Le toréador
Encyclopedia
Le toréador, ou L'accord parfait (The Toreador, or The Perfect Agreement) is an opéra comique
in two acts by the French
composer Adolphe Adam
with a libretto
by Thomas-Marie-François Sauvage. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique
, Paris
on May 18, 1849. It was a huge success and the work regularly appeared in the repertoire of the Opéra-Comique until 1869. Adam made use of several familiar pieces of music in the score. The most famous number is a series of variations on Ah! vous dirai-je, maman (better known as the melody of Twinkle, twinkle, little star in the English-speaking world). The opera also quotes the aria Tandis que tout sommeille from Grétry
's L'amant jaloux
and Je brûlerai d'une flamme éternelle from the same composer's Le tableau parlant
as well as popular folk tunes, including the Spanish fandango
, cachucha and follia. In spite of this, there is little attempt to give the score local colour. The opera was originally intended to be a single act but was split in two to allow the soprano time to recover her breath in a taxing role.
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 two acts by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
composer 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...
with a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Thomas-Marie-François Sauvage. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on May 18, 1849. It was a huge success and the work regularly appeared in the repertoire of the Opéra-Comique until 1869. Adam made use of several familiar pieces of music in the score. The most famous number is a series of variations on Ah! vous dirai-je, maman (better known as the melody of Twinkle, twinkle, little star in the English-speaking world). The opera also quotes the aria Tandis que tout sommeille from Grétry
Grétry
People of the surname Grétry include* André Grétry , composer of opéras comiques;* Jeanne-Marie Grandon Grétry , painter, wife of André;...
's L'amant jaloux
L'amant jaloux
L'amant jaloux, ou Les fausses apparences is a French comédie mêlée d'ariettes in three acts by André Grétry first performed at Versailles on 20 November 1778. The libretto is by the Irish playwright Thomas Hales with the verse passages provided by F.Levasseur...
and Je brûlerai d'une flamme éternelle from the same composer's Le tableau parlant
Le tableau parlant
Le tableau parlant is an opéra comique, described as a comédie-parade, in one act by André Grétry, The French text was by Louis Anseaume.-Performance history:...
as well as popular folk tunes, including the Spanish fandango
Fandango
Fandango is a lively couple's dance, usually in triple metre, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping . Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has an instrumental introduction followed by "variaciones"...
, cachucha and follia. In spite of this, there is little attempt to give the score local colour. The opera was originally intended to be a single act but was split in two to allow the soprano time to recover her breath in a taxing role.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, May 18, 1849 (Conductor: Théophile Tilmant Théophile Tilmant Théophile Tilmant, was a French violinist and conductor born on 9 July 1799 in Valenciennes, France and died on 7 or 8 May 1878, Asnières.... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Don Belflor a retired toreador Toreador Toreador may refer to:* Torero or bullfighter* The Toreador, a musical comedy* The "Toreador Song" from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen* The Daily Toreador, the student newspaper of Texas Tech University... |
bass | Eugène Battaille |
| Coraline his wife | 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... |
Delphine Ugalde Delphine Ugalde Delphine Ugalde, née Beaucé, was a French soprano. She was the mother of Marguerite Ugalde.... |
| Tracolin | 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... |
Toussaint-Eugène-Ernest Mocker |
Act One
Coraline, a former opera singer from Paris, is unhappily married to the retired bullfighter Don Belflor. She remembers how a flute-player, Tracolin, was in love with her. At this point, Tracolin himself appears in Barcelona, intent on renewing his acquaintance with Coraline. The two exchange love letters over the garden wall. Tracolin saves Don Belfor from an attack by ruffians and is invited into his house. He claims he is acting as a go-between for a dancer at the opera, Caritéa, who has fallen in love with Don Belflor. The old man is flattered but asks for further proof and Tracolin can think of no other recourse but to give him Coraline's letter. As Don Belflor is leaving for liaison with Caritéa, Coraline accuses him of adultery. In his confusion Don Belflor drops the letter on the floor. The horrified Coraline believes that she has been found out.Act Two
Coraline cannot understand why Don Belfor has not reacted angrily to the contents of the letter. Tracolin climbs over the garden wall and tells her he has been in love with her since they met at the opera. He reveals the details of her husband's adultery then leaves the garden. When Don Belflor returns, Coraline again accuses him of infidelity. He admits the truth when she mentions the name "Caritéa" and begs for her forgiveness. She accepts so long as she is allowed to keep Tracolin in the house as her lover. Don Belflor, who does not want to lose the generous dowry the marriage brought him, agrees.Recordings
- Le toreador Sumi Jo, John AlerJohn AlerJohn Aler is an American lyric tenor who performs in concerts, recitals, and operas. He is particularly known for his interpretations of the works of Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and Handel....
, Michel TrempontMichel TrempontMichel Trempont is a Belgian operatic baritone whose repertoire extends from the 18th century to the creation of contemporary works. His brother was Pol Trempont , operatic tenor and one time director of the Théâtre de Mons.-Life and career:After studies with Rogatchewsky, Trempont made his debut...
, Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, conducted by Richard BonyngeRichard BonyngeRichard Alan Bonynge, AO, CBE is an Australian conductor and pianist.Bonynge was born in Sydney and educated at Sydney Boys High School before studying piano at the Royal College of Music in London. He gave up his music scholarship, continuing his private piano studies, and became a coach for...
(Decca, 1998)
Sources
- Amadeus Online
- Booklet notes to the above recording.