Le domino noir (The Black Domino) is an opéra comique by the French composer Daniel Auber, first performed on 2 December 1837 by the Opéra-Comique at the Salle de la Bourse in Paris.[1] The libretto to the three-act piece is by Auber's usual collaborator, Eugène Scribe. It was one of Auber's most successful works, clocking up 1,207 performances by 1909. It received its UK premiere in 1838 and appeared in the USA the following year. Some of Auber's music has a Spanish flavour to reflect its setting.
In 1869, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky provided recitatives to replace the spoken dialogue for a proposed production of Le domino noir by an Italian opera company visiting Russia. No performances are believed to have taken place, but four of Tchaikovsky's recitatives were included in Richard Bonynge's recording of the opera.
The action concerns a young novice nun, Angèle de Olivarès. Enjoying her last freedom before taking final vows, Angèle slips out of the Ursuline convent along with her companion Brigitte to attend a ball in honour of the Queen of Spain's birthday. To conceal her identity, she wears a black half-mask (the "domino" of the title). A year previously, at the same ball, Angèle had met a young man, Horace de Masserena. Horace has fallen in love with her and returns to the ball in the hope of seeing her again. Instead he meets the unknown woman in the black mask and dances with her. Thinking to help Horace, his friend Count Juliano sets the clock back an hour causing Angèle to miss leaving at midnight, which would have allowed her to get back to the convent in time before the gates close. Angèle runs off and tries to take shelter for the night in a house she finds on the way. Unfortunately, it turns out to belong to Count Juliano who is holding a late-night party for his friends. Angèle persuades the housekeeper to disguise her as her niece from the country. She manages to fool everyone except, of course, Horace who recognises her from the ball a year ago. He does not tell anyone else but locks Angèle in a room where he hopes to keep her until she gives him an explanation. But Angèle is inadvertently freed by the housekeeper's lover, the drunken Gil Perez, who opens the door and runs off, having mistaken her for a demon in her mask and cloak. Angèle manages to slip undiscovered into the convent, where on the very same day she is to be installed as abbess. Shortly before the ceremony, a letter from the queen frees her from her vows, which allows her to marry Horace, and Ursule, her jealous rival for the office, to the chagrin of other nuns, is named the new abbess instead.
Scores and libretto
Piano-vocal scores
Le domino noir (piano-vocal score, in French). Paris: Benoit. View at Internet Archive. (This copy has handwritten casts for numerous productions as well as illustrations.)
Le domino noir (piano-vocal score, in French). Paris: Brandus. View at Internet Archive. View at Google Books.
Le domino noir (piano-vocal score, edited by Arthur Sullivan and J. Pittman, in Italian and English, the latter by Charles L. Kenny). London: Boosey. View at Internet Archive.
Der schwarze Domino (piano-vocal score, in a German translation by Freiherr von Lichtenstein, as well as French). London and Mainz: Schott. View at Internet Archive.
Libretto
Le domino noir (libretto in French, including spoken dialogue). Le magasin théatral. Copies 1 and 2 at Internet Archive.
Recordings
Le domino noirSumi Jo, Bruce Ford, Isabelle Vernet, Jules Bastin, London Voices, English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Richard Bonynge (Decca, 1995)
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The Black Domino redirects here For the 1929 German film see The Black Domino film Le domino noir The Black Domino is an opera comique by the French composer Daniel Auber first performed on 2 December 1837 by the Opera Comique at the Salle de la Bourse in Paris 1 The libretto to the three act piece is by Auber s usual collaborator Eugene Scribe It was one of Auber s most successful works clocking up 1 207 performances by 1909 It received its UK premiere in 1838 and appeared in the USA the following year Some of Auber s music has a Spanish flavour to reflect its setting Le domino noirOpera comique by Daniel AuberThe composer c 1825LibrettistEugene ScribeLanguageFrenchPremiere2 December 1837 1837 12 02 Salle de la Bourse ParisIn 1869 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky provided recitatives to replace the spoken dialogue for a proposed production of Le domino noir by an Italian opera company visiting Russia No performances are believed to have taken place but four of Tchaikovsky s recitatives were included in Richard Bonynge s recording of the opera Contents 1 Performance history 2 Roles 3 Synopsis 4 Scores and libretto 5 Recordings 6 References 7 External linksPerformance history EditThere was a production of the opera by Pierre Jourdan at the Theatre Imperial at Compiegne in 1995 In 2007 the St Petersburg Conservatory Theatre in Russia included Tchaikovsky s recitatives in its production Roles EditRole Voice type Premiere Cast 2 2 December 1837 Conductor Angele de Olivares a novice nun soprano Laure Cinti DamoreauBrigitte de San Lucar her fellow nun and confidante soprano Mlle BerthautHorace de Massarena a young Spanish nobleman tenor Joseph Antoine Charles CoudercCount Juliano his friend tenor Theodore Etienne Moreau SaintiJacinthe Juliano s housekeeper alto Mme BoulangerGil Perez Jacinthe s lover bass RoyUrsule another nun later abbess of the convent soprano Therese OlivierLord Elfort a British diplomat baritone Honore Grignon 3 Gertrude convent portress alto Mme RoySynopsis EditTime c 1780 Place MadridThe action concerns a young novice nun Angele de Olivares Enjoying her last freedom before taking final vows Angele slips out of the Ursuline convent along with her companion Brigitte to attend a ball in honour of the Queen of Spain s birthday To conceal her identity she wears a black half mask the domino of the title A year previously at the same ball Angele had met a young man Horace de Masserena Horace has fallen in love with her and returns to the ball in the hope of seeing her again Instead he meets the unknown woman in the black mask and dances with her Thinking to help Horace his friend Count Juliano sets the clock back an hour causing Angele to miss leaving at midnight which would have allowed her to get back to the convent in time before the gates close Angele runs off and tries to take shelter for the night in a house she finds on the way Unfortunately it turns out to belong to Count Juliano who is holding a late night party for his friends Angele persuades the housekeeper to disguise her as her niece from the country She manages to fool everyone except of course Horace who recognises her from the ball a year ago He does not tell anyone else but locks Angele in a room where he hopes to keep her until she gives him an explanation But Angele is inadvertently freed by the housekeeper s lover the drunken Gil Perez who opens the door and runs off having mistaken her for a demon in her mask and cloak Angele manages to slip undiscovered into the convent where on the very same day she is to be installed as abbess Shortly before the ceremony a letter from the queen frees her from her vows which allows her to marry Horace and Ursule her jealous rival for the office to the chagrin of other nuns is named the new abbess instead Scores and libretto EditPiano vocal scores Le domino noir piano vocal score in French Paris Benoit View at Internet Archive This copy has handwritten casts for numerous productions as well as illustrations Le domino noir piano vocal score in French Paris Brandus View at Internet Archive View at Google Books Le domino noir piano vocal score edited by Arthur Sullivan and J Pittman in Italian and English the latter by Charles L Kenny London Boosey View at Internet Archive Der schwarze Domino piano vocal score in a German translation by Freiherr von Lichtenstein as well as French London and Mainz Schott View at Internet Archive Libretto Le domino noir libretto in French including spoken dialogue Le magasin theatral Copies 1 and 2 at Internet Archive Recordings EditLe domino noir Sumi Jo Bruce Ford Isabelle Vernet Jules Bastin London Voices English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge Decca 1995 References EditNotes Wild and Charlton 2005 p 226 Letellier 2010 p 101 Honore Grignon 1800 1880 Sources Booklet to the Bonynge recording Holden Amanda Ed The New Penguin Opera Guide New York Penguin Putnam 2001 ISBN 0 14 029312 4 Letellier Robert Ignatius 2010 Opera Comique A Sourcebook Newcastle upon Tyne Cambridge Scholars ISBN 978 1 4438 2140 7 Wild Nicole Charlton David 2005 Theatre de l Opera Comique Paris repertoire 1762 1972 Sprimont Belgium Editions Mardaga ISBN 978 2 87009 898 1 External links EditLe domino noir Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Libretto of Le domino noir in French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Le domino noir amp oldid 1105068234, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
