writer and theatre manager...
, first performed in 1863. The story of a father outwitted and true love winning is set within “a burlesque of musical styles”.
Performance history
The work was premiered by Offenbach’s company at Bad Ems, before transferring to theThéâtre 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...
, Rue Monsigny, 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...
, a few months later, where it enjoyed several revivals. The work was performed in a revised form in Vienna shortly after the premiere of Die Rheinnixen
Die Rheinnixen
Die Rheinnixen is a romantic opera in four acts by Jacques Offenbach. The original libretto by Charles-Louis-Etienne Nuitter was translated into German by Alfred von Wolzogen....
in 1864 and dedicated to Eduard Hanslick
Eduard Hanslick
Eduard Hanslick was a Bohemian-Austrian music critic.-Biography:Hanslick was born in Prague, the son of Joseph Adolph Hanslick, a bibliographer and music teacher from a German-speaking family, and one of his piano pupils, the daughter of a Jewish merchant from Vienna...
.
Il signor Fagotto forms part of the Keck Offenbach edition. The autograph of the score, in the possession of Offenbach descendants, and sources from Vienna have formed a critical edition of three versions (Bad Ems, Paris, Vienna), which was premiered at the Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon is an opera company in Lyon, France which performs in the Nouvel Opéra, a modernized version in 1993 of the original 1831 opera house.The inaugural performance of François-Adrien Boïeldieu's La Dame blanche was given on 1 July 1831...
in October 2001.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, Bad Ems, 11 July 1863 (Conductor Conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble... : Offenbach) |
Revised version cast, Paris, 18 January 1864 (Conductor:) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bertolucci, a music lover | 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... |
Desmonts | Desiré 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... |
| Clorinda, Bertolucci's daughter | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Taffanel | Taffanel |
| Fabricio, Clorinda's lover | soprano | Dartaux | Lucille Tostée Lucille Tostée Lucille Tostée , was a French soprano, associated with opéra-bouffe in Paris and the USA in the mid-19th century, particularly in the works of Offenbach.-Life and career:... |
| Bacòlo, servant to Bertolucci | 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... |
Gustave Gerpré | Pradeau |
| Moschetta, servant to Bertolucci | 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... |
Zulma Bouffar |
| Caramello, an antiques dealer | baritone | Guyot | Georges |
Synopsis
Time and PlaceA bourgeois salon in the 19th century
Music lover Bertolucci wants his daughter Clorinda to marry the old antique dealer Caramello, who is knowledgeable about classical music, and also a member of the 'National Academy of Amphorae of Pompeii'.
Bertolucci has had framed and hung around his salon all the letters sent to him by his musical idol the great Signor Fagotto.
Caramello arrives to woo her, the lyre of Pindar
Pindar
Pindar , was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian described him as "by far the greatest of the nine lyric poets, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his thoughts and figures, the rich...
under his arm. However, Clorinda is in love with her music tutor Fabricio, a young composer whose work is not music to Bertolucci's ears, but whom Clorinda hopes to wed with the help of her maid Moschetta.
Fabricio arrives and gives Clorinda her music lesson. Bertolucci's servant Bacòlo spots an opportunity for him to win the heart and hand of Moschetta, who has spurned him so far, by assisting with a plot to outwit their master and musical snob.
This very day Fagotto has consented to be witness at the signing of the marriage contract between Clorinda and Caramelo.
Fagotto appears wearing an eccentric costume; he then displays some especially gymnastic skills and his talent in imitative music including animals and fireworks. Fagotto of course is not the real maestro but Bacòlo in disguise; Bertolucci overwhelmed by his artistry and his admiration knows no bounds.
When Caramelo declaims an ode, this is met with scorn by Fagotto, who lauds the music of young Fabricio, whose talent – as revealed by the great Fagotto – is now praised in turn by Bertolucci. Having previously treated him with contempt, with Fagotto’s imprimatur Bertolucci would now consent to him marrying his daughter.
Caramello is furious and attacks Fagotto, and in the confusion Bacòlo loses his wig and the scheme is revealed.
Bacòlo admits that he was the author of the letters received by Bertolucci from his idol. The marriage of Clorinda and Fabricio is agreed and Moschetta, impressed by Bacòlo’s work, agrees she will have him in the end.