Monsieur Beaucaire (operetta)
Encyclopedia
Monsieur Beaucaire is a romantic opera in three acts, composed by André Messager
. The libretto, based on the 1900 novel
by Booth Tarkington
, is by Frederick Lonsdale
, with lyrics by Adrian Ross
. The piece premiered at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Birmingham
, England, on 7 April 1919, before opening at the Prince's Theatre in London under the management of Frank Curzon
on 19 April 1919 and transferring to the Palace Theatre
on 29 July 1919, for a successful run.
Monsieur Beaucaire was also produced on Broadway
in 1919-20 and enjoyed many revivals and international tours. The French premiere was delayed by difficulties in finding a suitable theatre; it opened at the Théâtre Marigny
, Paris on 21 November 1925, with a French adaptation by André Rivoire
and Pierre Veber, and starring Marcelle Denya, Renee Camia and André Baugé. In 1955, it entered the repertoire of the Opéra-Comique
in Paris, with Jacques Jansen
and Denise Duval
.
In 1925 the composer stated that he began work on Monsieur Beaucaire following a meeting with impressario Gilbert Miller
in 1916. Messager's son said that most of it was composed during the summer of 1917 in Étretat
. Messager's career in London, which included a six-year stint as music director at Covent Garden
, concluded with Monsieur Beaucaire, his second and last opera in English. As well as considerable use of the waltz-time, there are several neo-classical touches in the score. Some of the most popular songs are "I do not know", "Red Rose" and "Philomel".
The setting is Bath in the early 18th Century. Beaucaire is posing as a barber employed by the French Ambassador. He is actually the Duc d'Orleans, the son of the King of France, a fact only known to his valet and his friend, Molyneux. Beaucaire is in love with Lady Mary Carlisle, who is herself courted by the Duke of Winterset. Beaucaire hosts a card game, where a number of gentlemen lose most of their money to him. In the second round, Beaucaire plays Winterset for high stakes. At the climax of the hand, Beaucaire exposes Winterset as a cheat. Winterset threatens to kill his opponent, but Beaucaire reveals that they are observed by his servants and the noble Molyneux. As the price of Beaucaire's silence, Winterset takes him to Lady Rellerton's ball to introduce him to Lady Mary.
Molyneux is in love with Lady Mary's cousin Lucy and courts her at the ball. Beaucaire charms the company, and Lady Mary asks to be left alone with him. He begs the rose in her hair. She says that he must earn it by escorting the aged Countess of Greenbury to supper. To obtain revenge, Winterset persuades Captain Badger, a famous swordsman, to quarrel with Beaucaire, who challenges him to a duel. They fight on the terrace and, to everyone's surprise, Beaucaire is the victor. He takes the old Countess into supper and receives his rose from Lady Mary.
Act II
At a 'Pastoral Fete' at Mr Bantison's house outside Bath, Lady Mary is still smitten with Beaucaire, although she has many suitors. Lucy finally gets Molyneux alone, to get him to promise to be hers alone for the evening, when he is summoned away by Beaucaire. Lucy accuses him of going to another woman but he denies it in a romantic song. But the summons is a trick of Winterset. Once Molyneux has gone, he denounces Beaucaire as the barber. One by one all of the suitors attack Beaucaire, and are all wounded. An assault by the massed servants of his opponents threatens to defeat Beaucaire, when Francois and his fellow servants join in the battle and repulse the attackers. Lady Mary, believing herself deceived, storms off. Beaucaire is seriously wounded.
Act III
A week later, it has been announced that the French Ambassador will attend the pump room that evening, and guards have been placed to prevent Beaucaire from attending. His previously defeated opponents sing of how they bear 'The Honours of War'. Molyneux is still having trouble with Lucy but manages to convince her to arrange a secret meeting between Mary and Beaucaire. Beaucaire explains the situation to her, and asks if the identity of a lover truly matters? Lady Mary agrees. Winterset and his followers enter, followed by the Ambassador. Everyone is amazed when the Ambassador enters and kneels to the presumed barber, hailing him 'A Son of France'. The King of France is dead, and, out of danger, Beaucaire reveals himself as the Duke of Orleans and announces that Mary will be his future Duchess, to everyone's delight.
Act II
Act III
concluded, "If Monsieur Beaucaire avoids being an opera it enlists some of the best talents of the Opera. Miss Maggie Teyte, surrounded by half a dozen lovers on the stage, may be sure of as many hundreds in the auditorium, and Mr. Marion Green, every inch the Noble Personage, has a voice to match. Miss Alice Moffat and Mr. John Clarke together make the subsidiary lovers attractive, and Mr. Robert Parker is the very image of courtly vice. It Is rare to get so much good singing where good acting must have been the first requirement in making up the cast. There is a chorus which adds to its beautiful dresses the power of producing quite a beautiful sound, and an orchestra which, under Mr. Kennedy Russell, lets us enjoy the best that Mr. Messager can give." In The Observer
, Ernest Newman
, having made some mild criticisms of the score and some harsher ones of the libretto, concluded that the piece was "a delightful entertainment, that one can picture oneself going to see a number of times." In The Manchester Guardian
, Samuel Langford
praised the work, with reservations about the clichéd libretto, but regretted that there was not more music.
in London in 1919 at the time of the creation, with Marion Green, Maggie Teyte, Alice Moffat and John Clarke, with the Prince's Theatre Orchestra conducted by Kennedy Russell.
Various excerpts were recorded in Paris in 1925 and 1930 by French singers after staged performances. Extended extracts were recorded in Paris in 1952, with Martha Angelici
, Liliane Berton
, Michel Dens
, René Lenoty and Gilbert Moryn, conducted by Jules Gressier.
On 27 March 1958, French Radio broadcast a complete performance (since issued on CD) with Lina Dachary, Willy Clément
, Nicole Broissin, René Lenoty, Lucien Lovano, Henri Bedex, Jacques Pruvost, Georges Foix, Marcel Enot and André Balbon, with the Choeurs and Orchestre Radio Lyrique de la RTF conducted again by Jules Gressier.
and Lewis Waller
under the management of Frank Curzon
and directed by Guy Waller. The cast included Waller as Monsieur Beaucaire and Grace Lane as Lady Mary Carlisle. The production ran for a very successful 430 performances.
In addition, there was a silent film, Monsieur Beaucaire, with Rudolph Valentino
in 1924, and a 1946 comedy film
that featured Bob Hope
. An episode from the novel was incorporated into the screenplay of the 1930 film Monte Carlo
.
André Messager
André Charles Prosper Messager , was a French composer, organist, pianist, conductor and administrator. His stage compositions included ballets and 30 opéra comiques and operettas, among which Véronique, had lasting success, with Les p'tites Michu and Monsieur Beaucaire also enjoying international...
. The libretto, based on the 1900 novel
Monsieur Beaucaire (novel)
Monsieur Beaucaire is a short novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Booth Tarkington that was first published in 1900.-Plot:The setting is Bath during the eighteenth century. Before the action of the novel begins, Beau Nash, an historical figure who served as Master of Ceremonies of Bath, has...
by Booth Tarkington
Booth Tarkington
Booth Tarkington was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novels The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams...
, is by Frederick Lonsdale
Frederick Lonsdale
Frederick Lonsdale was an English dramatist.-Personal life:Lonsdale was born Lionel Frederick Leonard in St Helier, Jersey, the son of Susan and John Henry Leonard, a tobacconist. He began as a private soldier and worked for the London and South Western Railway...
, with lyrics by Adrian Ross
Adrian Ross
For the NFL player see Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes , better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
. The piece premiered at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England, on 7 April 1919, before opening at the Prince's Theatre in London under the management of Frank Curzon
Frank Curzon
Frank Curzon was an English actor who became an important theatre manager, leasing the Royal Strand Theatre, Avenue Theatre, Criterion Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre and Wyndham's Theatre, among others....
on 19 April 1919 and transferring to the Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
on 29 July 1919, for a successful run.
Monsieur Beaucaire was also produced on 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...
in 1919-20 and enjoyed many revivals and international tours. The French premiere was delayed by difficulties in finding a suitable theatre; it opened at the Théâtre Marigny
Théâtre Marigny
The Théâtre Marigny is a theatre in Paris, situated near the junction of the Champs-Élysées and the Avenue Marigny, in the 8th arrondissement. It was originally built to designs of the architect Charles Garnier for the display of a panorama, which opened in 1883...
, Paris on 21 November 1925, with a French adaptation by André Rivoire
André Rivoire
André Rivoire was a French poet and playwright whose work was defined by the delicate precision of his observation.-Life and work:...
and Pierre Veber, and starring Marcelle Denya, Renee Camia and André Baugé. In 1955, it entered the repertoire of the Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
in Paris, with Jacques Jansen
Jacques Jansen
Jacques Jansen was a French baryton-martin singer, particularly associated with the role of Pelléas but also active in operetta and on the concert platform, and later as a teacher.-Life and career:Jansen had a wide musical and artistic education; after studying the violin in Paris, he took lessons...
and Denise Duval
Denise Duval
Denise Duval is a French soprano, best known for her performances in works by the composer Francis Poulenc. Duval created the roles of Elle in La voix humaine, Thérèse in Les mamelles de Tirésias and later excelled in the role of Blanche de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites, although she did...
.
In 1925 the composer stated that he began work on Monsieur Beaucaire following a meeting with impressario Gilbert Miller
Gilbert Miller
Gilbert Heron Miller was an American theatrical producer.Born in New York City, he was the son of English-born theatrical producer Henry Miller and Bijou Heron, a former child actress. Raised and educated in Europe, he returned home to follow in his father's footsteps and became a highly...
in 1916. Messager's son said that most of it was composed during the summer of 1917 in Étretat
Étretat
Étretat is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France. It is a tourist and farming town situated c. 32 km northeast of Le Havre, at the junction of the D940, D11 and D139 roads. It's located on the coast of the Pays de Caux area.-The...
. Messager's career in London, which included a six-year stint as music director at Covent Garden
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, concluded with Monsieur Beaucaire, his second and last opera in English. As well as considerable use of the waltz-time, there are several neo-classical touches in the score. Some of the most popular songs are "I do not know", "Red Rose" and "Philomel".
Roles and original cast
- Monsieur Beaucaire – Marion Green
- Philippe Molyneux – John Clarke
- Frederick Bantison – Lennox Pawle
- Rakell – Spencer Trevor
- François – Yvan Servais
- Duke of Winterset – Robert Parker
- Beau Nash – Robert Cunningham
- Townbrake – Dennis King
- Captain Badger – Percy Carr
- Joliffe – Harry Frankiss
- Bicksitt – Leigh Ellis
- The Marquis de Mirepox – Yvan Servais
- Lucy – Alice Moffat
- Countess of Greenbury – Violet Jerome
- Girl – Renée Morrell
- Lady Mary Carlisle – Maggie TeyteMaggie TeyteDame Maggie Teyte DBE was an English operatic soprano and interpreter of French art song.-Early years:Margaret Tate was born in Wolverhampton, England, one of ten children of Jacob James Tate, a successful wine and spirit merchant and proprietor of public houses and later lodgings. Her parents...
Synopsis
Act IThe setting is Bath in the early 18th Century. Beaucaire is posing as a barber employed by the French Ambassador. He is actually the Duc d'Orleans, the son of the King of France, a fact only known to his valet and his friend, Molyneux. Beaucaire is in love with Lady Mary Carlisle, who is herself courted by the Duke of Winterset. Beaucaire hosts a card game, where a number of gentlemen lose most of their money to him. In the second round, Beaucaire plays Winterset for high stakes. At the climax of the hand, Beaucaire exposes Winterset as a cheat. Winterset threatens to kill his opponent, but Beaucaire reveals that they are observed by his servants and the noble Molyneux. As the price of Beaucaire's silence, Winterset takes him to Lady Rellerton's ball to introduce him to Lady Mary.
Molyneux is in love with Lady Mary's cousin Lucy and courts her at the ball. Beaucaire charms the company, and Lady Mary asks to be left alone with him. He begs the rose in her hair. She says that he must earn it by escorting the aged Countess of Greenbury to supper. To obtain revenge, Winterset persuades Captain Badger, a famous swordsman, to quarrel with Beaucaire, who challenges him to a duel. They fight on the terrace and, to everyone's surprise, Beaucaire is the victor. He takes the old Countess into supper and receives his rose from Lady Mary.
Act II
At a 'Pastoral Fete' at Mr Bantison's house outside Bath, Lady Mary is still smitten with Beaucaire, although she has many suitors. Lucy finally gets Molyneux alone, to get him to promise to be hers alone for the evening, when he is summoned away by Beaucaire. Lucy accuses him of going to another woman but he denies it in a romantic song. But the summons is a trick of Winterset. Once Molyneux has gone, he denounces Beaucaire as the barber. One by one all of the suitors attack Beaucaire, and are all wounded. An assault by the massed servants of his opponents threatens to defeat Beaucaire, when Francois and his fellow servants join in the battle and repulse the attackers. Lady Mary, believing herself deceived, storms off. Beaucaire is seriously wounded.
Act III
A week later, it has been announced that the French Ambassador will attend the pump room that evening, and guards have been placed to prevent Beaucaire from attending. His previously defeated opponents sing of how they bear 'The Honours of War'. Molyneux is still having trouble with Lucy but manages to convince her to arrange a secret meeting between Mary and Beaucaire. Beaucaire explains the situation to her, and asks if the identity of a lover truly matters? Lady Mary agrees. Winterset and his followers enter, followed by the Ambassador. Everyone is amazed when the Ambassador enters and kneels to the presumed barber, hailing him 'A Son of France'. The King of France is dead, and, out of danger, Beaucaire reveals himself as the Duke of Orleans and announces that Mary will be his future Duchess, to everyone's delight.
Musical numbers
Act I- Red rose – Monsieur Beaucaire
- Going to the ball – Philip Molyneux, Beaucaire and Duke of Winterset
- The Beaux and the Belles of Bath – Chorus
- A little more (I love you a little) – Lucy and Philip
- Come with welcome – Chorus
- I do not know – Lady Mary Carlisle
- Who is this? – Chorus
- English maids – Monsieur Beaucaire
- Lightly, lightly – Lady Mary and Beaucaire
- No offence – Philip, Beaucaire, Captain Badger and Duke of Winterset
- Act I Finale – Company
Act II
- When I was king of Bath – Beau Nash
- That's a woman's way – Lucy
- Philomel – Lady Mary
- Honour and love – Philip
- Say no more – Lady Mary and Beaucaire
- Act II Finale – Company
Act III
- Have You Heard? – Chorus
- The Honours of war – Rakell, Townbrake, Joliffe, Captain Badger, Frederick Bantison and Bicksitt
- We are not speaking now – Lucy and Philip
- Under the moon – Beaucaire
- What are names – Lady Mary and Beaucaire
- Way for the Ambassador – Chorus
- A son of France – Marquis de Mirepoix
- Act III Finale – Company
Critical reception
Reviewing the premiere, The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
concluded, "If Monsieur Beaucaire avoids being an opera it enlists some of the best talents of the Opera. Miss Maggie Teyte, surrounded by half a dozen lovers on the stage, may be sure of as many hundreds in the auditorium, and Mr. Marion Green, every inch the Noble Personage, has a voice to match. Miss Alice Moffat and Mr. John Clarke together make the subsidiary lovers attractive, and Mr. Robert Parker is the very image of courtly vice. It Is rare to get so much good singing where good acting must have been the first requirement in making up the cast. There is a chorus which adds to its beautiful dresses the power of producing quite a beautiful sound, and an orchestra which, under Mr. Kennedy Russell, lets us enjoy the best that Mr. Messager can give." In The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, Ernest Newman
Ernest Newman
Ernest Newman was an English music critic and musicologist. Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes him as "the most celebrated British music critic in the first half of the 20th century." His style of criticism, aiming at intellectual objectivity in contrast to the more subjective...
, having made some mild criticisms of the score and some harsher ones of the libretto, concluded that the piece was "a delightful entertainment, that one can picture oneself going to see a number of times." In The Manchester Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Samuel Langford
Samuel Langford
Samuel Langford was an influential English music critic of the early twentieth century.Trained as a pianist, Langford became chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian in 1906, serving in that post until his death...
praised the work, with reservations about the clichéd libretto, but regretted that there was not more music.
Recording history
A series of 78rpm records were made by British ColumbiaColumbia Graphophone Company
The Columbia Graphophone Company was one of the earliest gramophone companies in the United Kingdom. Under EMI, as Columbia Records, it became a very successful label in the 1950s and 1960s...
in London in 1919 at the time of the creation, with Marion Green, Maggie Teyte, Alice Moffat and John Clarke, with the Prince's Theatre Orchestra conducted by Kennedy Russell.
Various excerpts were recorded in Paris in 1925 and 1930 by French singers after staged performances. Extended extracts were recorded in Paris in 1952, with Martha Angelici
Martha Angelici
Martha Angelici , was a French operatic soprano of Corsican origin, particularly associated with the French lyric repertoire....
, Liliane Berton
Liliane Berton
Liliane Berton was a French soprano, known principally on the opera stage, but also active in radio recordings and as a teacher.-Career:...
, Michel Dens
Michel Dens
Michel Dens was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory, both opera and operetta....
, René Lenoty and Gilbert Moryn, conducted by Jules Gressier.
On 27 March 1958, French Radio broadcast a complete performance (since issued on CD) with Lina Dachary, Willy Clément
Willy Clément
Willy Clément was a French baritone , who was noted in light baritone roles and operetta. -Life and career:...
, Nicole Broissin, René Lenoty, Lucien Lovano, Henri Bedex, Jacques Pruvost, Georges Foix, Marcel Enot and André Balbon, with the Choeurs and Orchestre Radio Lyrique de la RTF conducted again by Jules Gressier.
Other adaptations of the Tarkington novel
A "romantic comedy" was made from the novel by Evelyn Greenleaf (Baker) Sutherland. It opened on 25 October 1902 at the Comedy Theatre, Haymarket, London, England, produced by William GreetWilliam Greet
William Greet was a British theatre manager from the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century. Originally a business manager for other theatre licensees in the 1880s, he branched out as an independent manager in the 1890s and was associated with various London theatres, principally the...
and Lewis Waller
Lewis Waller
William Lewis Waller was an English actor and theatre manager. His father was a civil engineer.Born in Spain, he first appeared on the London stage in 1883, at Tooles, and for some years added to his reputation as a capable actor...
under the management of Frank Curzon
Frank Curzon
Frank Curzon was an English actor who became an important theatre manager, leasing the Royal Strand Theatre, Avenue Theatre, Criterion Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre and Wyndham's Theatre, among others....
and directed by Guy Waller. The cast included Waller as Monsieur Beaucaire and Grace Lane as Lady Mary Carlisle. The production ran for a very successful 430 performances.
In addition, there was a silent film, Monsieur Beaucaire, with Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
in 1924, and a 1946 comedy film
Monsieur Beaucaire (1946 film)
Monsieur Beaucaire is a 1946 comedy film starring Bob Hope as the title character, the barber of King Louis XV of France. It is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Booth Tarkington.-Cast:*Bob Hope as Monsieur Beaucaire*Joan Caulfield as Mimi...
that featured Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
. An episode from the novel was incorporated into the screenplay of the 1930 film Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo (1930 film)
Monte Carlo is a 1930 American musical comedy film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. It stars Jeanette MacDonald as Countess Helene Mara. The film is also notable for the song "Beyond the Blue Horizon", which was written for the film and was performed by Jeanette MacDonald. The film was also hailed by...
.