Significant French Operas
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L’Enfant et les sortilèges
Lyric fantasy in 2 parts
Music by Maurice Ravel
Libretto by Colette
First Performance: Opéra de Monte Carlo, March 21, 1925
Cast:
The Child Mezzo soprano
Mama Contralto
Shepherdess Soprano
Chinese Cup Contralto
The Fire Soprano
The Princess Lyric soprano
The White Cat Mezzo soprano
The Dragonfly Mezzo soprano
The Nightingale Lyric soprano
The Bat Soprano
The Screech-owl Soprano
The Squirrel Mezzo soprano
A Country Lass Soprano
A Herdsman Contralto
The Armchair Bass
The Clock Baritone
The Teapot Tenor
The Black Cat Baritone
A Tree Frog Tenor
The Little Old Man Tenor
Chorus: SSAATTBB
Ballet: most of the action is choreographed
Background
Synopsis
A
naughty child is scolded and punished by his mother for bad behavior. In
a fit of temper, he kicks over the chairs and table and tears up his
books. Suddenly, the objects he has treated so badly come to life. The
fire refuses to warm him; a princess from the fairy tale book emerges
and tells him she is through with him. His chair refuses to let him sit
down. A white and black cat wander into the room and sing a charming
duet in cat language.
The child follows them out into the garden which is bathed in
moonlight. Frogs are heard and several animals gather to tell the child
how naughty he is. Terrified, the child calls for his mama; all the
animals rush to attack him. In the fray, a squirrel is wounded, and the
child bandages it. Impressed with his kindness, the animals join in a
chorus and help him call to his mama.
Libretto
Links
Last updated: January 09, 2008