The Large-Duchess of Gérolstein

the Large-Duchess of Gérolstein is a Opera-puffs out in 3 acts and 4 tables of Jacques Offenbach, on a booklet of Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The first took place the April 12th 1867 with the Théâtre of the Varieties to Paris during the World Fair.

Characters

  • the Large-Duchess
  • Fritz, private (then general, baron de Vermout-wonbock-bier, count d' Avallvintt-katt-chopp-Vergismein-nicht… and again private)
  • Wanda, its been engaged
  • the baron Puck, tutor of the Large-Duchess
  • the general Bang, commander-in-chief of the Armies
  • prince Paul, promised in marriage of the Large-Duchess
  • the baron Grog, tutor of the prince
  • Népomuc, aide-de-camp
  • Iza, Olga, Charlotte, Amélie, young ladies of honor
  • It (pretty) notary

Creators

History

In 1720 or about… in the Grand Duchy of Gérolstein (an imaginary country, but which bears the name of a quite real German city), a war prepares to distract the young large-duchess who is bored and delays her marriage with unimportant prince Paul. Fritz is a young soldier, enthusiast of Wanda, the cantinière. At the time of a parade, for to excite the soldier , the large-duchess who loves the soldiers discovers the Fritz soldier for whom it has a love at first sight. It climbs the hierarchy in a wink and the soldier replaces at once as general-in-chief, the general Bang.

By doing this, the large-duchess causes the anger and the jealousy of the staff and the nobility, furious to see itself thus replaced by a soldier left the row propelled to the head their army and anobli by a whim of the sovereign one. The general and the noble isolated ones decide to be avenged. Training prince Paul, in love gotten rid of, in their plot, they decide to assassinate this awkward competitor…

All becomes complicated when the large-duchess understands that it has in Wanda a rival in the heart of sound dear Fritz… With the liking of moods and loves at first sight of the large-duchess, the destiny of Fritz rocks from one extreme to another. The history will end in a marriage and all will return in the order…

Critical

“ It is delicious, this first act, of an incredible fantaise and a étincelante cheerfulness. It is the load more bouffonne which can dream of the military gloriole, of its plumets, its gallons and all its fanfreluches ”, Francisque Sarcey, 1867.

A report/ratio of Censure (we are under the Second finishing Empire) dated April 5th, seven days before first proclamation many scruples on this part (the ridiculous of the soldiers and the capacity, and the embarrassing situations ). It is the censure which imposed the name of the Large-Duchess, an imaginary character of Eugene Sue, in the Mysteries of Paris , to give a definitely whimsical character to the character.

Discography

(integral versions)

  • Suzanne Lafaye, Michele Raynaud, Jean Aubert, Henri Bédex. Musical direction, Jean-Claude Hartemann, Decca Carrère 67.755 (2 discs) taken again in 2 CD Universal/Agreement 465.871-2

  • Eugenie Zareska, Andre Dran, John Riley. Orch. Rene Leibowitz, Urania US 5115 (2 discs)

Quotations of the booklet

  • As it is easy! … these ranks, these honors! (after having degraded the Fritz general with the outgoing rank of soldier)
  • When one does not have what one likes, it is necessary to like what one has (the Large-Duchess, right before the Final one)

Initial success

In a room remade with nine and in spite of the length which reproach inter alia the critics of the Figaro , the opera is a great success. All the crowned heads want to see the title role in the person of Hortense Schneider which touches an exorbitant seal of 2.000 francs per month. The first two acts are a true triumph, the third fall a little flat, Offenbach cross and remove here and there, the dance of the chime (however a quite pretty melody). The April 24th Napoleon III attends the representation. It will return there a few days later in company of the empress. At the beginning of May one saw Mr. Adolphe Thiers in a bath-tub. The 15, the prince de Galles, wire of the Queen Victoria, occupied the armchair n° 18 of the left cabin of the balcony. June 1st, it is with the turn of Alexandre II, tsar of all Russies and the large-duke Vladimir. “ the legs of Miss Schneider appear to have produced much effect on prince Wladimir… ”, note Prosper Mérimée on June 6th. Later one could see Bismarck in a Avant-scène, with of Moltke and the marshal Mac-Mahon. And still Ismail Pasha, viceroy of Egypt, which came almost each evening during its Parisian stay, so much it was enthusiast beautiful Hortense. Then came old king de Bavière, the king of Portugal, that of Sweden, the emperor François-Joseph of Austria…

External bonds

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