M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le... (Mr. Cauliflower will be at home on... ) is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, in one act by Jacques Offenbach and the Duc de Morny (under the pseudonym "M. de St Rémy"). The French libretto is also credited to Morny, though Ludovic Halévy, Hector-Jonathan Crémieux, and Morny's secretary Ernest L'Épine probably contributed to the text as well.
Jacques Offenbach by Nadar, c. 1860s
The plot provided many opportunities for Offenbach to indulge in his lighthearted musical parodies of well-known opera melodies and formulas, especially a grand trio in which Italian belcanto is imitated and a comic solo for the manservant. Also, the young lovers secretly communicate using musical quotes.[1]
The Duc de Mornay was the monarch's illegitimate brother and a senior government official, which may explain some of the laudatory reviews of his work. In Le Figaro, however, Henri Rochefort wrote:[2]
How fortunate is this author whose participation in a frightful coup d'etat has saved him from the necessity of living by the pen! If one of us dared bring such an inept production to a theatrical director, he would forthwith have been seized and thrown into the den of the theater's old hag ushers, whose instructions would have been to beat him to death with footstools.
The one-hour work is still performed, especially by amateur companies, since it is not particularly challenging vocally. M. Choufleuri restera chez lui was performed as part of a triple bill entitled ‘Vive Offenbach’ with Pomme d'api and Mesdames de la Halle at the Paris Opéra-Comique in December 1979, revived the following year and in 1983, with a recording in 1982.[3] There was a production at La Monnaie, Brussels under Patrick Davin in February 2007.[4]
The newly-rich but culturally ignorant M. Choufleuri invites the upper crust of Paris to a private party and "musical soiree" (at his bourgeois drawing-room, furnished in vulgar taste) by celebrated real life Italian opera singers: soprano Henriette Sontag, tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini, and baritone Antonio Tamburini. All three become indisposed at the last minute.
In the meantime, Choufleuri's daughter, Ernestine, has been secretly seeing a young bassoonist, composer and singer, Chrysodule Babylas. When she asked her father to invite the young man to the soiree, Choufleuri had refused, saying that a poor musician is not a worthy suitor for her. Now, Ernestine saves the day by impersonating Sontag and insisting that Babylas impersonate Rubini, and that Choufleuri himself masquerade as Tamburini (after all, the young couple explain, baritones don't need to speak much, they just oom-pah-pah – but Choufleuri should try to stay on key).
Despite Choufleuri's lazy and incompetent Flemish servant, Petermann, the deception works – the guests are impressed by the great "Italian" singers (who all speak in Italian accents and sing in pig-Italian), and Choufleuri rewards Babylas with his daughter's hand in marriage (especially since Babylas has demanded this, plus 50,000 Francs dowry, in order to keep quiet about the fraud).[5]
Recordingsedit
Recordings may be found on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
Referencesedit
Notes
^Profile of the opera 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine from www.partitura.nl
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M Choufleuri restera chez lui le Mr Cauliflower will be at home on is an opera bouffe or operetta in one act by Jacques Offenbach and the Duc de Morny under the pseudonym M de St Remy The French libretto is also credited to Morny though Ludovic Halevy Hector Jonathan Cremieux and Morny s secretary Ernest L Epine probably contributed to the text as well Jacques Offenbach by Nadar c 1860sThe plot provided many opportunities for Offenbach to indulge in his lighthearted musical parodies of well known opera melodies and formulas especially a grand trio in which Italian belcanto is imitated and a comic solo for the manservant Also the young lovers secretly communicate using musical quotes 1 Contents 1 Performance history 2 Roles 3 Synopsis 4 Recordings 5 References 6 External linksPerformance history editM Choufleuri was first performed privately at the Presidence du Corps Legislatif Palais Bourbon Paris on 31 May 1861 in the presence of Napoleon III The first public performance was given at the Theatre des Bouffes Parisiens Paris on 14 September 1861 nbsp Cover of score 1861The Duc de Mornay was the monarch s illegitimate brother and a senior government official which may explain some of the laudatory reviews of his work In Le Figaro however Henri Rochefort wrote 2 How fortunate is this author whose participation in a frightful coup d etat has saved him from the necessity of living by the pen If one of us dared bring such an inept production to a theatrical director he would forthwith have been seized and thrown into the den of the theater s old hag ushers whose instructions would have been to beat him to death with footstools The one hour work is still performed especially by amateur companies since it is not particularly challenging vocally M Choufleuri restera chez lui was performed as part of a triple bill entitled Vive Offenbach with Pomme d api and Mesdames de la Halle at the Paris Opera Comique in December 1979 revived the following year and in 1983 with a recording in 1982 3 There was a production at La Monnaie Brussels under Patrick Davin in February 2007 4 Roles editRole Voice type Premiere Cast May 31 1861 Conductor Jacques Offenbach Choufleuri baritone DesireErnestine his daughter soprano Lise TautinChrysodule Babylas Ernestine s admirer tenor Pierre Armand PotelPetermann Choufleuri s Flemish manservant tenor Georges Dejon MarchandBalandard a henpecked husband tenor Debruille BacheMadame Balandard a dominating wife tenor LeonceSmall chorus of guestsSynopsis editPlace Paris Time January 24 1833The newly rich but culturally ignorant M Choufleuri invites the upper crust of Paris to a private party and musical soiree at his bourgeois drawing room furnished in vulgar taste by celebrated real life Italian opera singers soprano Henriette Sontag tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini and baritone Antonio Tamburini All three become indisposed at the last minute In the meantime Choufleuri s daughter Ernestine has been secretly seeing a young bassoonist composer and singer Chrysodule Babylas When she asked her father to invite the young man to the soiree Choufleuri had refused saying that a poor musician is not a worthy suitor for her Now Ernestine saves the day by impersonating Sontag and insisting that Babylas impersonate Rubini and that Choufleuri himself masquerade as Tamburini after all the young couple explain baritones don t need to speak much they just oom pah pah but Choufleuri should try to stay on key Despite Choufleuri s lazy and incompetent Flemish servant Petermann the deception works the guests are impressed by the great Italian singers who all speak in Italian accents and sing in pig Italian and Choufleuri rewards Babylas with his daughter s hand in marriage especially since Babylas has demanded this plus 50 000 Francs dowry in order to keep quiet about the fraud 5 Recordings editRecordings may be found on operadis opera discography org ukReferences editNotes Profile of the opera Archived 2007 09 28 at the Wayback Machine from www partitura nl Williams 61 3 Crichton R The Operettas of Offenbach In Opera on Record 3 Blyth A ed Hutchinson London 1984 Patrick Davin productions from www demunt be in French Libretto from Boosey amp Hawkes SourcesCasaglia Gherardo 2005 Monsieur Choufleuri restera chez lui 31 May 1861 L Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia in Italian Lamb Andrew M Choufleuri restera chez lui le in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera ed Stanley Sadie London 1992 ISBN 0 333 73432 7 Williams Roger L Gaslight and Shadow The World of Napoleon III NY Macmillan 1957 External links editM Choufleuri restera chez lui le Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Libretto as originally submitted for censorship Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title M Choufleuri restera chez lui le amp oldid 1158903270, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
