Monsieur de Pourceaugnac

Title page of the first edition from 1670

Monsieur de Pourceaugnac ( German  Herr von Pourceaugnac ) is a ballet comedy in three acts by the French poet Molière , with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully . The premiere, to which Pierre Beauchamp contributed the choreography , took place on October 6, 1669 in Chambord Castle in front of King Louis XIV and his court, the public premiere on November 15 of the same year in the Palais Royal in Paris .

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Pourceaugnac is a fictional Occitan place name, derived from "pourceau" ("piglet"). Herr von Pourceaugnac is engaged to Julie, old Oronte's daughter. Without Pourceaugnac's knowledge, Julie fell in love with the young and attractive Éraste. To avert the unwanted arranged marriage , the couple turns to Sbrigani, a shrewd rascal from Naples , who helps Julie and Éraste to their marital happiness with the help of numerous tricks. When two women claim that Herr von Pourceaugnac is their husband and father of their numerous children, the protagonist tries to flee in women's clothes when faced with charges of polygamy . Now Sbrigani lets Oronte believe that Herr von Pourceaugnac has kidnapped his daughter, whereupon Éraste appears as the “saving angel” and with Orontes' blessing is allowed to marry his Julie.

Web links

Commons : Monsieur de Pourceaugnac  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wikisource: Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (original text)  - sources and full texts (French)