Le maçon (Auber)
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Bricklayer and locksmith |
| Original title: | Le maçon |
| Shape: | Opéra-comique in three acts |
| Original language: | French |
| Music: | Daniel-François-Esprit Auber |
| Libretto : | Eugène Scribe and Germain Delavigne |
| Premiere: | May 3, 1825 |
| Place of premiere: | Opéra-Comique , Paris |
| Playing time: | approx. 130 minutes |
| Place and time of the action: | Paris, 1788 |
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Le maçon (German bricklayer and locksmith ) is an opera-comique in three acts by the composer Daniel-François-Esprit Auber and his librettists Eugène Scribe and Germain Delavigne .
This work premiered in Paris on May 3, 1825 at the Opéra-Comique . Almost a year later, on March 19, 1826, the opera was staged in German translation at the Berlin Court Opera . In addition to Friederike Ellmenreich and Johann Gabriel Seidl , Karl August Ritter , Louis Angely and Karl August von Lichtenstein also translated the libretto into German.
The basis of the libretto was provided by the story Chapelle ( Journey to Montpellier ) by François le Coigneux , who, according to his own admission, had found the inspiration for it in an article in the Courier de l'Europe newspaper . According to an on-dit , the whole story should go back to a true event, but there is no evidence for this.
action
Paris and one of its suburbs in 1788. The first and last lifts take place in St. Antoine, a suburb of Paris, the second lifts in the Palais des Turkish Ambassador in Paris. The action lasts one night, from dusk to dawn.
First elevator
The arbor of an inn in St. Antoine with a view of Paris. It's evening, but it's still light. After the overture, Roger sings a serenade for his guests: the craft song. Roger is accused of criminal acts by everyone, especially his neighbor, Mme Bertrand. Nobody can imagine where he got the money from to get married.
The officer Léon de Merinville joins the party and reveals that Roger saved his life years ago and that he, Léon, therefore gave him the necessary amount. When the celebration ends and the guests go home, two hooded figures sneak into and around the inn. You are on the way on behalf of the Turkish ambassador to kidnap a bricklayer and a locksmith. The two recognize Roger by his clothes and kidnap him.
second elevator
A salon in the palace of the Turkish ambassador in Paris, which is extremely tastefully furnished “à la turque”. The Greek Irma, who is in the power of the envoy Abdullah, hopes for liberation from her lover Léon. Two dumb servants (the two kidnappers) bring Roger in handcuffed and blindfolded. Roger is taken off the shackles and ordered to make preparations to put up a wall. Then Baptiste is led in, also in shackles. After he, too, got rid of his ties, he was ordered to forge chains and fetters.
After everything is prepared, the two are taken away again, tied up. A short time later, Léon appears with a servant in this very parlor to free his lover Irma. This plan fails and as a punishment, the two are now to be walled in alive on Abdullah's orders.
Roger realizes with horror that the victim is his friend Léon. To give him courage, he sings his craft song; with the well-known refrain “Just courage, don't despair! Faithful friends are close to you! "
third elevator
Same scenario as in the first elevator. The sun is just rising; early morning the following day. Henriette is desperately looking for her husband Roger. Little by little the other women from the neighborhood appear and also help look for. Among them is Mme Bertrand, with whom Henriette soon gets into an argument (the climax of this argument is the quarrel duet ).
Henriette searches on alone and finds Roger, who - amply rewarded - had been brought home by his kidnappers. When Henriette, in her jealousy, tells Roger that Frau Bertrand saw him last night in front of and in the palace of the Turkish envoy, the riddle is solved. The police are alerted and Irma and Léon are saved. In the meantime Baptiste is also back and wants to tell the company about the terrible events when Roger returns with the rescued couple.
literature
- Daniel-François-Esprit Auber: Bricklayer and locksmith. Comic opera in 3 acts . Reclam, Leipzig 1920.
- Daniel-François-Esprit Auber: Le Maçon. Opéra comique en 3 acts . Pleyel, Paris 1880.
- Daniel-François-Esprit Auber: Bricklayer and locksmith. Vocal score . Peters, Leipzig 1920.
- Charles Malherbe: Auber. Biography critique . Laurens, Parius 1911 (Les musicièns célèbres)
Web links
- Le maçon : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Work data for Le maçon based on MGG with discography at Operone