Mesdames de la Halle
Encyclopedia
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. Gänzl describes the piece as “a delicious piece of Parisian bouffonerie”
as Croûte-au-pot, then in Budapest, where a Hungarian version soon followed.
It was performed in Berlin in 1858, Brussels in 1860, and Monte Carlo in 1908. It was also produced at the Théâtre des Arts
on 3 April 1913, conducted by Gabriel Grovlez and with a cast including Lucy Vauthrin, Marcelle Devries and Maurice Lamy. It was mounted at the Paris Opéra-Comique
on 4 May 1940 with René Hérent
, Lillie Grandval and Roger Bourdin
, conducted by Gustave Cloez.
in the reign of Louis XV.
At the Paris fruit and vegetable market vendors of all kinds are plying for custom. The drum major, Raflafla, enters with some troops and sings a flattering song to the market women. Madou and Beurrefondu are not interested; they are after the young kitchen boy Croûte-au-pot, for whom Mesdames Poiretapée, Madou and Beurrefondue have all fallen. Croûte-au-pot enters, but singing of his love for the fruit seller Ciboulette. Madou and Beurrefondu press their wares on him, but when he upturns his basket, Raflafla re-enters and takes Croûte-au-pot off in a barrow. Madou and Beurrefondu fight with Poiretapée, which attracts the attention of the commissaire, the customers and Ciboulette; when the quarreling women have been led away, Ciboulette introduces herself, in song. When Raflafla tries to sweet-talk her she repulses him, despite the fact that her heart always misses a beat when she meets him. Poiretapée has bribed the commissaire with a drink and comes back to the market where Raflafla tries it on with her, by singing a ballad to the moon. Croûte-au-pot comes in, having jumped out of a window at the jail, and he and Ciboulette sing a happy duet.
Beurrefondu re-enters, disapproving of Ciboulette's liaison with the kitchen-boy. Ciboulette says that as an orphan the consent of her parents will be difficult to obtain. She tells Beurrefondu that her father was a sergeant of guards, and she is eighteen, female and from Vaugirard. Beurrefondu faints into the fountain, and when dragged out claims Ciboulette as her daughter. When Beurrefondu recounts this to Madou she too faints in the fountain leading to a septet over the dilemma. Ciboulette next produces a sealed letter she has kept next to her heart since she was three months old; when Croûte-au-pot reads it out Raflafla and Poiretapée both faint, thus solving the mystery of her parents, who consent to her marriage. The curtain falls with all acclaiming the 'unequalled beauties – the ladies of la Halle'.
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 libretto by Armand Lapointe. It was first performed at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens is a Parisian theatre which was founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with an entrance at the back at 65 Passage Choiseul. In...
, Paris on 3 March 1858. and was the first work of Offenbach's at the Bouffes with a chorus and a large cast. Gänzl describes the piece as “a delicious piece of Parisian bouffonerie”
Performance history
Bouffes on tour staged Mesdames de la Halle in Vienna with Lucille TostéeLucille Tostée
Lucille Tostée , was a French soprano, associated with opéra-bouffe in Paris and the USA in the mid-19th century, particularly in the works of Offenbach.-Life and career:...
as Croûte-au-pot, then in Budapest, where a Hungarian version soon followed.
It was performed in Berlin in 1858, Brussels in 1860, and Monte Carlo in 1908. It was also produced at the Théâtre des Arts
Théâtre Hébertot
Théâtre Hébertot is a theatre at 78, boulevard des Batignolles, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. The theatre, completed in 1838 and opening as the Théâtre des Batignolles, was later renamed Théâtre des Arts in 1907...
on 3 April 1913, conducted by Gabriel Grovlez and with a cast including Lucy Vauthrin, Marcelle Devries and Maurice Lamy. It was mounted at the Paris 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...
on 4 May 1940 with René Hérent
René Hérent
René Hérent was a French tenor whose career was centred on the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he played supporting roles for many years, and left several recordings.-Life and career:...
, Lillie Grandval and Roger Bourdin
Roger Bourdin
Roger Bourdin was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory. His career was largely based in France.- Life and career :...
, conducted by Gustave Cloez.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 3 March 1858, (Conductor: Offenbach) |
|---|---|---|
| Madame Poiretapée (fish seller) | 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... |
Léonce Léonce Édouard-Théodore Nicole , known as Léonce, was a French actor and singer.-Biography:Léonce was born in Paris. After studying law, he made his stage debut at the Théâtre de Belleville.... |
| Madame Madou (vegetable seller) | baritone | Désiré Désiré (baritone) Désiré was a French baritone, who is particularly remembered for creating many comic roles in the works of the French operetta composer Jacques Offenbach... |
| Madame Beurrefondu (vegetable seller) | 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... |
Mesmacre |
| Raflafla (drum major) | tenor | Duvernoy |
| Le commissaire | baritone | Guyot |
| Marchand d’habits | tenor | Jean Paul |
| Ciboulette (vegetable seller) | soprano | Chabert |
| Croûte-au-pot (kitchen boy) | soprano | Lise Tautin Lise Tautin Lise Tautin , was a French soprano, associated with the opéra-bouffe in Paris in the middle of the 19th century, particularly the works of Offenbach.-Life and career:... |
| Marchande de plaisirs | soprano | Baudoin |
| Marchande de fruits | soprano | Cico |
| Marchande de légumes | mezzo-soprano | Kunzé |
| Marchande de pois verts | soprano | Byard |
| People of la Halle, customers, policemen, soldiers | ||
Synopsis
The setting is the Marché des InnocentsFontaine des Innocents
The Fontaine des Innocents is a monumental public fountain located on the place Joachim-du-Bellay in the Les Halles district in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. Originally called the Fountain of the Nymphs, it was constructed between 1547 and 1550 by architect Pierre Lescot and sculptor...
in the reign of Louis XV.
At the Paris fruit and vegetable market vendors of all kinds are plying for custom. The drum major, Raflafla, enters with some troops and sings a flattering song to the market women. Madou and Beurrefondu are not interested; they are after the young kitchen boy Croûte-au-pot, for whom Mesdames Poiretapée, Madou and Beurrefondue have all fallen. Croûte-au-pot enters, but singing of his love for the fruit seller Ciboulette. Madou and Beurrefondu press their wares on him, but when he upturns his basket, Raflafla re-enters and takes Croûte-au-pot off in a barrow. Madou and Beurrefondu fight with Poiretapée, which attracts the attention of the commissaire, the customers and Ciboulette; when the quarreling women have been led away, Ciboulette introduces herself, in song. When Raflafla tries to sweet-talk her she repulses him, despite the fact that her heart always misses a beat when she meets him. Poiretapée has bribed the commissaire with a drink and comes back to the market where Raflafla tries it on with her, by singing a ballad to the moon. Croûte-au-pot comes in, having jumped out of a window at the jail, and he and Ciboulette sing a happy duet.
Beurrefondu re-enters, disapproving of Ciboulette's liaison with the kitchen-boy. Ciboulette says that as an orphan the consent of her parents will be difficult to obtain. She tells Beurrefondu that her father was a sergeant of guards, and she is eighteen, female and from Vaugirard. Beurrefondu faints into the fountain, and when dragged out claims Ciboulette as her daughter. When Beurrefondu recounts this to Madou she too faints in the fountain leading to a septet over the dilemma. Ciboulette next produces a sealed letter she has kept next to her heart since she was three months old; when Croûte-au-pot reads it out Raflafla and Poiretapée both faint, thus solving the mystery of her parents, who consent to her marriage. The curtain falls with all acclaiming the 'unequalled beauties – the ladies of la Halle'.