La Périchole
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| Title: | The street singer |
| Original title: | La Périchole |
| Shape: | Opéra Bouffe |
| Original language: | French |
| Music: | Jacques Offenbach |
| Libretto : | Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy |
| Premiere: | October 6, 1868 |
| Place of premiere: | Théâtre des Variétés , Paris |
| Place and time of the action: | Lima (Peru) in the 18th century |
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La Périchole (the German title “The Street Singer” is hardly used even in German-speaking countries) is an operetta (opéra-bouffe) in three acts (four pictures) by Jacques Offenbach . The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the historical liaison between Manuel de Amat y Juniet , Viceroy of Peru from 1761 to 1776, and his maitresse , the actress La Perricholi , whose real name was Micaela Villegas (1748-1819). It premiered on October 6, 1868 at the Théâtre des Variétés in Paris. Offenbach's favorite singer Hortense Schneider shone once again in the title role.
orchestra
Two flutes, an oboe, two clarinets, a bassoon, two horns, two trumpets, a trombone, percussion and strings
action
first act
Image: Lima main square
A crowd celebrates the birthday of Andrès de Ribeira, Viceroy of Peru, in front of the "Three Cousins' Bar". Because he is keenly interested in how ordinary people think of him, he went incognito among the people.
The street singers Périchole and Piquillo enter the square and try to get some change from people with their art. But before the two come to collect some acrobats steal the show. While Piquillo intends to try his luck again at another point, Périchole's eyes close with tiredness. The viceroy discovers the sleeping woman and is delighted with her beauty. He immediately made up his mind to woo her favor. When she wakes up, he offers her a position as a maid of honor in his palace. Périchole senses the opportunity to finally be able to fill himself up again and accepts the offer. She writes a farewell letter to her loved one, which she leaves in her bed.
Mayor Pedro de Hinoyosa and Count Miguel de Panatellas, the Chamberlain, are also present at the festival. The viceroy instructs his chamberlain to look for a husband for his new housekeeper because etiquette forbids employing unmarried women as staff at court. He orders the mayor to look around for a notary who is ready to perform the marriage within two hours.
After reading Périchole's farewell letter, Piquillo turns all his money into alcohol. In a drunk state, he is discovered by the chamberlain. He believes that he has found the right person for Périchole's marriage. Because Piquillo doesn't care about anything at the moment, he doesn't need to be persuaded for long. In the Chamberlain’s opinion, the only problem would be to convince Périchole of the necessity of a wedding. But Miguel de Panatellas is wrong on this point; because the girl naturally recognizes her lover and is immediately ready to marry him. Piquillo, however, is so drunk that he does not notice who his wife is.
Second act
Image: Palace of the Viceroy
The next day four ladies-in-waiting gossiped with the Marquis de Tarapote, the Chancellor, about the recent conquest of their master. Piquillo arrives and wants to know how he got into the palace because he has a memory gap. Now he learns what happened yesterday: He is supposed to be the husband of someone who is completely unknown to him and whom the Viceroy considers to be a playmate. The ladies-in-waiting play an evil game with him by making him look ridiculous. When Périchole was officially presented at court, he felt betrayed. He freaks out and throws Périchole to the ground in front of the viceroy. But immediately he is seized and put under lock and key.
Third act
Image: In the dungeon
The floor opens. An old man climbs out. For twelve years he drilled himself from one cell to the other with a simple penknife. He is preparing to pierce another wall in the next twelve years. When he hears noises, he disappears as he came.
Périchole has obtained permission to visit her husband in prison. At first Piquillo thinks Périchole is trying to mock him, but soon he realizes that she genuinely loves him, only him. She even plans to use the turnkey to free him. But this turns out to be the disguised viceroy. The result is that Périchole can now languish in dungeon as well. The viceroy has hardly left the cell when the old prisoner climbs up again from below. With a seductive song, Périchole calls Don Andrès back to the dungeon. The three prisoners take him by surprise and escape.
Image: Lima main square
The three escaped prisoners found refuge in the "tavern with the three cousins". They believe they are safe here, but the viceroy's captors are already on their heels. When the three cousins sing a waltz song, Don Andrès de Ribeira himself appears. Périchole and Piquillo - not suspecting this - enter the square in their street singers' attire, followed by the old prisoner. They start a song about their fate in the dungeon. The viceroy is glorified as a philanthropist. When it turns out that the old prisoner is the long-missing Marquis de Satarem, Don Andrès has no choice but to be generous. He even explains that Périchole can keep all the jewelry with which he wanted to “buy” her yesterday. Now Périchole and Piquillo have taken care of things and can have a happy marriage together.
Sound carrier
- Complete recording with Régine Crespin , Alain Vanzo, Jules Bastin, Gerard Friedmann, Jacques Trigeau, Aime Besancon, Paul Guigue, Rebecca Roberts, Eva Saurova, Germaine Baudoz, Ine Meister, the choir of the Opéra du Rhin and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Strasbourg under the direction by Alain Lombard , ERATO 1977.
- Complete DVD recording with Maria Ewing , Neil Rosenshein , Gabriel Bacquier , choir and orchestra du Grand Théatre de Génève under the direction of Marc Soustrot , staging: Jerome Savary, The Better Music 1982.
- Complete recording with Teresa Berganza , José Carreras , Gabriel Bacquier , choir and orchestra du Capitole de Toulouse under the direction of Michel Plasson , EMI 1991.
Web links
- Libretto (PDF; 639 kB)
- La Périchole in the Opera Guide