Madame Favart
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| Title: | Madame Favart |
| Original title: | Madame Favart |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | French |
| Music: | Jacques Offenbach |
| Libretto : | Alfred Duru and Henri Chivot |
| Premiere: | December 28, 1878 |
| Place of premiere: | Paris |
| Place and time of the action: | France mid 18th century |
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Madame Favart is a French operetta ( Opéra-Comique ) in three acts by Jacques Offenbach . The libretto was written by Alfred Duru and Henri Chivot . The first performance took place on December 28, 1878 at the Théâtre des Folies Dramatiques in Paris . The German-language premiere was on February 7, 1879 in the Theater an der Wien in Vienna .
Heinrich Voigt (text) and Carlernst Ortwein (music) created a new version in 1955 that was able to prevail in the German-speaking countries. The following description deals with this version.
action
Preliminary remark, place and time
The operetta features some historical figures who actually lived: The title character, Marie-Justine Favart , was one of the most famous stage actresses in Paris in her day. As an actress, writer, composer and dancer, she worked with her husband, the writer Charles-Simon Favart , who, as a successful opera and comedy poet, was one of the most important creators of the French opéra comique . The German Marshal of Saxony in French service, who appears in the operetta, refers to Hermann Moritz von Sachsen ; in France he was called "Maréchal de Saxe". The action, which takes place in France around the middle of the 18th century, is essentially based on a true story.
First act: In Arras
On the run from the troops of the Marshal of Saxony, the poet Favart hid in an inn. He worries about his wife Justine, whom the Marshal banished to a monastery. The lustful wanted to make the attractive actress his lover. But she refused all his advances and remained loyal to her husband. In order to perfect his plan of revenge, the marshal also wants to get hold of the poet.
Major Cotignac and his daughter Suzanne enter the dining room as new guests. According to the major's will, Suzanne should marry his nephew, and he wants to make good weather for him with the governor, the Marquis de Pontsablé, so that he can give him the vacant position of a police lieutenant. Gaston Prédault is also interested in this position and is now also staying here. To the major's annoyance, he's the one Suzanne's heart is drawn to.
In the meantime, Justine Favart has managed to escape the monastery walls. Disguised as a street singer, she arrives at the inn and soon becomes friends with Suzanne. After learning of their love needs, she wants to help the unhappy girl out of trouble. The two swap clothes on the fly. Madame Favart visits the governor and introduces herself to him as Gaston's wife, who wants to put in a good word for her husband. As an experienced actress, it is easy for her to charm the man with her feminine charms, so that she soon achieves her goal: the appointment of her "husband" as a police lieutenant. Under these circumstances, the major no longer has any objection to his daughter becoming Madame Prédault.
Second act: In Douai
Suzanne and Gaston have moved to Douai. To thank Madame Favart for her great help, the two have taken her and her husband into their home. At a reception, the governor appears as an uninvited guest. He's been commissioned by a higher authority to look for the Favarts, and one of the traces they left points here. Because the Marquis “Suzanne” is still well remembered from her visit, Madame Favart has no choice but to play a theater for the distinguished guest. For better or worse, the other protagonists have to follow suit. In this way there are some strange scenes. But over time, Monsieur Favart becomes more and more jealous when he has to watch his wife exchange tenderness with Gaston - even if only played. Eventually he reveals his true identity, which means that the governor arrests the "couple".
Third act: In the Marshal's camp
The Marquis of Pontsablé had his prisoners brought to the camp of the Marshal of Saxony. There they are to perform a play with an acting company on the occasion of the king's upcoming visit. Favart is utterly desperate how he can do this without his wife. Suzanne assures the governor that she is not the famous actress, but he doesn't believe a word she says.
Meanwhile, the messy situation turns for the better: Madame Favart has managed to get an audience with the king and to arouse understanding for her misfortune. She appears on stage just in time. The king enjoyed the performance and asked the artist couple to follow him to his court in Paris. The mutilated Marquis von Pontsablé is put into early retirement.
music
In his late work Offenbach spread an abundance of funny music and lively dances, which now and then seem like French folklore. But the lyrical elements are not neglected either. The musical highlights (in the German version) are:
- I'm the little lyre girl (song of the title character as she plays the street singer) and
- The mother told me noticeably (the so-called vineyard chanson of Madame Favart)
literature
- Anton Würz : Reclam's operetta guide . 23rd edition. Reclam, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-15-010512-9 .