Part 6

The opening scene of "Giroflé-Girofla" which, with "La Fille de Madame Angot," made the reputation of Lecocq as an opera-bouffe composer, introduces Don Bolero d'Alcarazas, a Spanish grandee, and Aurore, his wife, also their twin daughters, Giroflé and Girofla, who, being of marriageble age, have been hastily betrothed, Giroflé to Marasquin, a banker to whom Don Bolero is heavily indebted, and Girofla to Mourzook, a Moorish chief who has made regular demands upon Don Bolero for money on penalty of death. By the double marriage he expects to get rid of his obligations on the one hand and avoid the payment of the enforced tribute on the other. Giroflé is married as arranged, but Girofla, who was to have been married the same day, is abducted by pirates before the ceremony can be performed. When Mourzook arrives and finds he has no bride, he is in a terrible rage, but is quieted down when, after a little manoeuvring by Aurore, Giroflé is passed off on him as Girofla and is thus to be married a second time.

In the second act the wedding festivities are going on and both bridegrooms are clamoring for their brides. No word is heard from Admiral Matamoras, who has been sent to capture the pirates. Don Bolero and Aurore resort to all kinds of expedients to settle matters and pacify the irate banker and the furious Moor, and besides have much trouble in restraining Giroflé from flying to her Marasquin. At last she is locked up. She manages to get out, however, and goes off with some of her cousins for a revel. Her absence is explained by a report that the pirates have carried her off also, which adds to the parents' perplexity as well as to the fury of Marasquin and Mourzook. At last Giroflé appears in a tipsy condition and is claimed by both. The act closes with the report that Matamoras has been defeated, and that the pirates have carried Girofla to Constantinople.

The third act opens on the following morning. The two would-be husbands have been locked into their apartments. Marasquin has passed a quiet night, but Mourzook has smashed the furniture and escaped through the window from his chamber. The parents assure Marasquin that even if Mourzook returns he will have to leave that afternoon, and suggest that there can be no harm in letting him have Giroflé for his wife until that time. Marasquin reluctantly consents, and when Mourzook returns and Giroflé is presented to him as Girofla, a ridiculous love scene occurs, which Marasquin contrives to interrupt by various devices. Finally the return of Girofla is announced, and Matamoras with his sailors appears, leading her by the hand. Explanations are made all round, the parents are forgiven, and Mourzook is satisfied.

The music is lively throughout and oftentimes brilliant, and of a higher standard than usually characterizes opera bouffe. The most taking numbers are the ballad with pizzicato accompaniment, sung by Paquita, "Lorsque la journée est finis" ("When the Day is finished"); the concerted ensemble, "À la chapelle" ("To the Church"); the grotesque pirates' chorus, "Parmi les choses délicates" ("Among the Delicate Things to do"), and the sparkling duet for Giroflé and Marasquin, "C'est fini, le mariage" ("The Marriage has been solemnized"), in the first act: the bacchanalian chorus, "Écoutez cette musique" ("Listen to this Music"), leading up to a dance; a vivacious and well-written quintette, "Matamoras, grand capitaine" ("Matamoras, our Great Captain"); a fascinating drinking-song, "Le Punch scintille" ("This Flaming Bowl"), and the andante duet "O Giroflé, O Girofla," a smooth, tender melody, which is in striking contrast with the drinking-music preceding it and that which immediately follows the chorus of the half-tipsy wedding-guests, "C'ést le canon" ("It is the Cannon"): and the rondo, "Beau père une telle demand" ("Oh, my Father, now you ask"), sung by Marasquin, and the duet for Mourzook and Giroflé "Ma belle Giroflé" ("My Lovely Giroflé"), in the third act.

La Fille de Madame Angot.

[Opera bouffe, in three acts; text by Clairville, Sirandin, and Konig. First produced at the Fantasies Parisiennes, Brussels, November, 1872; in Paris at the Folies Dramatiques, February 23, 1873.]

PERSONAGES.

Clairette Angot, daughter of the market. Mlle. Lange, comedienne. Ange Pitou, street singer. Pomponnet, hairdresser. Larivaudière, } Louchard, } police officials. Javotte. Amaranthe. Cydalise. Hersilie. Babet. Trenitz.

[Bourgeois, grenadiers, conspirators, hussars, servants, marketwomen, etc.

The scene is laid in Paris; time, about the period of the French Revolution.

The first act opens in a market square in Paris where the marketwomen and others in holiday costume are making ready to celebrate the wedding of Pomponnet, the hairdresser, and Clairette, the daughter of the late Madame Angot. During the festive preparations, for which Clairette has little desire, as her affections are fixed upon Ange Pitou, a street singer, who is continually in trouble by reason of his political songs, the latter makes his appearance. He is informed of the forthcoming wedding, which has been arranged by the market people, who have adopted Clairette as the child of the market. At the same time Larivaudière and Louchard, the police officials who caused his arrest because of his knowledge of the relations of Larivaudière and Mademoiselle Lange, the comedienne and favorite of Barras, are surprised to find him at large. To prevent him from reciting his knowledge in a song which he is sure has been written, Larivaudière buys him off. Pitou subsequently regrets his bargain. When the crowd clamors for a song, he says he has none. The people are furious with him, but Clairette comes to his rescue. She has found the song denouncing Larivaudière, sings it, and is arrested, notwithstanding Pitou's declaration that he is the author of it.

The second act opens in Mademoiselle Lange's salon. She has persuaded Barras to release Clairette and have her brought to her apartments, so that she may discover why she sings this song denouncing the government and insulting her also. In the mean time she has also sent for Pomponnet, her hairdresser, and informs him what his future wife has done. He replies that Pitou wrote the song, and that he (Pomponnet) has it. She orders him to fetch it to her. When Clairette arrives they recognize each other as old school friends. Mademoiselle Lange assures her she shall not go back to prison and that she need not marry Pomponnet. She retires to Mademoiselle Lange's boudoir, when a visitor is announced. It is Ange Pitou, and a love scene at once occurs. The jealous Larivaudière enters and accuses them of being lovers. To justify herself Mademoiselle Lange declares that Pitou and Clairette are lovers, and the latter confirms the statement. Pomponnet's voice is heard in the outer room. He is admitted, and promptly arrested for having the revolutionary song on his person. The act closes with a meeting of conspirators, and Mademoiselle Lange's clever oiling of the grenadiers who have come to arrest them by turning the whole affair into a grand ball, to which they are invited.

The last act is occupied with plots and counter-plots which at last succeed in disentangling all the complications. Mademoiselle Lange's perfidy, as well as Pitou's, is shown up, Larivaudière has his revenge, and Clairette and Pomponnet are made happy.

The music of the opera is so bright, gay, and characteristic that it made Lecocq a dangerous rival of Offenbach. The most conspicuous numbers are Clairette's pretty romance, "L'enfant de la Halle" ("The Child of the Market"); Amaranthe's jolly couplets, "Marchande de marée" ("A Beautiful Fishwoman"); Ange Pitou's rondo, "Certainement j'aimais Clairette" ("'Tis true I loved Clairette") and Clairette's spirited song, "Jadis les rois, race proscrite" ("Once Kings, a Race proscribed"), in the first act: another equally spirited song, "Comme un Coursier" ("Like a Courser"); Pomponnet's pretty air, "Elle est tellement innocente" ("She is so innocent"); a charming sentimental duet for Mademoiselle Lange and Clairette, "Jours fortunes de notre enfance" ("Happy Days of Childhood"); a striking ensemble in the form of a quintette, "Oui, je vous le dis, c'est pour elle" ("Yes, 'tis on her Account alone"); and the famous conspirators' chorus, "Quand on conspire" ("When one conspires"), in the second act: and Clairette's couplets with chorus, "Vous aviez fait de la dépense" ("You put yourselves to Great Expense"); the humorous duet, "Larivaudière and Pomponnet," and Clairette's song, "Ah! c'est donc toi" ("Ah! 'tis you, then"), in the last act.

LÖRTZING, ALBERT.

Czar and Carpenter.

[Opéra comique, in three acts; text and music by Lörtzing. First produced in Berlin in 1854.]

PERSONAGES.

Peter I., Czar of Russia under the name of Peter Michaelhoff. Peter Ivanoff, a young Russian shipwright. Herr van Bett, burgomaster of Saardam. Gen. Lefort, Russian ambassador. Lord Syndham, British ambassador. Marquis of Chateauneuf, French ambassador. Marie, niece of the burgomaster. Widow Brown, mistress of the shipyard.

[Shipwrights, workmen, sailors, villagers, etc.]

The scene is laid in Saardam; time, the year 1698.

The opening of the first act of the "Czar and Carpenter" discloses Peter the Great and Peter Ivanoff, a deserter from the Russian army, at work in the shipyard of Mrs. Brown in Saardam. The British and French ambassadors, having been notified that the Czar is there in disguise, are searching for him with the object of negotiating a treaty with him, or, failing that, to abduct him. The British ambassador employs the pompous burgomaster of Saardam to find him a Russian named Peter, without however disclosing his real character to him. The burgomaster happens upon Peter Ivanoff and brings him to the ambassador, who, supposing him to be the Czar, seeks to arrange a treaty with him, and finally gives him a passport so that he may visit England. Meanwhile the people of Saardam, being informed that the Czar is with them, prepare a reception for him.

The French ambassador, who has also been searching for the Czar, finds the real one by telling him the story of a Russian defeat which causes him to betray himself. The Czar, who is now anxious to go home and crush out the rebellion, seeks for some means to get away without the knowledge of the Dutch and the English. Finding out by chance that Ivanoff has an English passport, he secures it, and gives Ivanoff another paper which he is not to open until an hour has passed. During this time Ivanoff is enjoying the public reception, which suddenly is interrupted by cannon reports. The gateway of the port is opened, showing the Czar with the Russian and French ambassadors sailing away. Ivanoff opens his paper, and finds that his companion was the Czar, who has given him a good situation as well as his consent to his marriage with Marie, the burgomaster's niece.

The leading numbers of the first act are the carpenter's spirited song, "Grip your Axes"; Marie's jealousy song, "Ah! Jealousy is a Bad Companion"; the humorous aria of Van Bett, "Oh! sancta Justitia, I shall go raving"; the long duet for Van Bett and Ivanoff, "Shall I make a Full Confession?" and the effective quartettes in the finale. The second act contains the best music of the opera. It opens with a mixed chorus of a bacchanalian sort, "Long live Joy and Pleasure," which after a long dialogue is followed by the tenor romanza, "Fare thee well, my Flandrish Maiden," a quaint melody, running at the end of each stanza into a duet, closing with full chorus accompaniment. A sextette, "The Work that we're beginning," immediately follows, which, though brief, is the most effective number in the opera. The next number of any consequence in this act, is a rollicking bridal song, "Charming Maiden, why do Blushes," sung by Marie. The last act has a comic aria and chorus, "To greet our Hero with a Stately Reception," and an effective song for the Czar, "In Childhood, with Crown and with Sceptre I played."

LUDERS, GUSTAVE.

King Dodo.

[A musical comedy, in three acts; text by Pixley. First produced at the Studebaker Theatre, Chicago, May 27, 1901.]

PERSONAGES.

King Dodo I. Pedro, Court chamberlain. Dr. Fizz, Court physician. Mudge, Court historian. Sancho, an innkeeper. Bonilla, prime minister to Queen Lili. Lo Baswood. Lopez. Diego. José. Unio. Queen Lili. Angela, the King's ward. Piola, a soldier of fortune. Annette.

[Courtiers, knights, ladies, etc.]

The scene is laid in Dodoland and the South Sea islands; time, the present.

"King Dodo," though usually set down on the programmes as a comic opera, strictly speaking, is a musical comedy, or comedy opera. Its plot turns upon the efforts of King Dodo to find the elixir of youth. His adventures carry him from his own kingdom in the land of nowhere in particular to the South Sea islands and back, a few absurd love episodes adding to the humor of the situations in which he finds himself. The old King is enamoured of the Princess Angela, and to secure her he determines to find the fountain which will renew his youth. His Court physician has failed in the attempt; but Piola, "a soldier of fortune," claims to know where the fountain is, but demands that when he finds it he shall have the hand of Angela as his reward. The King reluctantly consents, and starts with his whole establishment to find it. The wonderful spring is discovered in the land of the Spoopjus, and there King Dodo also finds Queen Lili, who promptly falls in love with him, because her ideal for a husband is a man full of years and experience. The King, however, accidentally drinks from the fountain, and is transformed into a child, whereupon the Queen rejects him. As the waters fortunately work both ways, when Dodo is thrown into them by conspirators, he becomes himself again, and the Queen devotes herself to him anew with such assiduity that they are united. Pedro and Annette and Piola and Angela also improve the occasion to get married, and all return in great glee to Dodoland.

The musical numbers in "King Dodo," are all of a light, catchy kind, their success depending much upon the sprightliness of the performers. The most popular are the "Cats' Quartette"; "The Tale of the Bumble-bee"; Piola's song, "I'll do or die," which is accompanied by a stirring chorus; the melodious "Zamoña," sung by Angela and chorus; a drinking-song of a spirited sort by Annette and chorus; "The Eminent Dr. Fizz," sung by the doctor himself; and "The Jolly old Potentate" and the topical song, "They gave me a Medal for that," sung by King Dodo.

The Prince of Pilsen.

[A musical comedy, in two acts; text by Pixley. First produced in the Tremont Theatre, Boston, May 21, 1902.]

PERSONAGES.

Carl Otto, the Prince. Hans Wagner, an American citizen. Tom Wagner, his son. Arthur St. John Wilberforce. François. Mrs. Madison Crocker, an American widow. Sidonie. Edith. Nellie. Jimmy.

[Tourists, students, flower-girls, sailors, etc.

The scene is laid in Nice; time, the present.

"The Prince of Pilsen," the latest, and in many respects the best, of Mr. Luders' productions, like most musical comedies of the prevailing kind, has but a brief and somewhat incongruous story. The first act opens during the annual flower festival at Nice. The proprietor of the Hôtel Internationale learns that the Prince of Pilsen will reach there on the morrow incognito, and determines he shall be received with all the attentions due to his rank. He employs a band of musicians to escort him from the station to the hotel, and hires flower-girls to strew his way with roses. Hans Wagner, a German-American brewer from Cincinnati, and his daughter, who go to Nice to meet the brewer's son, an American naval officer, arrive on the same day. The brewer is mistaken for the Prince, and he and his party meet with a brilliant but somewhat surprising reception. He can account for it in no other way than that his greeting as the Prince of Pilsen is a tribute to the excellence of his Pilsener beer, and accepts it complaisantly. When the real prince arrives, however, with a company of Heidelberg students, he is ignored, and even has some difficulty in securing accommodations. The Prince, however, does not declare his identity at once, but waits for an opportunity to expose the impostor who is trading on his name. He accidentally meets the daughter, and after some conversation with her is sure that her father has not intended to deceive and is not responsible for the mistake. He decides therefore to continue the rôle of private citizen, and is the more confirmed in his decision when he finds himself falling in love with the brewer's daughter. This enrages the brother, who challenges the Prince, which leads to the arrest of both of them. In the second act all the complications get straightened out. The real Prince marries the brewer's daughter, and the brewer himself takes home the American widow, Mrs. Madison Crocker, as his wife.

On this somewhat slight thread of a plot the composer has strung numerous bits of lively, exhilarating music, some of it of a decidedly better kind than is usually found in these potpourris, but the most of it of the sort which is popular and easily caught up. The number of the lyrics as well as of the topical songs, choruses, and extravaganzas is so large, and they are of such uniformity in interest and tunefulness, that it is difficult to single out the most conspicuous. The numbers, however, which have made the greatest success are Wagner's topical song, "He didn't know exactly what to do"; a charming smoking-song, "Pictures in the Smoke"; the "Tale of the Sea-shell"; the unaccompanied male chorus, "Oh! Heidelberg, dear Heidelberg," which should be a favorite students' song; and the "Song of the Cities," in which the peculiarities of the girls of various American cities are imitated, the song ending with a droll cake walk. So far as numbers go, indeed, the opera presents a bewildering embarrassment of good things.

MASSÉ, VICTOR.

Paul and Virginia.

[Romantic opera, in three acts and seven tableaux; text by Carré and Barbier. First produced at the Opéra National Lyrique, Paris, November 15, 1876; in London, June 1, 1878; in New York, March 28, 1883.]

PERSONAGES.

Paul. St. Croix, slave-master. Domingo, mulatto slave. M. de la Bourdonnais, governor of the island. Negro Slave. Virginia. Meala, mulatto slave. MME. de la Tour, mother of Virginia. Margaret, mother of Paul. Overseer. Old Lady, grand-aunt of Virginia.

[Inhabitants of the island, sailors, slaves, etc.]

The scene is laid upon an island on the African coast; time, the eighteenth century.

The story of "Paul and Virginia," Massé's masterpiece, follows the lines of Bernardin St. Pierre's beautiful romance of the same name. The first act opens with the recital of the history of Madame de la Tour, mother of Virginia, and Margaret, the mother of Paul, and reveals the love of the two children for each other. While they are discussing the advisability of sending Paul to India for a time, against which his slave Domingo piteously protests, islanders come rushing towards the cabin announcing the arrival of a vessel from France. In hopes that she will have a letter announcing that she has been forgiven by the relatives who have renounced her, Madame de la Tour goes to the port. A love scene between the children follows, which is interrupted by the hurried entrance of the slave Meala, who is flying from punishment by her master, St. Croix. The two offer to go back with her and to intercede for her forgiveness, in which they are successful. St. Croix, who has designs upon Virginia, begs them to remain until night; but Meala warns them of their danger in a song, and they leave while St. Croix wreaks his revenge upon Meala.

The second act opens in the home of Madame de la Tour. She has had a letter from her aunt forgiving her, making Virginia her heiress if she will come to France, and sending money for the journey. After a long struggle between duty to her mother and love for Paul, she declines to go. Meala makes them another hurried call, again flying from St. Croix, who this time is pursuing her with a twofold purpose, first, of punishing Meala and, second, of carrying out his base designs against Virginia. He soon appears at the house and demands his slave, but Paul refuses to give her up. At last St. Croix offers to sell her to Paul, and Virginia furnishes the money. The faithful Meala that night informs them of St. Croix's plot to seize Virginia when she goes to the vessel; but he is foiled, as she does not leave. The act closes with a call from the governor of the island, who bears express orders from Virginia's relatives, signed by the King, that she must go to France.

The last act is brief, and relates the tragedy. It opens at a grotto on the seashore, where the melancholy Paul has waited and watched week by week for the vessel which will bring Virginia back to him. At last it is sighted, but a storm comes up and soon develops into a hurricane, and when it subsides the vessel is a wreck, and Virginia is found dead upon the beach.

The opera is replete with beautiful melodies. There are, in the first act, a characteristic minor song for Domingo, "Ah! do not send my Dear Young Master," which the composer evidently intended to be in the Ethiopian manner; a chanson of the genuine French style, "Ah! Hapless Black," though sung by a negro boy; a lonely and expressive melody sung by Virginia, as she pleads with St. Croix, "What I would say my Tongue forgetteth"; the weird Bamboula chorus, sung by the slaves; and a very dramatic aria for Meala, "'Neath the Vines Entwining," in which she warns the children of their danger. The principal numbers in the second act are Virginia's romance, "As Last Night thro' the Woods"; a beautiful chanson for Domingo, "The Bird flies yonder"; Paul's couplets, "Ah! crush not my Courage"; the passionate duet for Paul and Virginia, "Ah! since thou wilt go," closing in unison; and Virginia's florid aria, "Ah, what Entrancing Calm," the cadenza of which is exceedingly brilliant. The best numbers in the short last act are Meala's song, "In vain on this Distant Shore"; Paul's letter song, "Dearest Mother"; and the vision and storm music at the close.

Queen Topaze.

[Opéra comique, in three acts; text by Lockroy and Battu. First produced at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris, December 27, 1856.]

PERSONAGES.

La Reine Topaze. Le Capitaine Rafael. Annibal. Francappa. Fritellino. Filomèle.

[Gypsies, soldiers, etc.]

The scene is laid in France; time, last century.

"Queen Topaze" ("La Reine Topaze") is one of the few of Massé's earlier works which have held the boards, mainly on account of its charming melodiousness. The rôle of the Queen was a great favorite with Miolan-Carvalho and Parepa-Rosa, as it offers opportunities for brilliant vocal execution. Its story is of the slightest kind. In her infancy Topaze is stolen by a band of gypsies and eventually becomes their queen. She falls in love with Rafael, a captain whom she wins from his affianced, a rich noblewoman. He does not marry her, however, until she discloses to him the secret of her birth. Some byplay among the gypsies supplies the humor of the situations. As to the text it is far from dramatic in character, and the dialogue is tedious and dragging.