the Hypochondriac is the last Comédie written by Molière. It is a Comedy-ballet in three acts (respectively comprising 8,9 and 15 scenes), represented with the Théâtre of the Palais Royal the February 10th 1673 by the Troupe of Molière; it draws its inspiration in the Commedia dell' arte . The music is of Marc-Antoine Charpentier and the Ballet S of Pierre Beauchamp.

Characters

• Argan : the Hypochondriac
• Toinette , maidservant of Argan
• Béline , wife of Argan
• Cléante , in love with Angelica
• Béralde , brother of Argan
• Angelica , girl of Argan
• Louison , girl of Argan.
• Mr Purgon , Doctor of Argan
• Mr Diafoirus , Doctor
• Thomas Diafoirus , wire of Mr Diafoirus and promised Angelica
• Mr De Bonnefoy , Notary.
• Mr Fleurant , Apothecary

Synopsis

Argan, a middle-class man, is believed always sick; his wife, Béline, exempt attentive care to him, but awaits only its death to be able to inherit. It is made make bleedings and takes all kinds of remedies, exempted by doctors pedants and concerned more to take pleasure in their patient that health of this one. So that its Master eats well, Toinette, its maidservant, is disguised as a doctor and exempts more reasonable councils to him.

Angelica, his/her daughter, likes Cléante - what dissatisfied Argan, because Cléante is poor. Moreover, he would prefer to see his daughter married to Thomas Diafoirus, the son of a doctor. To draw them from business, Toinette recommends to Argan to do it dead. His wife is called by Toinette, and proclamation her joy of being removed from her husband in front of this one, which she believes dead. Toinette calls then Angélique, which expresses a sincere sorrow of dead of his/her father: this one stops its play at once and accepts the union of his/her daughter with Cléante, in the condition that this last becomes doctor. His/her brother, Béralde, advise to him to become doctor himself, which it accepts. The part ends in a ceremony bouffonne establishment of Argan to medicine.

The last comedy of Molière

Molière was known sick when he wrote this part, that he created in February 1673. Death is omnipresent, even if it is simulated, initially by Louison then by Argan itself. The author held the role to with it titrates in the first four representations. It dies not, like wants it the legend, over scene, but a few hours after the end of the part. At the time of the fourth representation, with the last " Juro" , it crumbles, and will not be raised any more, it was led at his place, where it died.

Music in the part

The comedy of Molière was given initially with musical interludes at the end of each act, including the final establishment of Argan doctor. Cléante and Angélique in addition sing there a short part at the beginning of the second act. The author called upon Marc-Antoine Charpentier for the composition.

The partition, which one believed lost, was found in the files of the Comédie-Française by William Christie who played it in integrality with Flourishing Arts during a representation with the Théâtre of Châtelet, the March 16th 1990.

The choreographic reconstitution was due to Francine Lancelot and with its company “Laugh and Danceries”.

Other type-setters tested themselves in the musical illustration of the part. One can quote Jacques Offenbach in 1851, André Jolivet and Georges Auric.

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