La poupée
Encyclopedia
La poupée is an opéra comique
in a prelude and three acts composed by Edmond Audran
with a libretto by Maurice Ordonneau. It opened at the Théâtre de la Gaîté, Montparnasse
, Paris on 31 October 1896. Along with Miss Helyett (1890) La poupée was one of Audran's late successes. The libretto was based on E.T.A. Hoffmann
's Der Sandmann
.
La poupée then played at the Prince of Wales Theatre
in London, opening on 24 February 1897, with an English libretto in two acts by Arthur Sturgess, running for a very successful 576 performances. It starred Courtice Pounds
and Willie Edouin
, and Edna May
later played in the piece. It also had a Broadway
production in 1897 and was made into a film in 1920.
Act I - Scene 1 - The Monastery
Act I - Scene 2 - Hilarius's Workshop
Act II - Scene 1 - Chanterelle's Country House
Act II - Scene 2 - Another part of the Monastery
Supplementary Numbers
Opéra comique
Opéra comique is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged out of the popular opéra comiques en vaudevilles of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent , which combined existing popular tunes with spoken sections...
in a prelude and three acts composed by Edmond Audran
Edmond Audran
Achille Edmond Audran was a French composer best known for several internationally successful operettas, including Les noces d'Olivette , La mascotte , Gillette de Narbonne , La cigale et la fourmi , Miss Helyett , and La poupée .After Audran's initial success in Paris, his works also became a...
with a libretto by Maurice Ordonneau. It opened at the Théâtre de la Gaîté, Montparnasse
Théâtre de la Gaîté-Montparnasse
The Théâtre de la Gaîté-Montparnasse is a venue situated at 26, rue de la Gaîté, in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, in the 14th arrondissement...
, Paris on 31 October 1896. Along with Miss Helyett (1890) La poupée was one of Audran's late successes. The libretto was based on E.T.A. Hoffmann
E.T.A. Hoffmann
Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann , better known by his pen name E.T.A. Hoffmann , was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist...
's Der Sandmann
Der Sandmann
The Sandman is a short story written in German by E.T.A. Hoffmann. It was the first in an 1817 book of stories titled Die Nachtstücke .-Plot summary:...
.
La poupée then played at the Prince of Wales Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner...
in London, opening on 24 February 1897, with an English libretto in two acts by Arthur Sturgess, running for a very successful 576 performances. It starred Courtice Pounds
Courtice Pounds
Charles Courtice Pounds , better known by the stage name Courtice Pounds, was an English singer and actor known for his performances in the tenor roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and his later roles in Shakespeare plays and Edwardian musical comedies.As a young member...
and Willie Edouin
Willie Edouin
Willie Edouin was an English comedian, actor, dancer, singer, writer, director and theatre manager.After performing as a child in England, Australia and elsewhere, Edouin moved to America, where he joined Lydia Thompson's burlesque troupe, performing with this company both in the U.S. and Britain...
, and Edna May
Edna May
Edna May Pettie , known on stage as Edna May, was an American actress and singer. A popular postcard beauty, May was famous for her leading roles in Edwardian Musical Comedies.- Life and career :...
later played in the piece. It also had a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production in 1897 and was made into a film in 1920.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, (Conductor:) |
|---|---|---|
| Father Maxime | 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... |
Lucien Noel |
| Lancelot, a monk | 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... |
Paul Fugère |
| Chanterelle | tenor | Paul Bert |
| Lorèmois, Chanterelle's friend | tenor | Bienfait |
| Balthazar, a monk | tenor | Jaltier |
| Agnelet, a monk | tenor | Bernard |
| Benoit, a monk | bass | Geoffroy |
| Basilique, a monk | bass | Fumat |
| Hilarius | tenor | Dacheux |
| Madame Hilarius | 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... |
Gilles-Rainbault |
| Alesia, Hilarius's daughter | soprano | Mariette Sully Mariette Sully Mariette Sully was a Belgian soprano, born December 1874, died Paris, possibly in 1940, who was principally active in operetta.-Career:After leaving school she began working in the theatre, making her debut at the Casino in Nice in Lecocq’s La petite mariée... |
| Guduline | Brandon | |
| Henri | ||
| Pierre, Hilarius's assistant | ||
| Jacques | ||
| Marie | ||
Synopsis
Maxime and his fellow monks are penniless and starving. A new member of the monastery, Lancelot, asks his rich uncle for aid. The uncle will assist the friars, but only if Lancelot gets married. The monks scheme to trick the uncle by using one of puppet master Hilarius's dolls, pretending that it is Lancelot's wife. Hilarius's newest puppet was made to look similar to Alesia, his daughter. At the wedding, however, Alesia masquerades as the doll, because she loves Lancelot. Lancelot does not discover that he has married the real Alesia until the wedding is over. Now he must leave the monastery with his wife, but the friars receive the generous sum of money from his uncle.Musical numbers (from English-language adaptation)
- Overture
Act I - Scene 1 - The Monastery
- No. 1 - Opening Chorus and Song - Lancelot - "Alas! with lean and empty scrip the Brotherhood are now returning..."
- No. 1a - Exit of Chorus - "Yes, though we're poor in luck of late, and all our hearts are full of sorrow..."
- No. 2 - Song - Father Maxime - "Soon you are to see life and much adventure..."
- No. 3 - Bell Chorus, with Father Maxime and Lancelot - "Hark, how the bell is ringing, here we come with speed..."
Act I - Scene 2 - Hilarius's Workshop
- No. 4 - Workmen's Chorus - "We are workmen waiting for our payment; automatic dolls we make..."
- No. 4a -*Exit of Chorus (reprise) - "We are workmen waiting for our payment..."
- No. 5 - Song - Alesia - "With careless eye I saw him there, and love took rest within my heart..."
- No. 6 - Song - Lancelot - "If in a cell your life is pass'd, nought of temptation you will see..."
- No. 7 - Trio - Alesia, Lancelot and Hilarius - "I can dance and sing and chatter, though my speech is rather disjointed..."
- No. 8 - Duet - Alesia and Lancelot - "I love you very dearly; my hand and heart at your feet I lay..."
- No. 9 - Finale Act I - "Come, let us now to work, our task we never shirk..."
Act II - Scene 1 - Chanterelle's Country House
- No. 9a - Entr'acte
- No. 10 - Opening Chorus - "Now we appear, neighbours and friends; news that we hear, none can disparage..."
- No. 11 - Duet - Chanterelle and Loremois - "This wicked world I've wander'd round, 'mid pleasant scenes and others not..."
- No. 12 - Trio - Alesia, Chanterelle and Loremois - "Ah! Lancelot is not yet here; perhaps 'tis Chanterelle I see..."
- No. 13 - Quartette - Chanterelle, Loremois, Lancelot and Hilarius - "Though manners change, a girl so strange..."
- No. 14 - Duet - Lancelot and Alesia - "Happy world, such maidens possessing if like to thee..."
- No. 15 - Ensemble - "Here are the wedding guests, who come to see the bridegroom and the blushing bride..."
- No. 16 - Chorus - "After them we go! Follow them, stop them in their flight! Bring them back ere fall of night! ..."
Act II - Scene 2 - Another part of the Monastery
- No. 17 - Chorus - "'Tis night, and brother Lancelot has not returned from his adventure to keep the vow of his indenture..."
- No. 18 - Song - Father Maxime - "A jovial monk am I, contented with my lot. The world without this gate I flout..."
- No. 19 - Chorus of Monks - "Oh, strange device, so nearly true to life, 'tis worth the price he's paid for such a wife..."
- No. 20 - Song - Alesia - "A poor little dummy am I, but still my intellect is shining..."
- No. 21 - Exit of Monks - "Creature false and frail as that she's representing, not in strength we fail, not a whit we relent..."
- No. 22 - Duet - Alesia and Lancelot - "Was it a kiss? Sweetest caress! Token of bliss and happiness! ..."
- No. 23 - Finale Act II - "And now I mean to leave this place, to start another kind of life..."
Supplementary Numbers
- No. 24 - Extra Song - Lancelot - "I went to town a simple youth as many more have done..."
- No. 25 - Extra Song - Alesia - "'Tis the Springtime of love, with all its store of gladness..."