FULL La petite mariée (Lecocq) TV-Operetta Paris 1963 Françoise Doue, Catherine Etcheverry, Albert Voli, Christos Grigoriou
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: La petite mariée
- Composer: Lecocq Charles
- Libretto: Eugène Leterrier, Albert Vanloo Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: TV Studio, Paris, France, Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
- Recorded: 1963
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Françoise Doue, Catherine Etcheverry, Albert Voli, Christos Grigoriou, Raymond Amade, Daniel Marty, Roger Rivoalland, Liliane Chatel, Gérard Quenez
- Conductor: Georges Dervaux
- Orchestra: Orchestre lyrique de la RTF
- Stage Director: Henri Spade
- Stage Designer: Jacques Durix
- Costume Designer: Claude Catulle
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
- Date Published: 1963
- Format: Broadcast
- Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
- Subtitles: yessubs, frsubs, gensubs
- Video Recording from: ina.fr FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Le petite mariée (The Little Bride) is a three-act opéra-bouffe, with music by Charles Lecocq and libretto by Eugène Leterrier and Albert Vanloo. It was first performed at the Théâtre de la Renaissance, Paris on 21 December 1875. The opera, set in 16th-century Italy, depicts the farcical complications after the hero is caught in flagrante with the local grandee’s wife.
The piece was well received and ran for more than 200 performances. It was subsequently staged in London, New York, Berlin and Vienna, but has not gained a permanent place in the operatic repertoire.
Synopsis
The setting is Italy in the 16th century.
Act I
An inn courtyard in a village a few leagues from Bergamo.
Beppo and his wife are uneasy about the furtive behaviour of three of their guests, but the three are not political conspirators as Beppo and Béatrix imagine. They are the dashing young San Carlo, his bride-to-be, and her father. They are keeping as low a profile as possible to avoid the attentions of the local potentate, Rodolpho, Podestà of Bergamo. San Carlo was once Rodolpho’s favourite, until he and the Podestà’s wife were caught in flagrante. Rodolpho did not exact revenge at the time, but warned San Carlo that he would repay him in kind, and cuckold him on his wedding day. Since then he has kept San Carlo at his court, under constant surveillance. San Carlo has now excused himself from attendance under the pretext of illness, and is about to marry Graziella, the daughter of Casteldémoli, a rich landowner. As witness he has recruited his trusted friend Montefiasco. As the newlyweds are leaving the chapel the Podestà arrives, to enquire about San Carlo’s health. To avoid the threatened revenge, San Carlo introduces Graziella as Montefiasco’s wife, a ploy that threatens to backfire as the formidable Lucrézia, Montefiasco’s real wife, has also turned up. Rodolpho is much taken with Graziella, and commands that she, her father and her supposed husband, Montefiasco, accompany him to his court. Lucrezia, furious, is left behind.
Act II
The Park of the Podestà’s Palace in Bergamo.
Casteldémoli has been made Rodolpho’s Chamberlain, Montefiasco, captain of the pages and Graziella, reader to the Podestà. San Carlo is looking for a way out of this difficult situation. Lucrezia arrives in a rage, but Montefiasco calms her down, explaining more or less what is going on. She is sufficiently mollified to fall into his arms. Rodolpho, observing this, reasons that if Graziella’s (supposed) husband can tangle with another woman, Rodolpho would not be acting unreasonably in seeking to seduce Graziella. He confides his plan to San Carlo, who can see no way of saving Graziella other than for the two of them to flee together. Their attempt to do is thwarted, and Rodolpho learns that San Carlo is married to Graziella and Montefiasco to Lucrezia.
Act III
A vestibule of the Palace.
Rodolpho has had San Carlo confined to his quarters. Alone with Graziella he has his threatened revenge in mind, but is won over by her sweetness and abandons his attempts to woo her. They agree that if she and her father give him a little property on their estate that he has long coveted, Rodolpho will release everyone and consider the matter closed, particularly as it emerges that his late wife had strayed with several others as well as San Carlo. He allows himself a small vengeance by allowing the agonised San Carlo to suppose briefly that his release has been bought at the price of Graziella’s honour, but everything is eventually explained and all is well.