Les aventures du roi Pausole
Encyclopedia
Les aventures du roi Pausole (The adventures of King Pausole) is an opérette in three acts with music by Arthur Honegger
and a French
libretto by Albert Willemetz
, based on the 1901 novel by Pierre Louÿs
. It was Honegger’s third operatic work, but his first in lighter vein, composed between May and November 1930, and dedicated to Fernand Ochsé. Excluding dialogue, there is around 75 minutes of music, making it longer than many of his more serious works. While showing the influence of Mozart, Chabrier and Messager, it contains a wide range of orchestral colours with occasional glances at jazz of the 1930s.
on 12 December 1930, and ran for nearly 500 nights in its first run. It was revived at the Théâtre des Capucines
in 1947 and in Lausanne in 1990. The complete score was recorded in August 1992 in Zurich.
Along with the creators of principal roles, the original cast included Simone Simon
and Edwige Feuillère
as queens.
In 1933 Alexis Granowsky made a film version with Emil Jannings
and Josette Day
.
Although in Pausole's kingdom morals are somewhat relaxed, and the monarch has a wife for each day of the year, in respect of his own daughter the king is more strict.
During a ballet given for the women of the harem, Aline falls for Mirabelle, a girl dressed as a boy dancer.
While the king holds court under a cherry-tree – and lets off all the wrong-doers – Aline runs off with Mirabelle. But even after reading Aline’s note (saying she will return in nine months…) the king is indecisive. Finally he follows the advice of his page Giglio and sets off on travels, and in search of his daughter.
The seven farmers get everything ready for the arrival of the king. The farm is the only place to stay on the Tryphème road, and Aline and Mirabelle have stopped here. Mirabelle reveals to Aline that she is in 'travesty'. After a duet they disappear as the king enters with Taxis, welcomed by a cantata from the farmers.
Pausole sings an air of the legend of the ‘Coupe de Thulé’, then goes off to visit the model farm.
Giglio, trying to seduce Thierette, spies Aline and Mirabelle through the key-hole, noting that Mirabelle is not a man. He sends Thierette away, and, in order not to frighten the couple, dresses himself in a peasant’s dress, and blackmails them into letting him join their fun. Aline decides that she prefers Giglio’s kisses to Mirabelle’s and all reveal their true identities. Giglio begins to interest Mirabelle and he agrees to help both Aline and Mirabelle escape. Pausole comes back and falls asleep. Aline finds him and leaves message to reassure him that she is fine. Diane à la Houppe and the harem enter and proclaim that revolt has broken out in the harem. This gives the king the chance to express his wish for peace, in which ‘national anthem’ all join.
After a chorus of soubrettes, Giglio emerges from the king’s bedroom, where, in place of the king, the page has had a night of ecstasy with Diane. Aline and Mirabelle are in the same hôtel. The king’s daughter is yearning for the young page.
Amid comings and goings from the different hotel rooms, there follow the entry of the Spanish chocolate, an air for Taxis, and a telephone duet. Giglio persuades Aline of the advantages of a man making love to a woman, and after Pausole has read a speech on free love, Giglio feels free to make off with Aline. Pausole discovers Aline and Giglio in his bedroom.
The king abdicates, and goes off to sleep, to a gentle final chorus.
Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger was a Swiss composer, who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. He was a member of Les six. His most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231, which is interpreted as imitating the sound of a steam locomotive.-Biography:Born...
and 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 by Albert Willemetz
Albert Willemetz
Albert Willemetz was a French librettist.Albert Willemetz was a prolific lyricist. He invented a new type of musical, with a humorous and "sexy" style...
, based on the 1901 novel by Pierre Louÿs
Pierre Louÿs
Pierre Louÿs was a French poet and writer, most renowned for lesbian and classical themes in some of his writings. He is known as a writer who "expressed pagan sensuality with stylistic perfection."-Life:...
. It was Honegger’s third operatic work, but his first in lighter vein, composed between May and November 1930, and dedicated to Fernand Ochsé. Excluding dialogue, there is around 75 minutes of music, making it longer than many of his more serious works. While showing the influence of Mozart, Chabrier and Messager, it contains a wide range of orchestral colours with occasional glances at jazz of the 1930s.
Performance history
Les aventures du roi Pausole was first performed at Bouffes ParisiensThéâtre 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...
on 12 December 1930, and ran for nearly 500 nights in its first run. It was revived at the Théâtre des Capucines
Théâtre des Capucines
The Théâtre des Capucines was a former theatre on the boulevard des Capucines in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. It was built in 1889 by architect Édouard-Jean Niermans and then taken over by two brothers, Émile Isola and Vincent Isola, in 1892 to become the Théâtre Isola...
in 1947 and in Lausanne in 1990. The complete score was recorded in August 1992 in Zurich.
Along with the creators of principal roles, the original cast included Simone Simon
Simone Simon
Simone Thérèse Fernande Simon was a French film actress who began her film career in 1931.-Early life:Born in Béthune, Pas-de-Calais France, she was the daughter of Henri Louis Firmin Champmoynat, a French engineer, airplane pilot in World War II, who died in a concentration camp, and Erma Maria...
and Edwige Feuillère
Edwige Feuillère
Edwige Feuillère was a distinguished French stage and film actress....
as queens.
In 1933 Alexis Granowsky made a film version with Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings was a German actor. He was not only the first actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but also the first person to be presented an Oscar...
and Josette Day
Josette Day
Josette Day was a French film actress.Born in Paris, she began her career as an actress in 1919 at the age of five...
.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 12 December 1930 (Conductor: -) |
|---|---|---|
| Le Roi Pausole | 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... |
Dorville |
| Giglio, the king’s page | 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... |
Fred Pasquali |
| The Grand Eunuch, Taxis | tenor | René Koval |
| Le métayer | bass | Louis Blanche |
| The Fair Aline, daughter of the king | 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... |
Jacqueline Francell |
| Mirabelle | mezzo-soprano | Meg Lemonnier |
| Diane à la Houppe | soprano | Germaine Duclos |
| Dame Perchuque | mezzo-soprano | Claude de Sivry |
| Thierrette | soprano | Regina Paris |
| La Reine Giselle | soprano | Moussia |
| Subjects, Wives of the king, farm girls, soubrettes, etc (chorus) | ||
Act I
In the harem of Pausole, king of TryphèmeAlthough in Pausole's kingdom morals are somewhat relaxed, and the monarch has a wife for each day of the year, in respect of his own daughter the king is more strict.
During a ballet given for the women of the harem, Aline falls for Mirabelle, a girl dressed as a boy dancer.
While the king holds court under a cherry-tree – and lets off all the wrong-doers – Aline runs off with Mirabelle. But even after reading Aline’s note (saying she will return in nine months…) the king is indecisive. Finally he follows the advice of his page Giglio and sets off on travels, and in search of his daughter.
Act II
At the Golden Cockerel farm.The seven farmers get everything ready for the arrival of the king. The farm is the only place to stay on the Tryphème road, and Aline and Mirabelle have stopped here. Mirabelle reveals to Aline that she is in 'travesty'. After a duet they disappear as the king enters with Taxis, welcomed by a cantata from the farmers.
Pausole sings an air of the legend of the ‘Coupe de Thulé’, then goes off to visit the model farm.
Giglio, trying to seduce Thierette, spies Aline and Mirabelle through the key-hole, noting that Mirabelle is not a man. He sends Thierette away, and, in order not to frighten the couple, dresses himself in a peasant’s dress, and blackmails them into letting him join their fun. Aline decides that she prefers Giglio’s kisses to Mirabelle’s and all reveal their true identities. Giglio begins to interest Mirabelle and he agrees to help both Aline and Mirabelle escape. Pausole comes back and falls asleep. Aline finds him and leaves message to reassure him that she is fine. Diane à la Houppe and the harem enter and proclaim that revolt has broken out in the harem. This gives the king the chance to express his wish for peace, in which ‘national anthem’ all join.
Act III
At the inn of the ‘Sein blanc et de Westphalie réunis’.After a chorus of soubrettes, Giglio emerges from the king’s bedroom, where, in place of the king, the page has had a night of ecstasy with Diane. Aline and Mirabelle are in the same hôtel. The king’s daughter is yearning for the young page.
Amid comings and goings from the different hotel rooms, there follow the entry of the Spanish chocolate, an air for Taxis, and a telephone duet. Giglio persuades Aline of the advantages of a man making love to a woman, and after Pausole has read a speech on free love, Giglio feels free to make off with Aline. Pausole discovers Aline and Giglio in his bedroom.
The king abdicates, and goes off to sleep, to a gentle final chorus.