The Complete Opera Book Part 84

Umberto Giordano was born at Foggia, August 26, 1867. Paolo Serro was his teacher in music at the Naples Conservatory. With a one-act opera, "Marina," he competed for the Sonzogno prize, which Mascagni won with "Cavalleria Rusticana." "Marina," however, secured for him a commission for the three-act opera, "Mala Vita," Rome, 1892. Then followed the operas which have been noticed above.

MADAME SANS-GeNE

Opera in four acts by Umberto Giordano, words by Renato Simoni after the play by Victorien Sardou and E. Moreau.

Produced, for the first time on any stage, Metropolitan Opera House, New York January 25, 1915, with Farrar as _Catherine_, and Amato as _Napoleon_.

CHARACTERS

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE _Baritone_ LEFEBVRE, sergeant of the National Guards, later a Marshal of France and Duke of Danzig _Tenor_ FOUCHe, officer of the National Guards, later Minister of Police _Baritone_ COUNT DE NEIPPERG _Tenor_ VINAIGRE, drummer boy _Tenor_ DESPReAUX, dancing master _Tenor_ GELSOMINO, page _Baritone_ LEROY, tailor _Baritone_ DE BRIG.o.dE, chamberlain _Baritone_ ROUSTAN, head of the Mamelukes _Baritone_ CATHERINE HUEBSCHER, "Madame Sans-Gene,"

laundress; later d.u.c.h.ess of Danzig _Soprano_ TOINETTE } { _Soprano_ JULIA } laundresses { _Soprano_ LA ROSSA } { _Soprano_ QUEEN CAROLINE } sisters of { _Soprano_ PRINCESS ELISA } NAPOLEON { _Soprano_ LADY DE BuLOW, matron of honour to the Empress _Soprano_

_Maturino_, _Constant_ (valet to _Napoleon_), the voice of the Empress, citizens, shopkeepers, villagers, soldiers, ladies of the court, officials, diplomats, academicians, hunters, pages, and two Mamelukes.

_Time_--August 10, 1792; and September, 1811.

_Place_--Paris.

"Madame Sans-Gene" is an opera that maintains itself in the repertoire largely because of the play that underlies it. The t.i.tle role is delightful. It has been among the successes of several clever actresses, including Ellen Terry, to whose _Catherine_ Henry Irving was the _Napoleon_. Its creator in the opera was Geraldine Farrar, to whose vivacity in interesting the character, far more than to the musical merit of the work itself, is due the fact that the opera has not dropped out of the repertoire. In point of fact the same composer's "Andre Chenier" is of greater musical interest, but the leading character does not offer the same scope for acting, which accounts for its having dropped almost entirely out of the repertoire in America.

In "Madame Sans-Gene," _Catherine_ (in the Italian libretto _Caterina_) is a laundress. The first act opens in her laundry in Paris during the French Revolution. The nickname of Madame Sans-Gene, usually translated Madame Free-and-Easy, is given her because of her vivacity, originality, straightforwardness in speech, and charm.

Discharge of cannon and other sounds indicate that fighting is going on in the streets. Three women employed by _Catherine_ are at work in the laundry. _Catherine_ comes in from the street. She tells of her adventures with a lot of rough soldiers. She does this amazingly, but her experience has cured her of her curiosity to see what is going on outside. There is a scene between _Catherine_ and _Fouche_, a time-server, waiting to observe how matters go, before he decides whether to cast his fortunes with the Royalists or the people. They gossip about a Corsican officer, who owes _Catherine_ for laundry, but is so poor he has been obliged to p.a.w.n his watch for bread.

Nevertheless, the good-hearted, lively _Madame Sans-Gene_ continues to do his laundry work for him, and trusts to the future for the bill.

_Catherine_ is left alone. Rifle shots are heard. _Count Neipperg_, a wounded Austrian officer of the Queen's suite, comes in and asks to be hidden. Although she is of the people, _Catherine_ hides him in her own room. His pursuers enter. It chances they are led by _Catherine's_ betrothed, _Sergeant Lefebvre_. For a while _Catherine_ diverts the squad from its purpose by offering wine. _Lefebvre_ uncorks the bottle, meanwhile giving a lively description of the sacking of the Tuilleries. There is a scene of affection between him and _Catherine_.

He notices that his hands are black with powder and, intending to wash them in _Catherine's_ room, becomes violently suspicious on finding the door locked. He wrenches the key from her, unlocks the door, enters the room. _Catherine_, expecting every moment to hear him despatching the wounded man stops up her ears. _Lefebvre_ comes out quietly. He tells her the man in her room is dead. As she is not at all excited, but merely surprised, he knows that he has no cause to suspect that the wounded man is her lover. He will help her to save him. _Catherine_ throws herself into his arms. There are sounds of drums and of marching and shouting in the street. _Lefebvre_ leads out his squad.

Like most modern composers who do not possess the gift for sustained melody, Giordano would make up for it by great skill in the handling of his orchestra and constant depiction of the varying phases of the action. There is considerable opportunity for a display of this talent in the first act of "Madame Sans-Gene," and the composer has furnished a musical background, in which the colours are laid on in short, quick, and crisp strokes. "The Ma.r.s.eillaise" is introduced as soldiers and mob surge past _Catherine's_ laundry.

Act II. The drawing-room of the Chateau de Compiegne. The Empire has been established. _Lefebvre_ is a Marshal and has been created Duke of Danzig. _Catherine_ is his d.u.c.h.ess. She scandalizes the court with her frequent breaches of etiquette.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photo by White

Farrar as Catherine in "Mme. Sans-Gene"]

When the act opens _Despreaux_, the dancing master, _Gelsomino_, the valet, and _Leroy_, the ladies' tailor, are engaged in pa.s.sing criticisms upon her. She enters, is as unconventional as ever, and amusingly awkward, when she tries on the court train, or is being taught by _Despreaux_ how to deport herself, when she receives the Emperor's sisters, whom she is expecting. _Lefebvre_ comes in like a thunder cloud. _Napoleon_, he tells her, has heard how she has scandalized the court by her conduct and has intimated that he wishes him to divorce her. There is a charming scene--perhaps the most melodious in the opera--between the couple who love each other sincerely. _Neipperg_, who now is Austrian Amba.s.sador, comes upon the scene to bid his old friends good-bye. _Napoleon_ suspects that there is an intrigue between him and the Empress, and has had him recalled.

_Fouche_, Minister of Police, announces _Napoleon's_ sisters--_Queen Carolina_ and _Princess Elisa_. _Catherine's_ court train bothers her.

She is unrestrained in her language. The royal ladies and their suite at first laugh contemptuously, then as _Catherine_, in her resentment, recalls to _Carolina_ that _King Murat_, her husband, once was a waiter in a tavern, the scene becomes one of growing mutual recrimination, until, to the measures of "The Ma.r.s.eillaise,"

_Catherine_ begins to recount her services to _Napoleon's_ army as _Cantiniere_. Enraged, the royal ladies and their suite leave. _De BriG.o.de_, the court chamberlain, summons _Catherine_ to the presence of the _Emperor_. Not at all disconcerted, she salutes in military fas.h.i.+on the men who have remained behind, and follows _De BriG.o.de_.

Act III. Cabinet of the _Emperor_. There is a brief scene between _Napoleon_ and his sisters, to whom he announces that there is to be a hunt at dawn, at which he desires their presence. They withdraw; _Catherine_ is announced.

_Napoleon_ brusquely attacks her for her behaviour. She recalls his own humble origin, tells of her services to the army, and of the wound in the arm she received on the battlefield, maintains that his sisters in insulting her also insulted his army, and, as a climax draws out a bit of yellow paper--a laundry bill he still owes her, for he was the impecunious young lieutenant mentioned in the first act. With much chicness she even tells him that, when she delivered his laundry, she tried to attract his attention, but he was always too absorbed in study to take notice of her, and make love to her.

The _Emperor_ is charmed. He kisses the scar left by the wound on her arm. _Catherine_, bowing, exclaims, "The Emperor owes me nothing more!"

_Catherine_ is about to go, _Napoleon_ ordering for her the escort of an officer, when _Neipperg_ is apprehended, as he is approaching the _Empress's_ door. Infuriated, _Napoleon_ tears the string of medals from the Amba.s.sador's breast and appears about to strike him in the face with it. _Neipperg_ draws his sword. Officers rush in. _Napoleon_ orders that he be shot ere dawn, and that _Fouche_ and _Lefebvre_ have charge of the execution.

Act IV. The scene is the same, but it is far into the night. The candles are burning low, the fire is dying out, _Catherine_ and _Lefebvre_ have a brief scene in which they deplore that they are powerless to prevent _Neipperg's_ execution. _Catherine_ cannot even inform the _Empress_ and possibly obtain her intervention, for her door, at _Napoleon's_ command, is guarded by _Roustan_.

But _Napoleon_, when he comes in, is sufficiently impressed by _Catherine's_ faith in the _Empress's_ loyalty to put it to the test.

At his direction, she knocks at the _Empress's_ door, and pretending to be her Matron of Honour, Mme. de Bulow, says, "Majesty, Neipperg is here." The _Empress_ pa.s.ses out a letter. "Give this to him--and my farewell." _Napoleon_ takes the letter, breaks the seal. The letter is to the _Empress's_ father, the Emperor of Austria, whom she asks to entertain _Neipperg_ in Vienna as his a.s.siduity troubles her and the _Emperor_. _Napoleon_ orders _Fouche_ to restore _Neipperg's_ sword and let him depart.

"As for your divorce," he says to _Lefebvre_, with a savage look, "My wish is this"--playfully he tweaks _Catherine_ by the ear. "Hold her for ever true. Give thanks to heaven for giving her to you."

Hunting-horns and the chorus of hunters are heard outside.

ANDRe CHeNIER

"Andre Chenier" was produced at La Scala, Milan, March 23, 1896. It was given in London, in English, April 26, 1903. Long before that, November 13, 1896, New York heard it at the Academy of Music, under Mapleson. It had a single performance, under the management of Oscar Hammerstein, at the Manhattan Opera House in 1908, and eight years later was given by, and endured through the season of, the Boston-National Opera Company, both in Boston and on tour.

Historical as a character though Andre Chenier be, Giordano's librettist, Luigi Illica, has turned his life into fiction. Chenier was a poet, dreamer, and patriot. Born at Constantinople, he went to Paris for his education. Later he became a partic.i.p.ant in and victim of the French Revolution.

CHARACTERS

ANDRe CHeNIER _Tenor_ CHARLES GeRARD _Baritone_ COUNTESS DE COIGNY _Soprano_ MADELEINE, her daughter _Soprano_ BERSI, her maid _Mezzo-Soprano_ ROUCHER _Ba.s.s_ MATHIEU _Baritone_ MADELON _Soprano_ FLeVILLE _Tenor_ THE ABBe _Tenor_ SCHMIDT, jailer at St. Lazare _Ba.s.s_ A SPY _Tenor_ [Transcriber's Note: "Tenor" missing in original]

Guests at ball, servants, pages, peasants, soldiers of the Republic, masqueraders, judges, jurymen, prisoners, mob, etc.

_Time_--Just prior to and during the French Revolution.

_Place_--Paris.

Act I. Ballroom in a chateau. _Gerard_, a servant, but also a revolutionist, is secretly in love with _Madeleine_, the _Countess's_ daughter. Among the guests at a ball is _Andre Chenier_, a poet with revolutionary tendencies. _Madeleine_ asks him to improvise a poem on love. Instead, he sings of the wrongs of the poor. _Gerard_ appears with a crowd of ragged men and women, but at the _Countess's_ command servants force the intruders out. _Chenier_ and _Madeleine_, the latter weary of the routine of fas.h.i.+on, have been attracted to each other.

Act II. Cafe Hottot in Paris, several years later. _Chenier_ has offended the Revolutionists by denouncing Robespierre. A spy is watching _Bersi_, _Madeleine's_ old nurse, and sees her hand _Chenier_ a letter. It is from _Madeleine_. She loves him. She is dogged by spies, begs him come to her aid, and arranges a meeting.

Robespierre pa.s.ses, followed by a mob. _Gerard_, now high in favour, seeks to possess _Madeleine_, who comes to meet the poet. They are about to flee, when _Gerard_, notified by the spy, interposes.

_Chenier_ and _Gerard_ fight with swords. _Gerard_ is wounded. The lovers escape.

Act III. Revolutionary Tribunal. The crowd sings the "Carmagnole."

_Chenier_ has been captured. _Gerard_ writes the indictment for his rival. _Madeleine_ pleads for her lover, finally promising to give herself to _Gerard_ if _Chenier_ is spared. _Gerard_, moved by the girl's love, agrees to save _Chenier_ if he can. At the trial he declares that the indictment against _Chenier_ is false. But the mob, thirsting for more blood, demands the poet's death.

Act IV. Prison of Lazare at midnight. _Madeleine_ enters to _Chenier_ with _Gerard_. She has bribed the _jailer_ to allow her to subst.i.tute for another woman prisoner. If she cannot live for her lover, she can, at least, die with him. Together she and _Chenier_ go to the scaffold.

Two other operas by Giordano have been heard in America--"Fedora,"

after Sardou, Metropolitan Opera House, December 16, 1906, with Cavalieri and Caruso; and "Siberia," Manhattan Opera House, February 5, 1908. They have not lasted.

Modern Italian Opera