Les bergers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Les bergers is a three-act opéra comique of 1865 with music by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was by Hector Crémieux and Philippe Gille.[1] It belongs to the group of more serious works, such as Barkouf, Robinson Crusoé, Vert-Vert and above all Fantasio which became neglected as his contemporaries pigeon-holed Offenbach as simply an amusing composer of opéra bouffe.[2]
The premiere of Les bergers took place on 11 December 1865 at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.[1] It was generally well received by critics but did not run to great success, having to bear comparison with La belle Hélène, Offenbach's most recent hit.[3] The work was staged, in German, in Vienna in 1866.
Before the opening, Le Figaro published a letter written by Offenbach to Henri de Villemessant[clarification needed], setting out his artistic aims with the new work. He described the structure of the piece, as a "series of pastorals", with the first set in antiquity and working on the theme of Pyramus and Thisbe, the second set in the time and style of Watteau and Louis XV, and in the third act Offenbach "sought to represent Courbet in music".[4]
The overture contains a theme on the oboe which is the first version of "Au Mont Ida" from La belle Hélène.[5]
The first act, using the title Myriame et Daphné (the names of the lovers), was staged as a curtain-raiser at the premiere of Massenet's Thérèse in Monte-Carlo in 1907; with Maggie Teyte in a principal role.[4] Faris comments that the 18th-century pastiche "is skilfully done. Offenbach creates gavotte-like, courtly elegance with an austerly simple rhythmic accompaniment".[4]
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 11 December 1865[3] (Conductor: Jacques Offenbach) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphésibée | tenor | Gourdon | |
| Thyrsis | baritone | Garrait | |
| Palémon | bass | Duvernoy | |
| Chryséa | soprano | Sorac | |
| Myriame | tenor | Berthelier | |
| Daphné | soprano | Irma Marié | |
| Premier Berger | soprano | Pelva | |
| Deuxième Berger | soprano | Halbleid | |
| Troisième Berger | soprano | Valter | |
| Quatrième Berger | soprano | Leriche | |
| Éros | mezzo-soprano | Zulma Bouffar | |
| La Marquise | soprano | Frasey-Berthelier | |
| Colin | tenor | Berthelier | |
| L’Intendant | mezzo-soprano | Zulma Bouffar | |
| Le Bailli | baritone | Tacova | |
| Le Marquis de Fonrose | tenor | Léonce | |
| Nicette | soprano | Bonelli | |
| Annette | soprano | Irma Marié | |
| La Rouge | soprano | Irma Marié | |
| La Sincère | soprano | Lise Tautin | |
| Nicot | tenor | Berthelier | |
| Jeannet | mezzo-soprano | Zulma Bouffar | |
| Veautendon | baritone | Désiré | |
| Le Menu | tenor | Gobin | |
| Chorus: Bergers et Bergères, Chasseurs | |||
