La poupée de Nuremberg
Encyclopedia
La poupée de Nuremberg is a one-act opéra comique
by Adolphe Adam
to a libretto by Adolphe de Leuven
and Victor Arthur Rousseau de Beauplan. The story is based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s short story Der Sandmann. The work predates other stage adaptations of Hoffmann's tale, Coppélia
and The Tales of Hoffmann.
It was first performed in Paris at the Théâtre Lyrique
on 21 February 1852. Berlioz
described it as "a whole emporium of waltzes, galops, pop-pourris… worthy of the Nuremburg fair." It was performed nearly one hundred times at the Théâtre Lyrique over the following 18 years.
Cornelius the owner, has an only son, Donathan, whom he loves despite the boy’s stupidity, while being unjust to his orphan nephew, Miller, whom he keeps like a servant, after having misappropriated the latter's inheritance. The old miser wants to procure a wife for his son, a wife endowed with beauty and every virtue, and as he believes that such a paragon does not exist, has created a doll, which he hopes to endow with life by help of doctor Faust's magic book.
He awaits a stormy night to carry this out. Meanwhile he enjoys life and is prepares to go with Donathan to a masked ball, having sent his nephew supperless to bed. When they have left Miller reappears in the garb of Mephistopheles and clapping his hands, his fiancée Bertha, a poor seamstress soon enters. Sadly she tells her lover that she is unable to go to the ball, having given all her money, which she had meant to spend on a dress, to a poor beggar-women in the street. Miller, touched by his love's tender heart, determines to lay aside his mask, in order to stay at home with Bertha, when suddenly an idea strikes him. Remembering the doll, which his uncle keeps hidden in his closet, he shows it to Bertha, who delightedly slips into the doll's beautiful clothes which fit her perfectly.
Unfortunately Cornelius and his son are heard returning, while Bertha is still absent dressing. The night has grown stormy, and the old man deems it favourable for the spell. So he proceeds to open Faust's book and to begin the charm. Miller, who just had time to hide himself in the chimney, is driven out by his cousin's attempts to light a fire. He leaps down into the room and Cornelius and Donathan take him for none other than the Devil, Miller wearing his mask and being besides blackened by soot. Perceiving his uncle's terror, he profits by it, and at once beginning a conjuration he summons the doll – that is, Bertha in the doll's dress.
Father and son are delighted by her performances, but when she opens her mouth and reveals a very wilful and wayward character, Cornelius is less charmed. The doll demands food, and Mephistopheles indicates, that it is to be found in the kitchen. While the worthy pair go to fetch it, Mephistopheles converses with Bertha and vanishes into his room.
The doll now begins to lead a dance, which makes the toymaker's hair stand on end. She first throws the whole supper out of the window, following it with plate, crockery, toys etc. Then taking a drum, she begins to drill them, like a tambour-major, slapping their ears, mouths and cheeks when they try to approach her. At last, when they are quite worn out, she flies into the cupboard. But the father's spirit is roused, and he resolves to destroy his and the Devil's work. However he is stopped by Miller, who now makes his appearance, and seems greatly astonished at the uproar he finds in the middle of the night. He only wants to gain time for Bertha to change clothes and escape.
Resolutely the old man walks into the cupboard to slay the doll. He returns pale and trembling, believing to have destroyed her while asleep and seen her spirit escape through the window with fiendish laughter. Awed by his deed, he sees Miller returning who confesses that he had found out the secret about the doll, and having accidental broken it, had substituted a young girl. Cornelius, half dead with fright, sees himself already accused of murder; his only salvation seems to lie in his nephew's silence and instant flight. Miller is willing to leave the country, provided his uncle give him back his heritage, which consists of 10,000 thalers. After vain remonstrances the old man gives him the gold. Miller, having gained his ends, now introduces Bertha, and the wicked old fool and his son see too late, that they have been duped.
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...
by Adolphe Adam
Adolphe Adam
Adolphe Charles Adam was a French composer and music critic. A prolific composer of operas and ballets, he is best known today for his ballets Giselle and Le corsaire , his operas Le postillon de Lonjumeau , Le toréador and Si j'étais roi , and his Christmas...
to a libretto by Adolphe de Leuven
Adolphe de Leuven
Adolphe de Leuven was a French theatre director and a librettist. Also known as Grenvallet, and Count Adolph Ribbing. He was the son of Adolph Ribbing....
and Victor Arthur Rousseau de Beauplan. The story is based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s short story Der Sandmann. The work predates other stage adaptations of Hoffmann's tale, Coppélia
Coppélia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
and The Tales of Hoffmann.
It was first performed in Paris at the Théâtre Lyrique
Théâtre Lyrique
The Théâtre Lyrique was one of four opera companies performing in Paris during the middle of the 19th century . The company was founded in 1847 as the Opéra-National by the French composer Adolphe Adam and renamed Théâtre Lyrique in 1852...
on 21 February 1852. Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
described it as "a whole emporium of waltzes, galops, pop-pourris… worthy of the Nuremburg fair." It was performed nearly one hundred times at the Théâtre Lyrique over the following 18 years.
Roles
| Role | Voice type Voice type A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics. Voice classification is the process by which human voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types... |
Premiere cast, 21 February 1852 (Conductor Conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble... : Alphonse Varney Alphonse Varney Alphonse Varney was a French conductor, mainly of opera. His son was the composer Louis Varney who studied music with his father.-Education:He studied at the Paris Conservatoire including counterpoint with Reicha.... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Bertha | 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... |
Louise Rouvroy |
| Donathan | 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... |
Horace Menjaud |
| Miller | 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... |
Auguste-Alphonse Meillet |
| Cornélius | bass Bass (voice type) A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C... |
Honoré Grignon |
Synopsis
The scene takes place in a toy-shop at NurembergCornelius the owner, has an only son, Donathan, whom he loves despite the boy’s stupidity, while being unjust to his orphan nephew, Miller, whom he keeps like a servant, after having misappropriated the latter's inheritance. The old miser wants to procure a wife for his son, a wife endowed with beauty and every virtue, and as he believes that such a paragon does not exist, has created a doll, which he hopes to endow with life by help of doctor Faust's magic book.
He awaits a stormy night to carry this out. Meanwhile he enjoys life and is prepares to go with Donathan to a masked ball, having sent his nephew supperless to bed. When they have left Miller reappears in the garb of Mephistopheles and clapping his hands, his fiancée Bertha, a poor seamstress soon enters. Sadly she tells her lover that she is unable to go to the ball, having given all her money, which she had meant to spend on a dress, to a poor beggar-women in the street. Miller, touched by his love's tender heart, determines to lay aside his mask, in order to stay at home with Bertha, when suddenly an idea strikes him. Remembering the doll, which his uncle keeps hidden in his closet, he shows it to Bertha, who delightedly slips into the doll's beautiful clothes which fit her perfectly.
Unfortunately Cornelius and his son are heard returning, while Bertha is still absent dressing. The night has grown stormy, and the old man deems it favourable for the spell. So he proceeds to open Faust's book and to begin the charm. Miller, who just had time to hide himself in the chimney, is driven out by his cousin's attempts to light a fire. He leaps down into the room and Cornelius and Donathan take him for none other than the Devil, Miller wearing his mask and being besides blackened by soot. Perceiving his uncle's terror, he profits by it, and at once beginning a conjuration he summons the doll – that is, Bertha in the doll's dress.
Father and son are delighted by her performances, but when she opens her mouth and reveals a very wilful and wayward character, Cornelius is less charmed. The doll demands food, and Mephistopheles indicates, that it is to be found in the kitchen. While the worthy pair go to fetch it, Mephistopheles converses with Bertha and vanishes into his room.
The doll now begins to lead a dance, which makes the toymaker's hair stand on end. She first throws the whole supper out of the window, following it with plate, crockery, toys etc. Then taking a drum, she begins to drill them, like a tambour-major, slapping their ears, mouths and cheeks when they try to approach her. At last, when they are quite worn out, she flies into the cupboard. But the father's spirit is roused, and he resolves to destroy his and the Devil's work. However he is stopped by Miller, who now makes his appearance, and seems greatly astonished at the uproar he finds in the middle of the night. He only wants to gain time for Bertha to change clothes and escape.
Resolutely the old man walks into the cupboard to slay the doll. He returns pale and trembling, believing to have destroyed her while asleep and seen her spirit escape through the window with fiendish laughter. Awed by his deed, he sees Miller returning who confesses that he had found out the secret about the doll, and having accidental broken it, had substituted a young girl. Cornelius, half dead with fright, sees himself already accused of murder; his only salvation seems to lie in his nephew's silence and instant flight. Miller is willing to leave the country, provided his uncle give him back his heritage, which consists of 10,000 thalers. After vain remonstrances the old man gives him the gold. Miller, having gained his ends, now introduces Bertha, and the wicked old fool and his son see too late, that they have been duped.