La petite fonctionnaire
Encyclopedia
La petite fonctionnaire is a comédie musicale in three acts of 1921, with music by André Messager
and a French
libretto by Alfred Capus
and Xavier Roux, based on a play by Capus.
in Paris on 14 May 1921. A contemporary writer noted the charm, distinction, good humour throughout the score, with tenderness without banality, and gave particular praise for the orchestration.
The score was published by Choudens in 1921. A radio broadcast was made by the ORTF
on 17 October 1967 and re-broadcast on France Musique on 7 November 2007.
The new post-mistress – Suzanne Borel – now arrives and asks for Madame Lebardin. She is invited in and Monsieur Lebardin is amazed to see the portrait of the Louisette he once knew – only more beautiful. Suzanne asks that a complaint against the previous post-mistress be withdrawn, and offers improvements in the postal service (a second newspaper delivery, telegrams dispatched later) in return for such a letter. While Lebardin goes to write the letter, Suzanne keeps the viscount in his place when he gets too forward. Now Lebardin returns, spruced up, with a new jacket on, and the viscount goes to get Pagenel to sign the letter. When Pagenel comes in Lebardin admits to him that although he has been faithful to his wife throughout their marriage, he has fallen in love. He asks Suzanne to accompany him as he goes out on the pretext of sending a telegram to an old friend.
Pagenel suggests to Lebardin that the best way of releasing him from his infatuation with Suzanne would be a weekend on the town in Paris; it is clear when Madame Lebardin enters the office that she has her suspicions about her husband's behaviour. Lebardin resolves to send Suzanne a telegram – which Suzanne then reads in disgust - while Riri, who has heard everything, says to Suzanne's horror that she would have accepted the offer of his gifts and an apartment in Paris.
The telegram boy enters and it is clear that he is having an affair with Riri. They are discovered kissing by Suzanne who accuses them of dishonouring the administration of the post. After further admonition, Riri retorts that Suzanne will also act with abandon when she falls in love.
The viscount arrives to collect his package and is greeted by a tender smile from Suzanne, until he tells her that the package is related to his forthcoming marriage. Suzanne is visibly upset by his words and admits her affection for him. Suzanne decides to leave Pressigny rather live in a dream, and when Lebardin re-enters she tells him that she has decided to let him become her protector provided he does all the things for her he had promised.
Suzanne admits to missing life in Pressigny, but Pagenel arrives to announce that many of the Pressigny residents are in the hall. Lebardin’s wife declares that she knows all and demands that her husband return to Pressigny. He denies that he is having a liaison with Suzanne. After they have left the hall, the viscount and Suzanne arrive in conversation, him trying to get her to be his, but she says she is no longer in love. However she changes her mind when Lebardin renounces his oath to provide for her, and agrees with the viscount to move back with him to the peaceful country.
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 Alfred Capus
Alfred Capus
Alfred Capus was a French journalist and playwright, born in Aix-en-Provence and deceased in Neuilly-sur-Seine.-Biography:Son to a lawyer from Marseille, Alfred Capus went to university in Toulon...
and Xavier Roux, based on a play by Capus.
Background
It was first performed at the Théâtre MogadorThéâtre Mogador
Théâtre Mogador founded in 1913 and designed by Bertie Crewe, is a Parisian music hall theatre located at 25, rue de Mogador in the 9th district. It seats 1,800 people on three tiers.In 1913 financier Sir Alfred Butt rented an area in Paris...
in Paris on 14 May 1921. A contemporary writer noted the charm, distinction, good humour throughout the score, with tenderness without banality, and gave particular praise for the orchestration.
The score was published by Choudens in 1921. A radio broadcast was made by the ORTF
Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
The Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1974, with providing public radio and television in France.-Post World War II:...
on 17 October 1967 and re-broadcast on France Musique on 7 November 2007.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, Paris, 14 May 1921 (Conductor: Paul Letombe) |
|---|---|---|
| Suzanne | 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... |
Edmée Favart Edmée Favart Edmée Favart was a French soprano who had a varied and major career in opera and opéra comique and left many recordings of songs from roles she performed on stage.-Life and career:... |
| Riri | soprano | Yanne Exiane |
| Madame Lebardin | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Louise Marquet |
| Madame Pagenel | soprano | Rachel Launay |
| Le Vicomte | 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... |
Henry Defreyn |
| Monsieur Lebardin | tenor | Louis Maurel |
| Monsieur Pagenel | 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... |
Félix Barré |
| Auguste (Travesti) | Renée Cléden | |
| Invitées | Kervan, Marguerite de Busson, Grandi | |
Act 1
It is 1921 ; in Pressigny-sur-Loire, a typical pretty French village the curtain rises on the end of dinner in the garden by the Loire of Monsieur and Madam Lebardin – a middle-aged couple, whose guests are the Pagenel family. The two men reminisce over student japes and the time Lebardin fell for a young blonde shop-girl called Louisette. The women talk about going to the latest exhibition in town. The local viscount, Edgard de Samblan – a 30-year old bachelor who is rumoured to be marrying a young widow – enters, and mentions that the village post-mistress has been replaced a young 25 year old Parisienne.The new post-mistress – Suzanne Borel – now arrives and asks for Madame Lebardin. She is invited in and Monsieur Lebardin is amazed to see the portrait of the Louisette he once knew – only more beautiful. Suzanne asks that a complaint against the previous post-mistress be withdrawn, and offers improvements in the postal service (a second newspaper delivery, telegrams dispatched later) in return for such a letter. While Lebardin goes to write the letter, Suzanne keeps the viscount in his place when he gets too forward. Now Lebardin returns, spruced up, with a new jacket on, and the viscount goes to get Pagenel to sign the letter. When Pagenel comes in Lebardin admits to him that although he has been faithful to his wife throughout their marriage, he has fallen in love. He asks Suzanne to accompany him as he goes out on the pretext of sending a telegram to an old friend.
Act 2
At the Bureau de Postes Suzanne and her friend Henriette ('Riri') are at work; the viscomte and Pagenel are in the post office, the viscount to post a letter to his sister about his forthcoming marriage. Henriette, who has accompanied Suzanne to Pressigny confesses that she was happier in their previous place in the rue Lafayette in Paris, although Suzanne reminds her friend that in Paris the post office was always full of Riri's admirers.Pagenel suggests to Lebardin that the best way of releasing him from his infatuation with Suzanne would be a weekend on the town in Paris; it is clear when Madame Lebardin enters the office that she has her suspicions about her husband's behaviour. Lebardin resolves to send Suzanne a telegram – which Suzanne then reads in disgust - while Riri, who has heard everything, says to Suzanne's horror that she would have accepted the offer of his gifts and an apartment in Paris.
The telegram boy enters and it is clear that he is having an affair with Riri. They are discovered kissing by Suzanne who accuses them of dishonouring the administration of the post. After further admonition, Riri retorts that Suzanne will also act with abandon when she falls in love.
The viscount arrives to collect his package and is greeted by a tender smile from Suzanne, until he tells her that the package is related to his forthcoming marriage. Suzanne is visibly upset by his words and admits her affection for him. Suzanne decides to leave Pressigny rather live in a dream, and when Lebardin re-enters she tells him that she has decided to let him become her protector provided he does all the things for her he had promised.
Act 3
A week later Suzanne is in Paris, lavished upon by Lebardin as she had asked for. Lebardin arrives in town and takes her to a grand music hall. The first person they meet is Pagenel who comes to have fun every week. But Pagenel is not the only man from Pressigny there for pleasure – the viscount, only married for one week, is also around.Suzanne admits to missing life in Pressigny, but Pagenel arrives to announce that many of the Pressigny residents are in the hall. Lebardin’s wife declares that she knows all and demands that her husband return to Pressigny. He denies that he is having a liaison with Suzanne. After they have left the hall, the viscount and Suzanne arrive in conversation, him trying to get her to be his, but she says she is no longer in love. However she changes her mind when Lebardin renounces his oath to provide for her, and agrees with the viscount to move back with him to the peaceful country.