''Phi-Phi'' is an

opérette This is a glossary list of opera genres, giving alternative names. "Opera" is an Italian word (short for "opera in musica"); it was not at first ''commonly'' used in Italy (or in other countries) to refer to the genre of particular works. Most c ...

légère in three acts with music by

Henri Christiné Henri Marius Christiné (27 December 1867 – 25 November 1941) was a French composer of Swiss birth. The son of a French Savoyard watchmaker, Christiné was born in Geneva, Switzerland. He began by teaching at the lycée in Geneva, while pur ...

and a French libretto by

Albert Willemetz Albert Willemetz (14 February 1887 – 7 October 1964) was a French libretto, librettist. Career Albert Willemetz was a prolific lyricist. He invented a new type of musical, with a humorous and "sexy" style. He was the author of more than 3000 ...

and Fabien Solar. The piece was one which founded the new style of French comédie musicale, the first to really use the latest rhythms of jazz ( one-step,

fox trot The foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to big band (usually vocal) music. The dance is similar in its look to waltz, although the rhythm is in a tim ...

) along with a plot which emphasised comedy – with risqué dialogue of puns and anachronisms – more than the romantic style, which had predominated before. The success of the piece prompted imitators in Paris such as ''Le petit Phi-Phi'' (3 March 1922) and ''Les amants de Phi-Phi'' (13 March 1923). It also led to a spate of similarly titled stage works: ''Clo-Clo'', '' Dédé'', ''You-You'', ''Pan Pan''...Brinde-Jont-Offenbach J. L'opérette. In: ''Cinquante Ans de Musique Française de 1874 à 1925.'' Les Éditions Musicales de la Librairie de France, Paris, 1925. A 1922 London production, in English, was very successful.

Performance history

''Phi-Phi'' opened on 12 November 1918, directly after the end of the First World War, at the Bouffes-Parisiens. After about three months it became a major hit, running for three years. A Paris revival was very successful in 1979-80.Traubner, Richard
"Continental varieties"
''Operetta: a theatrical history'', pp. 291–92, Psychology Press, 2003 An English-language production premiered at the

London Pavilion The London Pavilion is a building on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Coventry Street on the north-east side of Piccadilly Circus in London. It is currently a shopping arcade and part of the Trocadero Centre. Early history The first buildi ...

on 16 August 1922. It starred Stanley Lupino,

Evelyn Laye Evelyn Laye (née Elsie Evelyn Lay; 10 July 1900 – 17 February 1996) was an English actress who was active on the London light opera stage, and later in New York and Hollywood. Her first husband, actor Sonnie Hale, left her for Jessie M ...

, Arthur Roberts and

Clifton Webb Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (November 19, 1889 – October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He worked extensively and was known for his stage appearances in the plays of Noël Coward, in ...

. The translation was by

Fred Thompson Freddie Dalton Thompson (August 19, 1942 – November 1, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, actor, and radio personality. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States Senator from Tennessee f ...

and

Clifford Grey Clifford Grey (5 January 1887 – 25 September 1941) was an English songwriter, librettist, actor and screenwriter. His birth name was Percival Davis, and he was also known as Clifford Gray. Grey contributed prolifically to West End and Br ...

, and the score included additional songs by

Herman Darewski Herman Darewski (17 April 1883 – 2 June 1947) was a British composer and conductor of light music. His most successful work was perhaps '' The Better 'Ole'', which ran for over 800 performances in its original London production in 1917. Some ...

Nat Ayer Nathaniel Davis Ayer (August 5, 1887 – September 19, 1952) was an American composer, pianist, singer and actor. He made most of his career composing and performing in England in Edwardian musical comedy and revue. He also contributed songs to B ...

and

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

. This became a hit, playing for over 1,000 performances in London. A French film version was made in 1926, and it is still revived from time to time in France. It was recorded for French Radio in 1956.

Roles

Synopsis

Setting : the workshop of Phidias in

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

, around 600 BC.

Act I

The sculptor Phidias (Phi-Phi) has received a commission to create a group representing 'L’amour et la Vertu fondent le Bonheur Domestique' ('Love and Virtue are the Foundation of Domestic Bliss'). After having looked over many models for 'la Vertu', he chooses Aspasie, a charming girl whom he had met in the streets of Athens. The girl pays him a visit, and he gets overcome by her attractions. Protecting herself from his advances with her umbrella, she breaks the arms off the

Venus de Milo The ''Venus de Milo'' (; el, Αφροδίτη της Μήλου, Afrodíti tis Mílou) is an ancient Greek sculpture that was created during the Hellenistic period, sometime between 150 and 125 BC. It is one of the most famous works of ancient ...

and the head from the

Winged Victory of Samothrace The ''Winged Victory of Samothrace'', or the ''Nike of Samothrace'', is a votive monument originally found on the island of Samothrace, north of the Aegean Sea. It is a masterpiece of Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic era, dating from the beg ...

...
Madame Phidias enters and makes jealous comments to her husband. Aspasie leaves. Alone with Le Pirée, secretary and confidant of her husband, Madame Phidias, as a faithful spouse, tells him how she had encountered a handsome young man who has been pursuing her. This is none other than Prince Ardimédon, who now enters. Embarrassed, Madame Phidias leaves Le Pirée with the prince; Phi-Phi returns and after trying to sell him some sculptures (and his wife) engages the young man as the model for 'L’Amour'.

Act II

Le Pirée having lost money at the races using Phidias’s sculptures as wagers, the models agree to pretend to be the works of art. Pericles makes a visit to the sculptor and with Phi-Phi away, meets Aspasie; he too is overcome by her charms. (Her song imitates the refrain of "Je suis toujours tout étourdie" from ''

Manon ''Manon'' () is an ''opéra comique'' in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel '' L'histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut'' by the Abbé Prévost. It was first ...

'').
Pericles leaves and Madame Phidias comes in. She quickly gets rid of Aspasie telling her that her husband has decided not to use her as a model. Madame Phidias believes that only she can truly represent ‘Vertu’, and reluctantly Phi-Phi agrees. Madame Phidias takes her place beside Ardimédon, but the sculptor is called away, and the prince leads his virtuous partner off to a room nearby.

Act III

Next day back in his studio Phi-Phi finds Ardimédon and his wife in each other’s arms. He commends them for finding such an ideal pose for his sculpture, and sets to work, all the while surprised that his wife has not asked him where he was all night. Aspasie enters and tells Phi-Phi that she is to marry Pericles : which won’t stop her continuing her liaison with Phi-Phi which was consummated the previous night.
When Pericles arrives he demands that Aspasie is included as one of the models for the sculpture - as 'L’Economie' (thrift), and the work will become 'L’Amour et la Vertu, aidés par l’Economie, fondent le bonheur conjugal'. After some machinations by Le Pirée to recoup his financial losses, all ends happily.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phi-Phi Compositions by Henri Christiné French-language operas 1918 operas Opérettes Operas Operas based on classical mythology