Pomme d'api
Encyclopedia
Pomme d'api is a one-act opérette of 1873 by Jacques Offenbach
with a French libretto by Ludovic Halévy
and William Busnach
.
singing in café-concert in Paris and although her voice was unremarkable, her stage presence made him decide to centre his next stage work around her. Run-throughs of the opera took place during the summer of 1873 at the 'Villa Orphée' home in Étretat
which Offenbach had created with the royalties from Orphée aux Enfers. Théo's success in Pomme d'api stimulated Offenbach to create a full-length work around her for the Renaissance. In seven weeks he composed La jolie parfumeuse
, which, as with the one-act piece, perfectly suited her talent.
, Paris
, on the same bill as La permission de dix heures. On 20 April 1874 Pomme d'api was seen at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens on a bill with Les rendez-vous bourgeois
and La chanson de Fortunio and ran for 60 performances. In 1877 it was staged at the Theater an der Wien. It was not seen in Paris until 1900 when 60 performances were given at the Bouffes-Parisiens. Seven separate broadcast recordings were made by the French national broadcasting between 1945 and 1974.
A revival (coupled with M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . .
and Mesdames de la Halle
) was mounted at the Opéra-Comique
in 1979 and recorded in the Salle Garnier
, Monte Carlo in September 1982. The piece was seen in Bologna
and Jesi
in 2010.
As the curtain rises, the old bachelor and sewing-machine maker Rabastens dismisses his maidservant. He awaits a visit from Gustave, his nephew, whose liaison with a girl called Pomme d'api he views with disapproval, and has therefore cut off his allowance. When Gustave arrives, he admits that he has reluctantly submitted to his uncle’s wishes, and broken off with Pomme d'api, despite the fact that instead of her angelic face, he will have to look at his uncle’s every evening. He goes to his room.
Next the new maid whom Rabastens has engaged via an agency Catherine comes in. Rabastens is pleased with her – so much so that he forgets to treat her like a servant, even inviting her to dine with him and his nephew.
Gustave recognizes Catherine as his love, but she is indifferent to his regrets, unmoved even by the photo of them the day she was rose queen at Nanterre
.
To really test his devotion, Catherine allows Rabastens to make advances. During the meal and having taken some champagne Catherine declares that she has been abandoned by her lover, but in a ‘list’ song she says she will accept the first man to propose whoever he is, and lets Rabastens embrace her. Gustave is so hurt by this that he makes to leave home. Catherine realizes that he must love her and embraces him. Initially furious, Rabastens relents, gives his blessing to Gustave’s marriage, and increases his allowance.
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
with a French libretto by Ludovic Halévy
Ludovic Halévy
Ludovic Halévy was a French author and playwright. He was half Jewish : his Jewish father had converted to Christianity prior to his birth, to marry his mother, née Alexandrine Lebas.-Biography:Ludovic Halévy was born in Paris...
and William Busnach
William Bertrand Busnach
William Bertrand Busnach was a French dramatist.Busnach was a nephew of the composer Fromental Halévy. His father was associated with David Ben Joseph Coen Bakri, to whom France was indebted to the amount of some twenty-odd million francs for provisions furnished to Napoleon Bonaparte in Egypt...
.
Background
Offenbach had heard Louise ThéoLouise Théo
Louise Théo , born in Paris, 1854, died there 24 January 1922, was a French singer who gained popularity in operetta in France from the 1870s to the end of the 19th century. She created several leading roles in works by Offenbach, and also toured to the USA.-Life and career:She began singing as a...
singing in café-concert in Paris and although her voice was unremarkable, her stage presence made him decide to centre his next stage work around her. Run-throughs of the opera took place during the summer of 1873 at the 'Villa Orphée' home in Étretat
Étretat
Étretat is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France. It is a tourist and farming town situated c. 32 km northeast of Le Havre, at the junction of the D940, D11 and D139 roads. It's located on the coast of the Pays de Caux area.-The...
which Offenbach had created with the royalties from Orphée aux Enfers. Théo's success in Pomme d'api stimulated Offenbach to create a full-length work around her for the Renaissance. In seven weeks he composed La jolie parfumeuse
La jolie parfumeuse
La jolie parfumeuse is an opéra comique in three acts of 1873 with music by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was by Hector Crémieux and Ernest Blum.-Performance history:...
, which, as with the one-act piece, perfectly suited her talent.
Performance history
The premiere was on 4 September 1873 at the Théâtre de la RenaissanceThéâtre de la Renaissance
The name Théâtre de la Renaissance has been used successively for three distinct Parisian theatre companies. The first two companies, which were short-lived enterprises in the 19th century, used the Salle Ventadour, now an office building on the Rue Méhul in the 2nd arrondissement.The current...
, 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 the same bill as La permission de dix heures. On 20 April 1874 Pomme d'api was seen at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens on a bill with Les rendez-vous bourgeois
Les rendez-vous bourgeois
Les rendez-vous bourgeois is an opéra bouffon in one act by Nicolas Isouard to a French libretto by François Benoît Hoffmann, in the form of an opéra comique with spoken dialogue between the musical numbers...
and La chanson de Fortunio and ran for 60 performances. In 1877 it was staged at the Theater an der Wien. It was not seen in Paris until 1900 when 60 performances were given at the Bouffes-Parisiens. Seven separate broadcast recordings were made by the French national broadcasting between 1945 and 1974.
A revival (coupled with M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . .
M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . .
M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le... is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, in one act by Jacques Offenbach and the Duc de Morny...
and Mesdames de la Halle
Mesdames de la Halle
Mesdames de la Halle is an opérette bouffe in one act by Jacques Offenbach, with a libretto by Armand Lapointe. It was first performed at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens, Paris on 3 March 1858. and was the first work of Offenbach's at the Bouffes with a chorus and a large cast...
) was mounted 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...
in 1979 and recorded in the Salle Garnier
Opéra de Monte-Carlo
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo is an opera house located in the principality of Monaco.With the lack of cultural diversions available in Monaco in the 1870s, Prince Charles III, along with the Société des Bains de Mer, decided on the construction of an opera house. Initially, it was Charles III's...
, Monte Carlo in September 1982. The piece was seen in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
and Jesi
Jesi
thumb|250px|Teatro Pergolesi.Iesi is a town and comune of the province of Ancona in the Marche, Italy.It is an important industrial and artistic center in the floodplain on the left bank of the Esino river before its mouth on the Adriatic Sea.-History:Iesi was one of the last towns of the Umbri...
in 2010.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 4 September 1873 (Conductor: ) |
|---|---|---|
| Rabastens | 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... |
Daubray |
| Gustave, his nephew | soprano | Anna Dartaux |
| Catherine | soprano | Louise Théo Louise Théo Louise Théo , born in Paris, 1854, died there 24 January 1922, was a French singer who gained popularity in operetta in France from the 1870s to the end of the 19th century. She created several leading roles in works by Offenbach, and also toured to the USA.-Life and career:She began singing as a... |
Synopsis
Paris, 1873, a room in the house of Rabastens, with doors offAs the curtain rises, the old bachelor and sewing-machine maker Rabastens dismisses his maidservant. He awaits a visit from Gustave, his nephew, whose liaison with a girl called Pomme d'api he views with disapproval, and has therefore cut off his allowance. When Gustave arrives, he admits that he has reluctantly submitted to his uncle’s wishes, and broken off with Pomme d'api, despite the fact that instead of her angelic face, he will have to look at his uncle’s every evening. He goes to his room.
Next the new maid whom Rabastens has engaged via an agency Catherine comes in. Rabastens is pleased with her – so much so that he forgets to treat her like a servant, even inviting her to dine with him and his nephew.
Gustave recognizes Catherine as his love, but she is indifferent to his regrets, unmoved even by the photo of them the day she was rose queen at Nanterre
Nanterre
Nanterre is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located west of the center of Paris.Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre....
.
To really test his devotion, Catherine allows Rabastens to make advances. During the meal and having taken some champagne Catherine declares that she has been abandoned by her lover, but in a ‘list’ song she says she will accept the first man to propose whoever he is, and lets Rabastens embrace her. Gustave is so hurt by this that he makes to leave home. Catherine realizes that he must love her and embraces him. Initially furious, Rabastens relents, gives his blessing to Gustave’s marriage, and increases his allowance.
Musical numbers
- Overture
- Couplets (Rabastens) « L’employé m’a dit, de quel âge »
- Romance (Gustave) « Mon oncle ne vous fâchez pas »
- Couplets « Bonjour monsieur je suis la bonne »
- Trio « Va donc, chercher le gril ! »
- Duo « C’est un dimanche, un matin »
- Trio « A table ! A table !»; Chanson « Versez » ; Rondeau « J’en prendrai un, deux, trois »
- Romance « Consultez votre cœur »
- Finale « J’en prendrai un, deux, trois »