Henri Charles Antoine Gaston Serpette (4 November 1846 – 3 November 1904) was a French composer, best known for his operettas. After winning the prestigious

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

as a student at the

Paris Conservatoire The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

, he was expected to pursue a career in serious music. Instead, he turned to operetta, writing more than twenty full-length pieces between 1874 and 1900. He accepted some conducting work and also served as a critic and journalist for a number of French newspapers and magazines.

Early life and work

Serpette, the son of a rich industrialist, was born in Nantes, in western France. Lamb, Andrew
"Serpette, (Henri Charles Antoine) Gaston"
''Grove Music Online'', accessed 16 June 2101 (requires subscription) He qualified as a lawyer before deciding to devote himself to music.Boulay, Dominique

''Musica'', November 1904. (Original French text reproduced at Musica et Memoria site, accessed 16 June 2010.) In 1868 he entered the composition class of

Ambroise Thomas Charles Louis Ambroise Thomas (; 5 August 1811 – 12 February 1896) was a French composer and teacher, best known for his operas '' Mignon'' (1866) and ''Hamlet'' (1868). Born into a musical family, Thomas was a student at the Conservatoire de ...

at the

, and in 1871 won France's top musical prize, the

, previously won by Berlioz, Thomas,

Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...

Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, '' Carmen'', which has become o ...

and

Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are ''Manon'' (1884) ...

, among others. Serpette's winning entry was ''Jeanne d'Arc'', a cantata to a libretto by M. J. Barbier, which was performed at the

Paris Opéra The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

in November of the same year. However, to the distress of the conservative element at the Conservatoire, Serpette also submitted an operetta. When it was played on the piano to Gounod, Thomas and the members of the

Académie des Beaux-Arts An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

, the academy's secretary, Viscount Delaborde, declared that Serpette "had gone to the bad". Finding himself unwelcome in serious musical circles, Serpette continued to compose operettas. In 1873 he wrote the three-act ''La branche cassée'', to a libretto by

Adolphe Jaime Adolphe Jaime, called Jaime fils, (1825 in Paris – 1901 in Asnières-sur-Seine) was a 19th-century French vaudevillist and librettist. He was the son of Ernest Jaime (1804–1884), also a playwright. Works *1845: ''Le Diable à quatre'', va ...

and

Jules Noriac Jules Noriac, real name Claude, Antoine, Jules Cairon, (24 April 1827 – 1 October 1882), was a French journalist, playwright, writer, librettist and theatre director. Biography Cairon was first a journalist and columnist in many newspapers. ...

."Gaston Serpette"
''The Guide to Light Opera and Operetta'', accessed 16 June 2010 The piece was well received at the

Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens () is a Parisian theatre founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with a ...

, in January 1874, and at the

Opera Comique The Opera Comique was a 19th-century theatre constructed in Westminster, London, between Wych Street, Holywell Street and the Strand. It opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, to make way for the construction of the Aldwych and Kingsway. ...

, London in an English version presented by

Richard D'Oyly Carte Richard D'Oyly Carte (; 3 May 1844 – 3 April 1901) was an English talent agent, theatrical impresario, composer, and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian era. He built two of London's theatres and a hotel empire, while also establi ...

in October of the same year. The critic of London's ''

The Morning Post ''The Morning Post'' was a conservative daily newspaper published in London from 1772 to 1937, when it was acquired by ''The Daily Telegraph''. History The paper was founded by John Bell. According to historian Robert Darnton, ''The Morning Po ...

'', noted that in the London version there were so many interpolations into Serpette's original score that "barely half the solos are from his pen"."Opera Comique", ''

'', 24 August 1874, p. 6. He added that the music "though not remarkable for originality, is above mediocrity, and ... far surpasses the usual run of opéra-bouffe music." Serpette followed this with more works in the same genre: ''Le manoir du Pic-Tordu'' (1875), ''Le moulin du vert-galant'' (1876) and ''La petite muette'' (1877), which, after its Paris première, became the first of Serpette's shows to be played in New York, where it opened at the

Fifth Avenue Theatre Fifth Avenue Theatre was a Broadway theatre in New York City in the United States located at 31 West 28th Street and Broadway (1185 Broadway). It was demolished in 1939. Built in 1868, it was managed by Augustin Daly in the mid-1870s. In 1877, ...

but ran for only five performances. Serpette continued with a succession of shows that were successful in Paris, but not considered suitable for the public of London or New York. Of ''La petite muette'', the London paper '' The Era'' reported most favourably on the music, but made it clear that the plot was too risqué for English tastes: "not even the most elaborate circumlocution would enable me to steer clear of offending the modesty of your fair readers were I to recite the incident on which the plot turns." A Serpette piece, ''Le carnet du diable'', was reviewed in ''The Era'' in 1895 under the headline, "Indecency in Paris". Serpette's works were continually in demand in Paris. Between 1874 and 1900, with librettists including such writers as

Henri Meilhac Henri Meilhac (23 February 1830 – 6 July 1897) was a French dramatist and opera librettist, best known for his collaborations with Ludovic Halévy on Georges Bizet's ''Carmen'' and on the works of Jacques Offenbach, as well as Jules Massenet' ...

and

Georges Feydeau Georges-Léon-Jules-Marie Feydeau (; 8 December 1862 – 5 June 1921) was a French playwright of the era known as the Belle Époque. He is remembered for his farces, written between 1886 and 1914. Feydeau was born in Paris to middle-class parent ...

, he wrote more than twenty full-length operettas, and at least nine shorter ones. Nevertheless, in the view of the English critic Andrew Lamb, "Serpette was destined to continue, along with Varney, Vasseur,

Roger Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

and Lacome, in the shadow of such French operetta composers as

Planquette The river Planquette () is one of the small streams that flow from the plateau of the southern Boulonnais and Picardy, into the Canche. Its length is . The river rises at Planques and passes Fressin Fressin () is a commune in the Pas-de-Ca ...

, Audran and, later, Messager."

Later years

In late 1892, in the press of London and Paris, Serpette engaged in a lively debate with the English composer

Edward Solomon Edward Solomon (25 July 1855 – 22 January 1895) was an English composer, conductor, orchestrator and pianist. He died at age 39 by which time he had written dozens of works produced for the stage, including several for the D'Oyly Carte Oper ...

. The latter protested about what he called the "botching" of French operetta scores when adapted for the English stage. Serpette took the pragmatic view that the French and English publics were so different that Parisian operettas had to be drastically rewritten to succeed in London, and he offered his fellow French composers three choices: "they must either refuse to permit their works to be adapted" (in which case no London producer would touch them), or "master the English language, and do it themselves which they never will", or settle for being adapted by those who knew what the West End public required."Musical Notes", ''The Pall Mall Gazette'', 24 December 1892, p. 1 This was not Serpette's only incursion into print. He was music critic for a number of Paris newspapers and journals. He reviewed music for ''Gil Blas'' magazine (his review of

Debussy (Achille) Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the ...

's '' Pelléas et Mélisande'' appeared simultaneously with reviews by

Paul Dukas Paul Abraham Dukas ( or ; 1 October 1865 – 17 May 1935) was a French composer, critic, scholar and teacher. A studious man of retiring personality, he was intensely self-critical, having abandoned and destroyed many of his compositions. His b ...

and

Vincent D'Indy Paul Marie Théodore Vincent d'Indy (; 27 March 18512 December 1931) was a French composer and teacher. His influence as a teacher, in particular, was considerable. He was a co-founder of the Schola Cantorum de Paris and also taught at the P ...

for the ''Gazette de Beaux-Arts'' and ''L'Occident'', respectively) and wrote the musical column of the ''Paris'' newspaper, in which his disagreement with Solomon was published. Serpette also worked as a conductor. One of his appointments was in London, conducting the ballets at the re-opening of Carte's former Royal English Opera House when it was relaunched as the Palace Theatre of Varieties in 1892, and throughout the ensuing season. Towards the end of his career, Serpette had more of his works performed in England.

Augustus Harris Sir Augustus Henry Glossop Harris (18 March 1852 – 22 June 1896) was a British actor, impresario, and dramatist, a dominant figure in the West End theatre, West End theatre of the 1880s and 1890s. Born into a theatrical family, Harris briefl ...

and F. C. Burnand adapted ''La demoiselle du téléphone'' as ''The Telephone Girl'' in 1896; it toured the country for three years. Serpette, in line with his earlier comments on adaptations, agreed to the addition of new musical items by J. M. Glover. His last show, written in 1903, originally entitled ''Cuvée reservée 1810'', was specially composed for England, and, under the title ''Amorelle'', toured the provinces in 1903–04 before opening at the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

in London in February 1904. Serpette was made a

Chevalier of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...

in 1898. For some time he left Paris to live in Algeria, where he had purchased vineyards. During one of his sea trips between Algiers and

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...

, he was knocked down by a freak wave, breaking his leg; he walked with a limp for the rest of his life. He died in 1904, on the eve of his 58th birthday, and his funeral at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité was attended by "le Tout-Paris". He was subsequently buried in the family tomb in the cemetery of

Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer ( br, Lokmaria-Pornizh) is a former commune in the Pays de Retz, situated in the Loire-Atlantique ''département'' and in the French région of Pays de la Loire. From 1973, it was absorbed by the neighbouring commune of Porn ...

on 7 November 1904.

Works

;Opéras-bouffes and operettas * ''La Branche cassée'', opéra-bouffe in 3 acts, libretto by

and

, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1874 * ''Le Manoir de Pic-Tordu'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Saint-Albin and Arnold Mortier, Variétés, 1875 * ''Le Moulin du Vert-Galant'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Eugène Grangé and V. Bernard, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1876 * ''La Petite Muette'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Paul Ferrier, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1877 * ''Rothomago'', operetta in 4 acts, 1880, Alhambra Theatre (London) * ''La Nuit de Saint-Germain'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by G. Hirsch, Fantaisies-Parisiennes (Brussels) 1880, * ''Madame le Diable ou Madame Satan'', operetta in 4 acts, libretto by

, Arnold Mortier and Albert Millaud,

Théâtre de la Renaissance The name Théâtre de la Renaissance has been used successively for three distinct Parisian theatre companies. The first two companies, which were short-lived enterprises in the 19th century, used the Salle Ventadour, now an office building on t ...

, 1882 * ''La Princesse'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by

Raoul Toché François-Frédéric-Raoul Toché (7 October 1850 – 18 January 1895 was a French playwright and journalist. Life and career Toché was born on 7 October 1850 in Rueil, now known as Rueil-Malmaison, near Paris. As a playwright he is known for his ...

, Variétés, 1882 * ''Steeplechase'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by Paul Decourcelle, Londres, 1883 * ''Tige de Lotus'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by Raoul Toché, Casino de

Contrexéville Contrexéville () is a commune of north-eastern France, in the Vosges département. Inhabitants are called ''Contrexévillois''. The mineral springs of Contrexéville have been known locally for many years, but became generally known only toward ...

, 1883 * ''Franfreluche'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by G. Hirsch, Saint-Artoman,

Paul Burani Paul Burani (born Urbain Roucoux; Paris, 26 March 1845 – Paris, 9 October 1901), was a French author, actor, songwriter and librettist. He had a short career as an actor at the Théâtre de Belleville and in the French provinces, after which he ...

, Renaissance, 1883 * ''Madame Réséda'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by Jules Prével, Renaissance, 1884 * ''Le Château de Tire-Larigot'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by '

Ernest Blum Ernest Blum (15 August 1836 – 18 September 1907) was a French playwright. Biography He made his debut as a writer at the age of sixteen with ''Une femme qui mord''. As a journalist, he was associated with ''Le Charivari'', '' Le Rappel'', '' L ...

and Raoul Toché,

Théâtre des Nouveautés The Théâtre des Nouveautés ("Theatre of the New") is a Parisian theatre built in 1921 and located at 24 boulevard Poissonnière (Paris, 9th arr.). The name was also used by several earlier Parisian theatre companies and their buildings, begin ...

, 1884 * ''Le Petit Chaperon rouge'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Ernest Blum and Raoul Toché, Nouveautés, 1885 * ''Le Singe d'une nuit d'été'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by Édouard Noël, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1886 * ''Adam et Eve'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Ernest Blum and Raoul Toché, Nouveautés, 1886 * ''La Gamine de Paris'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Eugène Letterier and Albert Vanloo, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1887 * ''La Lycéenne'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by

, 1887 * ''Cendrillonnette'', operetta in 4 acts in collaboration with

Victor Roger Victor Roger (22 July 1853 – 2 December 1903) was a French composer. He is best known for his operettas, particularly the lighter kind known as the "vaudeville-opérette". His thirty theatre works, composed between 1880 and 1902, also include p ...

, libretto by Paul Ferrier, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1890 * ''La Demoiselle du téléphone'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by

Maurice Desvallières Ernest George Maurice Lefebvre-Desvallières (3 October 1857 – 23 March 1926) was a 19th–20th-century French playwright. Maurice was the brother of George Desvallières, son of Emile Lefebvre Desvallières and Marie Legouvé (daughter and g ...

and Antony Mars, Nouveautés, 1891 * ''Mé-ne-ka'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by Paul Ferrier, Nouveautés, 1892 * ''La Bonne de chez Duval'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by H. Raymond and Antony Mars, 1892 * ''Cousin-Cousine'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Maurice Ordonneau and H. Kéroul, Folies-Dramatiques, 1893 * ''La Tourte'', operetta in 1 act, libretto by

Paul Bilhaud Paul Bilhaud (31 December 1854 – 8 January 1933) was a French playwright and librettist. An old friend of the author Alphonse Allais, he is remembered along his friend as a forerunner of minimalism with his painting ''Combat de nègres pendan ...

, Asnières, 1895 * ''La Dot de Brigitte'', operetta in 1 act in collaboration with

, libretto by Paul Ferrier, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1895 * ''Le Carnet du diable'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Paul Ferrier and Ernest Blum, Variétés, 1895 * ''Le Capitole'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Paul Ferrierand Charles Clairville, Nouveautés, 1895 * ''Le Royaume des femmes'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by Paul Ferrier and Ernest Blum, 1896 * ''Le Carillon'', operetta in 4 acts, libretto by Paul Ferrier and Ernest Blum, Variétés, 1896 * ''Shakespeare'', operetta in 3 acts, libretto by

Paul Gavault Paul Armand Marcel Gavault (1 September 1866 - 25 December 1951) was a French dramatist, playwright and former director of the théâtre de l'Odéon. Biography He enjoyed a hit with his 1906 comic play '' Mademoiselle Josette, My Woman'' whi ...

and Robert de Flers, Bouffes-Parisiens, 1899 * ''Frileuse ou l'Enfant du cocktail'' (non-représenté) * ''Cuvée réservée 1810'' ''(Amorelle 1810)'', libretto by Barton White and Ernest Boyd-Jones, Kennington (Londres), 1903 ;Vocal music (melodies, etc.) *''La Bouquetière'', lyrics by Gaston Serpette, 1877 *''La Mort des amants'', text by

Charles Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticism inherited ...

, 1879

Bibliography

*Frédéric Robert, "Gaston Serpette" in ''Dictionnaire de la musique en France au XIXe siècle'' ( Joël-Marie Fauquet, dir.),

Fayard Fayard (complete name: ''Librairie Arthème Fayard'') is a French Paris-based publishing house established in 1857. Fayard is controlled by Hachette Livre. In 1999, Éditions Pauvert became part of Fayard. Claude Durand was director of Fayard ...

, Paris, 2003 () *Jacques-Gabriel Prod'homme, "Les Musiciens français à Rome (1803–1903)" in ''Sammelbände der Internationalen Musikgesellschaft'', août 1903, Breitkopf & Härtel, (p. 728–737)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Serpelle, Gaston French male classical composers French operetta composers French opera composers Male opera composers French conductors (music) French male conductors (music) Prix de Rome for composition Conservatoire de Paris alumni Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Musicians from Nantes 1846 births 1904 deaths 19th-century French male musicians