Ciboulette

Hahn in 1906

Ciboulette [si.bu.lɛt] is a French opérette in three acts, music by Reynaldo Hahn, libretto by Robert de Flers and Francis de Croisset, first performed at the Théâtre des Variétés, in Paris, on 7 April 1923. One of the most elegant and refined compositions of Hahn, it is considered one of the last masterpieces of French operetta.

Principal roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere cast, 7 April 1923 (Conductor: Paul Letombe)
Ciboulette	soprano	Edmée Favart
Zénobie	soprano	Jeanne Pierrat
Madame Pingret	bass-baritone	Madeleine Guitty
Madame Grenu	soprano	Jeanne Loury
Duparquet	baritone	Jean Périer
Antonin	tenor	Henry Defreyn
Roger	baritone	Jean Calain
Olivier Métra	baritone	René Koval
Comtesse de Castiglione	soprano	Luce Fabiole
Chorus: Officers, courtesans, market workers, farmers, eight fiancés, Olivier Métra's guests

Synopsis

The action takes place in Paris, in 1867.

Duparquet is the controller of Les Halles, and plays matchmaker between the young farm-girl Ciboulette and Antonin, a young spoiled aristocrat. After many adventures, the lovers are united.

Discography

• Ciboulette (abridged) - Géori Boué, Roger Bourdin, Raymond Amadé - Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Marcel Cariven - Pathé (1952).
• Ciboulette (abridged) - Andrée Grandjean, Willy Clément, Michel Hamel, Françoise Ogéas - Chorus and Orchestra of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paul Bonneau - Ducretet-Thomson (1955).
• Ciboulette - Mady Mesplé, José van Dam, Nicolai Gedda, Colette Alliot-Lugaz - Ensemble Choral Jean Laforge, Orchestre Philarmonique de Monte-Carlo, Cyril Diederich - EMI (1983).

Adaptations

French director Claude Autant-Lara made the operetta into the film Ciboulette in 1933.

Sources

• Le guide de l'opéra, R. Mancini & J.J. Rouvereux, (Fayard, 1986) ISBN 2-213-01563-5

External links

• Ciboulette