Fortunio's song
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Fortunio's song |
| Original title: | La Chanson de Fortunio |
| Shape: | opéra-comique |
| Original language: | French |
| Music: | Jacques Offenbach |
| Libretto : | Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy |
| Premiere: | January 5, 1861 |
| Place of premiere: | Paris |
| Playing time: | about 50 minutes |
| Place and time of the action: | Paris around 1700 |
| people | |
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Fortunios Lied is a French operetta in one act by Jacques Offenbach . The libretto was written by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy . The small work - it lasts just 50 minutes - had such a sensational success when it premiered on January 5, 1861 in Paris that the audience forced a complete repetition.
orchestra
The orchestra has two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, percussion and strings.
action
The operetta is set in a garden that has become a noble residential and commercial building in Paris at the time of Louis XVI. heard. There is a pavilion in it and you can see the balcony of the house.
The aging notary Fortunio remembers only too well how he once broke many women's hearts as a young daredevil. A song was always helpful to him that worked a real magic on the female sex. Although he's now reached the age at which others retire, this is his first time getting married. Because Lorette, his wife, is much younger than him and also very pretty, he is plagued by jealousy.
Fortunio's assistants Valentin and Paul happened upon the search for a certain file to discover the notes of the legendary love song about which the master had told them so often. The two of them quickly set about rehearsing the song. Valentin's heart is already on fire for the new mistress, and so he wants to find out whether the song still works. Under a pretext, Paul manages to lure his boss out of the house so that Valentin can serenade his dear lady. The singing also works quite well, but Valentin does not notice any special effect of the song. Paul feels the same way when he sings the song to the cook Babette.
When Fortunio returns and notices the cheerful hustle and bustle of his scribe, he is overcome with anger. Almost roughly he grabs his wife and pulls her with him. But before Laurette leaves the balcony, she quickly drops a rose. This lands right in front of Valentine's feet. Now he knows that Fortunio's song can still have a magical effect.
Recordings / sound carriers
- Jacques Offenbach: Fortunios Lied (recording 1958) and Lieschen and Fritzchen (recording 1949). Joseph Offenbach , Fortunio. Sonja Schöner, Marie. Erna Maria Duske, Valentin. Ferry Gruber , Paul. NDR choir and radio orchestra Hamburg . Paul Burkhard , conductor. Cantus Classics (LC 03982) 5.01375, 2011, DNB 1013574613 .
literature
- Hellmuth Steger, Karl Howe: Operettenführer (= Fischer Taschenbuch. No. 225). Fischer Bücherei KG, Frankfurt a. M. 1958.
Web links
- La chanson de Fortunio : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Work data for Fortunio's song based on MGG with discography at Operone
- La Chanson de Fortunio (Hesse / Baller version) (1861) for Boosey & Hawkes