''Le Rosier de Madame Husson'' is a novella by

Guy de Maupassant Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (, ; ; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, as well as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives, destin ...

, published in 1887. The hero is a young virtuous boy, the equivalent of a Rose Queen. The story was adapted by the English composer

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

for his comic opera ''

Albert Herring ''Albert Herring'', Op. 39, is a chamber opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten. Composed in the winter of 1946 and the spring of 1947, this comic opera was a successor to his serious opera ''The Rape of Lucretia''. The libretto, by Eric Cr ...

'' with a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

Eric Crozier Eric Crozier OBE (14 November 19147 September 1994) was a British theatrical director, opera librettist and producer, long associated with Benjamin Britten. Early life and career Crozier was born in London and studied at the Royal Academy of Dra ...

who transposed it entirely to an English setting.

Plot

Madame Husson, the model of virtue in

Gisors Gisors () is a Communes of France, commune of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy, France. It is located northwest from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. Gisors, together with the neighbouring communes of Trie-Château and Trie-la-Vill ...

, is promoting chastity in her town by seeking to crown a rosière (i.e. Rose Queen, a girl of unimpeachable virtue). However, no girl can stand up to the investigations that take place, and Madame Husson crowns the village idiot, Isidore, as the 'rosier' (Rose King). He uses his reward to "slum it" in Paris.

Film adaptations

* 1931 : '' Le Rosier de Madame Husson'' by

Bernard Deschamps Bernard Deschamps (born 29 May 1944) is a French ice hockey player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1968 Winter Olympics. He played on numerous teams. Deschamps played on multiple teams including the Long Island Ducks (ice hockey) ...

(80 minutes) * 1931 : ''La Déchéance d'Isidore'', played by

Fernandel Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (8 May 1903 – 26 February 1971), better known as Fernandel, was a French actor and singer. Born near Marseille, France, to Désirée Bedouin and Denis Contandin, originating in Perosa Argentina, an Occitan to ...

, silent * 1950 : '' Le Rosier de Madame Husson'' by Jean Boyer (84 minutes).

Marcel Pagnol Marcel Paul Pagnol (; 28 February 1895 – 18 April 1974) was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. Regarded as an auteur, in 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the Académie française. Although his work is less fashionable ...

, writer of the screenplay, imagines that the character of

Bourvil André Robert Raimbourg (; 27 July 1917 – 23 September 1970), better known as André Bourvil (), and mononymously as Bourvil, was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy films, most notably in his collaboration with Louis ...

, is sponsored by a lady patroness. * 2008: ''Le Rosier de Madame Husson'', played by

Marie-Anne Chazel Marie-Anne France Jacqueline Chazel (born 19 September 1951) is a French actress, screenwriter and director, who has been active in both film and television since 1974. Biography Chazel was born to actress Louba Guertchikoff (birth name Lou ...

as part of a series: "Chez Maupassant", on France 2.

External links

*
''Maupassantiana''. Plot, Adaptations and FilmographyAudio version of Le Rosier de Madame Husson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosier de Madame Husson, Le 1887 French novels Novels by Guy de Maupassant French novellas French novels adapted into films Novels adapted into operas

Plot

Film adaptations

See also

External links