La Béarnaise
Encyclopedia
La Béarnaise is an opéra comique
in three acts of 1885, with music by André Messager
and a French
libretto by Eugène Leterrier
and Albert Vanloo
.
in early 1885 began to open doors for Messager. Delphine Ugalde
, who had just taken over the direction of the Bouffes-Parisiens, staged as her first production La Béarnaise. When the stage rehearsals began, the principal singer was found to be unable to sustain the lead role. At first it was thought that Ugalde’s daughter Marguerite
would take over, but the director then approached Jeanne Granier, who, after only having heard a play-through of the first act, took on the double part of Jacquette-Jacquet. Coming out of semi-retirement, Granier made the success of the piece.
La Béarnaise was first performed at the Bouffes-Parisiens on 12 December 1885, achieving 20 performances that year and 44 in 1886; a vocal score being published in the following year. It was an immediate success and was performed in London in 1886 and New York the following year. It was also produced in Budapest in 1886 and in Prague in 1892, and at the Trianon-Lyrique in Paris on 11 March 1925.
, is a braggard, woman-chaser and swordsman. Arrived in Paris, he had started a liaison with Gabrielle, but, caught by King Henri IV
, he is sent to Italy. When there Perpignac discovers that he is neither ambassador nor officer but an outcast suspect having dishonoured his royal master.
For forty days he is forbidden to approach a woman. No sooner has he begun his punishment than espies a pretty widow, named Bianca. Luckily, at the same time he is recognized by his cousin Jacquette, secretly in love with him, and travelling in search of him. Jacquette has entered Parme
just in time as Perpignac is about to disobey the orders of King Henri. As a loving friend, she covers for her cousin by dressing up in men’s clothes, comprises Bianca thus forcing marriage to take place.
In the end, Bianca, who is loved by the chamberlain of the duke of Parme, gives in to the charms of this chevalier Pomponio, and the Béarnaise Jacquette returns to Béarn
with Perpignac.
The music of the second act was received more warmly than the first, with Maugé’s couplets "Très souvent à la devanture" encored, along with Vauthier’s madrigal "Chacun, madame, à votre aspect" and Granier’s song "C'est du vin de Gascogne" and Mily Mayer’s couplets "Pour un détail, une nuance". Also noted was a berceuse "Fais nono, mon bel enfantoux !".
Critics also admired the suppler orchestration and gentler style compared to Messager's contemporaries.
Opéra comique
Opéra comique is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged out of the popular opéra comiques en vaudevilles of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent , which combined existing popular tunes with spoken sections...
in three acts of 1885, with music 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...
and a 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 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...
.
History
The success of La fauvette du templeLa fauvette du temple
La fauvette du temple is an opéra comique in three acts of 1885, with music by André Messager and a French libretto by Paul Burani and Eugène Humbert....
in early 1885 began to open doors for Messager. Delphine Ugalde
Delphine Ugalde
Delphine Ugalde, née Beaucé, was a French soprano. She was the mother of Marguerite Ugalde....
, who had just taken over the direction of the Bouffes-Parisiens, staged as her first production La Béarnaise. When the stage rehearsals began, the principal singer was found to be unable to sustain the lead role. At first it was thought that Ugalde’s daughter Marguerite
Marguerite Ugalde
Marguerite Ugalde was a French mezzo-soprano. She was the daughter of the singer and theatre manager Delphine Ugalde....
would take over, but the director then approached Jeanne Granier, who, after only having heard a play-through of the first act, took on the double part of Jacquette-Jacquet. Coming out of semi-retirement, Granier made the success of the piece.
La Béarnaise was first performed at the Bouffes-Parisiens on 12 December 1885, achieving 20 performances that year and 44 in 1886; a vocal score being published in the following year. It was an immediate success and was performed in London in 1886 and New York the following year. It was also produced in Budapest in 1886 and in Prague in 1892, and at the Trianon-Lyrique in Paris on 11 March 1925.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 12 December 1885 (Conductor: -) |
|---|---|---|
| Jacquette | 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... |
Jeanne Granier Jeanne Granier Jeanne Granier was a French soprano, born 31 March 1852 in Paris, and died there on 18 or 19 December 1939.Granier was a pupil of Barthe-Banderali, studying both opéra-comique and Italian music.... |
| Bianca | 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... |
Mily-Meyer Mily-Meyer Émilie Mily Meyer, stage name 'Mily-Meyer' was a French soprano, born 1852 in Paris, died there in 1927, who for a quarter of a century became a major star of the Parisian operetta stage, and is described by Gänzl as "impishly boyish yet obviously feminine soubrette".-Career:Her professional début... |
| Bettina | soprano | Feljas |
| L'hôtelière | mezzo soprano | Ducouret |
| Carlo | tenor | B Paravicini |
| Perpignac | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Eugène Vauthier |
| Pomponio | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Édouard Maugé |
| Girafo | bass | Gerpré |
| Le duc | tenor | Murator |
| Grabasson | baritone | Durieu |
| Cadet | baritone | Guerchot |
Act 1
Captain Perpignac from BéarnBéarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
, is a braggard, woman-chaser and swordsman. Arrived in Paris, he had started a liaison with Gabrielle, but, caught by King Henri IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, he is sent to Italy. When there Perpignac discovers that he is neither ambassador nor officer but an outcast suspect having dishonoured his royal master.
For forty days he is forbidden to approach a woman. No sooner has he begun his punishment than espies a pretty widow, named Bianca. Luckily, at the same time he is recognized by his cousin Jacquette, secretly in love with him, and travelling in search of him. Jacquette has entered Parme
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
just in time as Perpignac is about to disobey the orders of King Henri. As a loving friend, she covers for her cousin by dressing up in men’s clothes, comprises Bianca thus forcing marriage to take place.
Act 2
Jacquette, now Jacquet, dressed all in white, reluctantly goes to marry the young and beautiful Bianca, but implores Perpignac to relieve her of the wedding night duty …In the end, Bianca, who is loved by the chamberlain of the duke of Parme, gives in to the charms of this chevalier Pomponio, and the Béarnaise Jacquette returns to Béarn
Béarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
with Perpignac.
The music of the second act was received more warmly than the first, with Maugé’s couplets "Très souvent à la devanture" encored, along with Vauthier’s madrigal "Chacun, madame, à votre aspect" and Granier’s song "C'est du vin de Gascogne" and Mily Mayer’s couplets "Pour un détail, une nuance". Also noted was a berceuse "Fais nono, mon bel enfantoux !".
Critics also admired the suppler orchestration and gentler style compared to Messager's contemporaries.