The Maid of Artois
Encyclopedia
The Maid of Artois is an opera
by Michael Balfe, written in 1836 to a libretto
by Alfred Bunn
, manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
in London. The opera received good notices, and the overture was much admired. The opera opened on 27 May 1836, starring the Maria Malibran
as the title character, Isoline. The story concerns a girl in love, who is poached by a rich Marquis. The lovers seem destined to end their days in the wastes of the desert, until an unexpected rescue comes.
Balfe's music shows the influence of his earlier training in Italy, especially of Bellini
and Donizetti, as well as the French works that Balfe had sung (as a baritone
) at the Paris Opéra
, where he and Malibran had appeared together. Balfe wrote The Maid of Artois partly as a vehicle for her when she was 27, at the time of her riding accident in April 1836. She performed the opera using crutches beginning in May, but she never recovered from her injuries and died later in 1836. Malibran was a mezzo-soprano
with a three octave range. She had died before the score was printed, and so Balfe decided to set brighter, higher versions of the coloratura and other music in her role that are more typical of operatic treatments of a youthful character such as Isoline.
ACT I The grounds of a Parisian Chateau
ACT II A fort in British Guiana
ACT III In the Desert
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
by Michael Balfe, written in 1836 to 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 Alfred Bunn
Alfred Bunn
Alfred Bunn was an English theatrical manager.He was appointed stage-manager of Drury Lane Theatre, London, in 1823. In 1826 he was managing the Theatre Royal in Birmingham, and in 1833 he undertook the joint management of Drury Lane and Covent Garden, London. In this undertaking he met with...
, manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
in London. The opera received good notices, and the overture was much admired. The opera opened on 27 May 1836, starring the Maria Malibran
Maria Malibran
The mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran , was one of the most famous opera singers of the 19th century. Malibran was known for her stormy personality and dramatic intensity, becoming a legendary figure after her death at age 28...
as the title character, Isoline. The story concerns a girl in love, who is poached by a rich Marquis. The lovers seem destined to end their days in the wastes of the desert, until an unexpected rescue comes.
Balfe's music shows the influence of his earlier training in Italy, especially of Bellini
Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini was an Italian opera composer. His greatest works are I Capuleti ed i Montecchi , La sonnambula , Norma , Beatrice di Tenda , and I puritani...
and Donizetti, as well as the French works that Balfe had sung (as a 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...
) at the Paris Opéra
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...
, where he and Malibran had appeared together. Balfe wrote The Maid of Artois partly as a vehicle for her when she was 27, at the time of her riding accident in April 1836. She performed the opera using crutches beginning in May, but she never recovered from her injuries and died later in 1836. Malibran was a 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...
with a three octave range. She had died before the score was printed, and so Balfe decided to set brighter, higher versions of the coloratura and other music in her role that are more typical of operatic treatments of a youthful character such as Isoline.
Roles
- Isoline contraltoContraltoContralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
- Jules tenorTenorThe 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...
- Marquis baritoneBaritoneBaritone 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...
- Synnelet bass
- Coralie
- Sans Regret
- Martin
- Centinnel
- Count Saulnier
Musical numbers
- 1 Men - Drink, boys
- 2 Marquis - Recit. The Rosy hours
- 2a Marquis, Sans R, Chorus - Cavatina Then silly is the heart
- 3 Andante
- 4 Jules - Recit. Oh, if at times
- 4a Jules - Cavatina My soul, in one unbroken
- 5 Sans R & Jules - Here, take the contents
- 6 Coralie, Jules, Sans R, Men - Then thus oppress’d
- 7 Women - The sigh from her heart
- 8 Isoline - Recit. My thoughts which forth
- Isoline - The heart that once hath
- Isoline, Women - Oh could I but that peace
- 9 Isoline, Marquis - Oh! leave me not
- 9a Isoline, Marquis - Oh, why should I weep
- 10 Isoline - Yon moon o’er the mountains
- 11 Jules, Isoline, - Finale: What sounds are those I hear
- 11a Isoline, Jules, Marquis - Finale: Trio My bosom with hope
- 12 Marquis, Isoline, Jules - Finale: Ensemble Deceitful woman
- Sans Regret, Chorus, Count
ACT II A fort in British Guiana
- 13 Men, Women and slaves - Here’s to the Soldier Lover
- 14 Synnelet, Chorus - Was there ever known
- 15 Ballet
- 16 Isoline - Oh! what a charm it is
- 17 Isoline, Jules, Nin, Syn, Chor Quartet & Ch - From shore to shore
- 18 Indian Dance
- 19 Isoline & Jules - And do these arms
- 19a Jules, Isoline - I have strength to bear
- 19b Martin, Isol, Jules, Nin, Syn Ensemble - Five minutes are expired
- 20 Chorus, Syn, Cent, Martin - Finale These joyous sounds upon the ear
- 21 Marquis - Recit. I gaze upon the stranger land
- 21a Marquis - The light of the other days is faded
- 22 Chorus, Marquis, Synnelet - Finale Hail to the Chief
ACT III In the Desert
- 23 Isoline - Recit. The sounds which have pursued
- 23a Isoline - Oh, beautiful night
- 24 Isoline, Jules - There’s blood upon his arm
- 25 March
- 26 Isoline, Chorus - Finale: The rapture swelling though my breast