Une éducation manquée
Encyclopedia
Une éducation manquée is an opérette in one act and nine scenes by Emmanuel Chabrier
. The French
libretto was by Eugène Leterrier
and Albert Vanloo
. Composed in 1878-79, the work, which is set in the 18th century, is in a lively, light operetta style in which Chabrier excelled and had perfected in L’étoile a year or so earlier. It was much admired by Ravel, Hahn
and Messager
, among others.
conducted by Gabriel Grovlez. In December 1918 Jane Bathori
mounted the piece at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier
. The 1924 Paris production by Diaghilev, designed by Juan Gris
and conducted by André Messager
, had recitatives by Darius Milhaud
to replace the spoken dialogue. Milhaud also composed an aria for Hélène based on a melody he found among Chabrier’s unpublished manuscripts, Couplets de Mariette.
The first performance at the Paris Opéra-Comique
, conducted by Roger Désormière
, was on 24 March 1938, and it reached its 50th performance there in April 1946. It has occasionally been revived, though sometimes with Gontran transposed for a tenor.
quotes from “Lorsque le ciel”, the letter song and “Faisons-nous petits”.
Arriving directly from their (teenage) wedding, the young Count Gontran and his wife Hélène, are both expecting some adult advice from their relations. Their annoyance is interrupted by the arrival of Pausanias, Gontran’s tutor.
Slightly tipsy, Pausanias explains in song “Ce vin généreux” that the Vin de Roussillon
was to blame – he had ended by drinking twelve glasses. Then Pausanias explains although Hélène’s aunt is ready to see her, as Gontran’s grand-father is ill he can’t come to talk to the young man, but has sent a letter instead.
Scene 3
Alone, Gontran reads the letter (in song) which ends by saying that there is nothing Gontran’s grand-father can teach him… Gontran hastily pens a letter to Pausanias, asking him to return and give him wedding-night advice.
Scene 4
Hélène enters, and it turns out that her aunt’s advice was simply to be kind and obedient to her husband. In a duet “Eh bien, ma chère” they exchange a kiss but realize that there must be something more to being husband and wife…
Scene 5 and 6
Alone again, Gontran gets more irritated, as Pausanias arrives back, hinting that he might be interrupting something? But Gontran complains that Pausanias was engaged to teach him all that a man should know about life. In a buffo duo “Après vous avoir saturé d’hébreu”, Pausanias rejects this, insisting that he has taught Gontran Hebrew, Hindu, algebra, chemistry, Greek, trigonometry, metaphysics, therapeutics, mechanics, dialectics, aesthetics, statistics, mythology, metallurgy, …and so on. Gontran rebuts "no, a thousand times, that’s not enough!" Finally, Pausanias admits that he doesn’t know – he is too busy, and it wasn’t on the curriculum. But he promises to find out and return immediately.
Scene 7 and 8
Gontran curses his tutor, but, as a storm gathers, confesses his frustrated feelings “Lorsque le ciel”; as thunder sounds Hélène rushes into the room her nightdress undone, and explains that she is really frightened of thunder. Gontran is struck by how attractive she looks and tells her the best way to remain calm in a storm is to come closer and hold hands. As their duo “Faisons-nous petits” takes flight they get closer still and kiss more and more – and find the answer to their question.
Scene 9
But they are interrupted as Pausanias returns. Gontran orders him out - asking the indulgence of the audience. After a quick reprise of the previous duo the curtain falls.
Emmanuel Chabrier
Emmanuel Chabrier was a French Romantic composer and pianist. Although known primarily for two of his orchestral works, España and Joyeuse marche, he left an important corpus of operas , songs, and piano music as well...
. The 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 was by Eugène Leterrier
Eugène Leterrier
Eugène Leterrier was a French librettist.Leterrier worked at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris but then turned to the theatre. He mainly collaborated in writing libretti with Albert Vanloo. Their working relationship was productive and stress-free...
and Albert Vanloo
Albert Vanloo
Albert Vanloo was a Belgian librettist and playwright.Vanloo lived in Paris as a child and was attracted to the theatre. As a young student he began writing plays and opéra comique libretti, notably with Eugène Leterrier who remained his main collaborator until the latter's death in 1884...
. Composed in 1878-79, the work, which is set in the 18th century, is in a lively, light operetta style in which Chabrier excelled and had perfected in L’étoile a year or so earlier. It was much admired by Ravel, Hahn
Reynaldo Hahn
Reynaldo Hahn was a Venezuelan, naturalised French, composer, conductor, music critic and diarist. Best known as a composer of songs, he wrote in the French classical tradition of the mélodie....
and Messager
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...
, among others.
Performance history
The ‘opérette’ was first performed on 1 May 1879 as part of an evening’s entertainment organized by the ‘Cercle international’ in the Boulevard des Capucines, with piano accompaniment by Chabrier himself. It was revived in March 1910 in Monte Carlo and on 9 January 1911 at the Théâtre des ArtsThéâtre Hébertot
Théâtre Hébertot is a theatre at 78, boulevard des Batignolles, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. The theatre, completed in 1838 and opening as the Théâtre des Batignolles, was later renamed Théâtre des Arts in 1907...
conducted by Gabriel Grovlez. In December 1918 Jane Bathori
Jane Bathori
Jane Bathori was a French opera singer. Born in Paris, France, she was famous on the operatic stage and important in the development of contemporary French music....
mounted the piece at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier
Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier
The Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier is a theatre located at 21, rue du Vieux-Colombier, in the 6th arrondissement in Paris. It was founded in 1913 by the theatre producer and playwright Jacques Copeau...
. The 1924 Paris production by Diaghilev, designed by Juan Gris
Juan Gris
José Victoriano González-Pérez , better known as Juan Gris, was a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived and worked in France most of his life...
and conducted by André Messager
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...
, had recitatives by Darius Milhaud
Darius Milhaud
Darius Milhaud was a French composer and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as The Group of Six—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions are influenced by jazz and make use of polytonality...
to replace the spoken dialogue. Milhaud also composed an aria for Hélène based on a melody he found among Chabrier’s unpublished manuscripts, Couplets de Mariette.
The first performance at the Paris 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...
, conducted by Roger Désormière
Roger Désormière
Roger Désormière was a French conductor.Désormière was born in Vichy in 1898. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where his professors included Philippe Gaubert , Xavier Leroux and Charles Koechlin , and Vincent d'Indy...
, was on 24 March 1938, and it reached its 50th performance there in April 1946. It has occasionally been revived, though sometimes with Gontran transposed for a tenor.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, May 1, 1879 (Piano accompaniment: Chabrier) |
|---|---|---|
| Gontran de Boismassif | 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... |
Jane Hading |
| Hélène de la Cerisaie | 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... |
Mme Réval |
| Maître Pausanias | bass | Louis-Auguste Morlet |
Synopsis
The overtureOverture
Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
quotes from “Lorsque le ciel”, the letter song and “Faisons-nous petits”.
Act 1
Scene 1 and 2Arriving directly from their (teenage) wedding, the young Count Gontran and his wife Hélène, are both expecting some adult advice from their relations. Their annoyance is interrupted by the arrival of Pausanias, Gontran’s tutor.
Slightly tipsy, Pausanias explains in song “Ce vin généreux” that the Vin de Roussillon
Roussillon
Roussillon is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...
was to blame – he had ended by drinking twelve glasses. Then Pausanias explains although Hélène’s aunt is ready to see her, as Gontran’s grand-father is ill he can’t come to talk to the young man, but has sent a letter instead.
Scene 3
Alone, Gontran reads the letter (in song) which ends by saying that there is nothing Gontran’s grand-father can teach him… Gontran hastily pens a letter to Pausanias, asking him to return and give him wedding-night advice.
Scene 4
Hélène enters, and it turns out that her aunt’s advice was simply to be kind and obedient to her husband. In a duet “Eh bien, ma chère” they exchange a kiss but realize that there must be something more to being husband and wife…
Scene 5 and 6
Alone again, Gontran gets more irritated, as Pausanias arrives back, hinting that he might be interrupting something? But Gontran complains that Pausanias was engaged to teach him all that a man should know about life. In a buffo duo “Après vous avoir saturé d’hébreu”, Pausanias rejects this, insisting that he has taught Gontran Hebrew, Hindu, algebra, chemistry, Greek, trigonometry, metaphysics, therapeutics, mechanics, dialectics, aesthetics, statistics, mythology, metallurgy, …and so on. Gontran rebuts "no, a thousand times, that’s not enough!" Finally, Pausanias admits that he doesn’t know – he is too busy, and it wasn’t on the curriculum. But he promises to find out and return immediately.
Scene 7 and 8
Gontran curses his tutor, but, as a storm gathers, confesses his frustrated feelings “Lorsque le ciel”; as thunder sounds Hélène rushes into the room her nightdress undone, and explains that she is really frightened of thunder. Gontran is struck by how attractive she looks and tells her the best way to remain calm in a storm is to come closer and hold hands. As their duo “Faisons-nous petits” takes flight they get closer still and kiss more and more – and find the answer to their question.
Scene 9
But they are interrupted as Pausanias returns. Gontran orders him out - asking the indulgence of the audience. After a quick reprise of the previous duo the curtain falls.
Recordings
- Christiane Castelli, Claudine Collart and Xavier Depraz, with orchestra conducted by Charles BruckCharles BruckCharles Bruck was a Hungarian-French conductor.Bruck was born in Temesvár, Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire, since 1920 Timişoara, since 1920 in Romania....
(1953).