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Music Text

Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy; original German version by Julius Hopp; new German version by Stefan Troßbach; new English version by Richard Duployen; new Spanish version by Enrique Mejías García (F,G,E,S)

Scoring

3S,2S(M),M(S),3T,T(Bar),Bar,BBar; chorus;
2(II=picc).1.2.1-2.2.1.0-timp.perc-strings

Abbreviations (PDF)

Opera
For full details on this stagework, including synopsis and roles, please visit our Opera section.
Publisher

Bote & Bock

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

Availability

World Premiere
4/12/1867
Théâtre des Variétés, Paris
Hortense Schneider, José Dupuis et al.
Press Quotes

"A fine success for this Grande-Duchesse, whose main concern was to introduce the new, true to the original, critical edition as world premiere. Its creation is due to Jean-Christophe Keck and it contains all numbers in their original instrumentation by the composer himself. It is surprising how he [Offenbach] managed to sacrifice the stunning end of the second act. Carillon de ma grand-mère is a wonderful ensemble of rare beauty and dramatic power. Similarly, in the following act, the Conjuration des rémouleurs – a juicy parody based on the Conjuration et Bénédiction des poignards in Meyerbeers’ Huguenots. Also omitting the dismal Méditation, which opens Act III, would mean to neglect significant details about the protagonist. Jérôme Pillement underlines the refinement and efficiency of a score that is all too often distorted by uninspired conductors and unscrupulous arrangements."
Thierry Guyenne, Opéra international (January 2004)

Subjects
Recommended Recording
cd_cover

Felicity Lott / Sandrine Piau / Yann Beuron / Franck Leguérinel / Eric Huchet / François Le Roux / Les Musiciens & Choeur des Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble / Marc Minkowski (Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, Dec 2004, Laurent Pelly dir.)
Virgin Classics 545734 2 (DVD EMI 310239 9)

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