Opera Books
THE OPERA
EDITED BY
ALBERT HILLERY BERGH
VOLUME IV.
1909
{45}
Lecocq.
Alexandre Charles
Lecocq was born in Paris on June 3, 1832. He entered the Conservatoire
in 1849, and in 1850 obtained the first prize for harmony and
accompaniment. He took the second prize for fugue in Halévy’s class in
1852, and at the same time greatly distinguished himself in the organ
class. After this, however, he obtained no further scholastic
distinctions, and either because he tired of Halévy’s want of method, or
because he was anxious to come before the public, left the Conservatoire
towards the close of 1854. Lecocq found the usual difficulty in
obtaining access to the stage, and would probably have had to wait a
long time but for the competition for an operetta opened by Offenbach in
1856. He was bracketed with Bizet, and Le Docteur Miracle was
produced at the Bouffes Parisiens in 1857. The operetta was evidently
the work of a clever musician, who understood how to write for the voice.
Notwithstanding this good beginning, the small theatres still
closed their doors to him, and Lecocq was driven to teaching for a
livelihood, he then tried a different line, publishing in conjunction
with Besozzi a collection of sacred songs for women’s voices called “La
Chapelle au Convent” (1865), a line of composition for
{46}
which he was well adapted, considering that he was a good organist. But
the stage was irresistible, and a little one-act piece, Le Baiser à
la Porte (1864), was followed by Les Ondines au Champagne
(1865); Le Myosotis (1866), and Le Cabaret de Ramponneau
(1867).
In 1868 he brought out Fleur de Thé, which was a brilliant
success. Lecocq at last found himself established with the public, and
produced in rapid succession L’Amour et son Carquois (1868),
Gandolfo and Le Rajak de Mysore, both in one act (1869);
Le beau Dunois (1870) ; Le Barbier de Trouville and Le
Testament de M. de Crac (1871); Sauvons la Caisse and Les
Cent Vierges (1872); La Fille de Mme. Angot (1873), which ran
in Paris, in 1873, for 500 nights consecutively; Les Prés St. Gervais
and Giroflé-Girofla (1874); Les Jumeaux de Bergame and
Le Pompon (1875) ; La petite Mariée (1876); Kosilei
and La Marjolaine (1877); Le petit Duc and Camargo
(1878); La Petite Mademoiselle (1879); Le Grand Casimir
and La Jolie Persane (1880); Le Marquis de Windsor and
Janot (1881); La Rousotte, Le Jour et la Nuit, Le Coeur et la
Main (1882); La Princesse des Canaries (1883); L’Oireau
Bleu (1884); Plutus (1886); Les Grenadiers de
Mont-Cornette and Ali-Baba (1887); La Volière (1888)
and L’Egyptienne (1890). To this long list must be added detached
songs and other trifles thrown off by his rapid and untiring pen.
Lecocq realized that what the public really like are light, gay,
sparkling melodies. His style is not a very elevated one, and makes no
demand on the poetry or the intellect of the composer; but it requires
tact, ease, freedom, and, above all, animation. These qualities are
conspicuous
{47}
in Lecocq’s operettas, which have become universally popular, owing to
the life and sparkling gaiety which pervade them.
Opera in three acts by
Lecocq. Libretto by Chivot and Duru.
Characters: Césarine; Pinsonnet; Tien-Tien, chief of police;
Fleur-de-Thé; Ka-o-lin.
Place, Pekin, China. First produced at Paris in 1868.
The real heroine in this comedy is not Fleur-de-Thé, but the lively
and somewhat jealous Césarine, wife of Pinsonnet, cook on board the
French man-of-war “La Pintade.” Pinsonnet has set up a temporary cabaret
on the river bank, and there the piece opens with a chorus, sung by
French sailors and marines. Tien-Tien, chief of the Pekin police, has
arranged to pay a visit to the French ship, and his daughter,
Fleur-de-Thé, who has been kept at home, secretly comes to witness the
ceremony. She loses her way, finds Pinsonnet’s cabaret and is concealed
by him. The incidents of the piece turn on this misadventure; for the
law prescribes that if a stranger shall see the face of a Chinese girl
he must marry her or be impaled. Fleur-de-Thé is betrothed to Kaolin,
who comes with Tien-Tien to pay a visit to Pinsonnet’s cabaret, after
having inspected the French ship. Fleur-de-Thé is discovered by
Tien-Tien, and the father insists on applying the law. He takes
Fleur-de-Thé home and sends to arrest Pinsonnet. They find him in the
cellar, where he has been locked by Césarine, and carry him off.
{48}
The second act opens with a discussion between Pin-sonnet, Kaolin
and Tien-Tien, in which the latter expounds the law and extorts from
Pinsonnet an agreement to marry Fleur-de-Thé. The marriage takes place,
to the delight of Fleur-de-Thé and Kaolin and the wrath of Césarine.
Pinsonnet proposes to look upon the matter as merely nominal, and
promises Césarine that he will rejoin her as soon as he can. This does
not satisfy Césarine, who plots with Fleur-de-Thé to take her place on
the wedding night. This scheme is successfully carried out, and
Pinsonnet and Césarine are conducted in state to the bridal chamber.
The trick played by Césarine is discovered the next day, and, in
obedience to the law, Pinsonnet is brought up for trial. The family
council compel him to be impaled, and the sentence is about to be
executed when Césarine makes all hands drunk on champagne. In the nick
of time the crew of “La Pintade,” which has been driven back to port by
a storm, force the doors and rescue their comrades.
La Fille
de Madame Angot.
(The Daughter of Madame Angot.)
Opera in three acts by
Lecocq. Libretto by Clairville, Sirandin and Konig.
Characters: Clairette Angot, daughter of the Market; Mile. Lange,
comedienne; Ange Piton, street singer; Pomponnet, hairdresser;
Larivandiere, Louchard, police officials; Javotte; Amaranthe; Cydalise;
Hersilie; Babet; Trenitz; bourgeois, grenadiers, conspirators, hussars,
servants and marketwomen.
{49}
Place, Paris. Time, period of the French Revolution. First produced
at Brussels in 1872.
The opening scene presents a market square in Paris. Those
assembled there are preparing to celebrate the wedding of Pomponnet, the
hairdresser, and Clairette, daughter of the late Madame Angot.
Clairette, who cares for Ange Pitou, has no interest in the feast. Pitou
is always in trouble through his songs, which are on political subjects.
He appears and is told of the wedding arranged by the market people for
Clairette, now the child of the market. Larivandiere and Louchard had
arrested Pitou because he knew of the former’s relations with Mlle.
Lange, who is a favorite of Barras, the revolutionary leader, and they
are surprised to find him at liberty. Believing he will render a song
that is dangerous, Larivandiere buys his silence. Later, Pitou regrets
this agreement, and when asked for a song says he has none. This
infuriates the people, and Clairette comes to his assistance with a song
she has found denouncing Larivandiere. She sings it and is arrested,
although Pitou declares himself to be the author of it.
Mlle. Lange’s salon is the scene of the second act. At her
persuasion Barras has liberated Clairette, who is brought to the salon,
so that Mlle. Lange may find out why she sings a song denouncing the
government and insulting her. She has sent, too, for her hairdresser,
and tells him what his fiancée has done. He replies that he has the
song and that Piton wrote it. She demands it. When Clairette comes the
two women recognize each other as old schoolmates. The comedienne
declares that Clairette shall not return to prison, and need not marry
the hairdresser. Clairette goes into the boudoir when a
{50}
visitor arrives. It is Pitou, and a love scene ensues. Larivandiere
appears, and jealously accuses them of being attached to each other. To
exculpate herself, Mlle. Lange asserts that Pitou and Clairette are
lovers, and Clairette admits this. Pomponnet then is heard approaching.
On being admitted he is arrested for having the revolutionary song in
his possession. A meeting of conspirators and Mlle. Lange’s management
of the grenadiers who come to arrest them turns into a ball, which
closes the act.
In the third act are plots and counter plots, all in the end
disentangled happily. Mlle. Lange’s duplicity is made clear, also
Piton’s. Larivandiere is revenged, and Clairette and Pomponnet are
contented.
Opera in three acts by
Lecocq. Libretto by Vanloo and Aterrier.
Characters: Don Bolero d’Alcarazas, a Spanish grandee; Marasquin, a
banker; Mourzook, a Moorish chief; Giroflé, Girofla, twin daughters of
Don Bolero; Aurore, their mother; Pedro, the page; Paquita, pirate chief;
godfather; godmother; Fernand; Guzman; cousins, bridesmaids, pages,
pirates and Moors.
Place, Spain. Time, Nineteenth Century. First produced at Brussels
in 1874.
The Spanish grandee and his family are introduced in the opening
act. Giroflé and Girofla, being old enough to marry, have been betrothed,
the former to Marasquin, to whom her father is greatly in debt, and the
other girl to the Moor, who has been extorting money
{51}
from Don Bolero on pain of death. D’Alcarazas hopes, through these
marriages, to be rid of his money difficulties. Giroflé marries as
designed, but pirates abduct Girofla before the ceremony of her marriage
has taken place. When Mourzook comes and learns that his bride is gone,
he is furious, but Aurore quiets him by passing off Giroflé as Girofia.
A second marriage is thus before the girl.
The wedding rejoicings are going on at the beginning of the second
act. Nothing has been heard from the Admiral who was sent in pursuit of
the pirates. Don Bolero and his wife employ many artifices to calm the
Moor and prevent Giroflé from escaping with Marasquin. She is locked up
finally, but manages to get out, and runs off with some cousins to a
festival. To explain her absence it is reported that the pirates have
also carried her away. She reappears in an intoxicated condition, and
both Marasquin and Mourzook claim her. A report that Admiral Matamoras
has been defeated and that the pirates have taken Girofia to
Constantinople closes the act.
The last scene opens on the next morning. The banker and the Moor
have been locked in their apartments. The former has passed the night
quietly, but Mourzook has broken the furniture and escaped through a
window. Don Bolero and Aurore tell Marasquin that even should Mourzook
come back he will be sent away that afternoon, and they wish he might be
allowed to have Giroflé for his wife during the intervening time.
Marasquin consents. The Moor returns, and Giroflé is brought to him as
Girofia. An absurd love scene occurs, frequently interrupted by
Marasquin. At last
{52}
Girofla’s return is announced. Matamoras comes with his sailors leading
her. Explanations ensue, the parents are forgiven and everyone is
satisfied and happy.
Opera in three acts by
Lecocq. Libretto by Meilhac and Halévy.
Characters: Henri, Due de Parthenay; Le Chevalier de Montbarry;
Maitre Frimousse, tutor to Duke de Kevailles; De Montchevrier; De
Tannaville; De Kancey; Barnard de iRetz, aide-de-camp; Blance, Duchess
de Parthenay; Diane, Marquise de Lansac, directress of the convent
school; Mlle. de la Roche; Mlle. de Champe Rouge; Mlle. St. Maur;
Governess; first page of honor; first maid of honor.
Place, France. Time, the Eighteenth Century. First produced in
Paris at the Renaissance Theatre, January, 1878.
The Little Duke is eighteen years old, and his guardians make him
marry in order to secure the fortune which belongs to his bride. After
the nuptial knot is tied, the Little Duchess is taken suddenly away to
pass two years in a convent school, which does not suit His Little
Highness, and, having been made a colonel, he starts off at the head of
his regiment to rescue his bride.
In the second act we find the Duchess at school, where the
directress is giving a singing lesson. The soldiers arrive and threaten
to storm the school, much to the delight of the girls, including the
Little Duchess, who wants to be rescued. Disguised as a peasant girl,
the Little Duke finds his way into the convent, and is on
{53}
the point of carrying off his wife when he receives orders to proceed to
a real war.
In the third act we see the Little Duke in camp, performing
prodigies of valor. The Little Duchess, having broken out of the
convent, seeks him at the camp just as an order has been issued that no
girls are allowed inside the lines. She conceals herself in his tent and
is discovered. His sword is taken from him, but is returned by order of
the King, and his wife is restored to him at the same time.
Last updated April 18, 2007