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Music Text

Libretto by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy; original German version by Ferdinand Gumbert; new German version (F,G)

Scoring

6S,M,buffoT,speaker;
2.1.2.1-2.2.1.0-timp.perc-strings

Abbreviations (PDF)

Publisher

Boosey & Hawkes / Bote & Bock

Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.

Availability

World Premiere
05/01/1861
Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris
Company: unknown

World premiere of version
11/06/2005
Philharmonie, Köln
Thomas Werner, director
Conductor: Helmut Froschauer
Company: WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln; Cöllner Canzonisten

Roles

FORTUNIO, advocate Speaking role
MARIE, his wife Soprano
VALENTIN, clerk of Fortunio Buffo Tenor
Other clerks of Fortunio 5 Sopranos
BABETTE, cook Mezzo Soprano
Time and Place

A town garden in the time of Louis XIV

Synopsis

In his youth Fortunio earned a certain reputation as a breaker of women's hearts. Now, after putting on many years, he jealously watches over his young wife Marie. He discovers footprints in the garden in front of her balcony and – rightly – suspects one of his clerks to be courting her. It is Valentin who has fallen in love with Marie and cannot find the courage to open his heart to her. The clerks believe the secret of Fortunio's success with women lay with a legendary love song which he sang to enchant them. Accidentally, Valentin and Paul discover the song while clearing up old files – and put it to the test…

Moods

Comic, Poetic

Subjects

Links

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