''Robinson Crusoé '' is an
opéra comique with music by
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ' ...
and words by
Eugène Cormon
Pierre-Étienne Piestre, known as Eugène Cormon (5 May 1810 – March 1903), was a French dramatist and librettist. He used his mother's name, Cormon, during his career.
Cormon wrote dramas, comedies and, from the 1840s, libretti; around 15 ...
and
Hector-Jonathan Crémieux
Hector-Jonathan Crémieux (10 November 1828 – 30 September 1893) was a French librettist and playwright. His best-known work is his collaboration with Ludovic Halévy for Jacques Offenbach's ''Orphée aux Enfers'', known in English as ''Orpheu ...
. It premiered in Paris on 23 November 1867.
The writers took the theme from the 1719 novel ''
Robinson Crusoe
''Robinson Crusoe'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tra ...
'' by
Daniel Defoe, though the work owes more to British
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
than to the book itself. Crusoé leaves his family in England and runs away to sea. He is marooned on an island with only his friend and helper Vendredi (
Man Friday
Friday is one of the main characters of Daniel Defoe's 1719 novel ''Robinson Crusoe'' and its sequel ''The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe''. Robinson Crusoe names the man Friday, with whom he cannot at first communicate, because they fi ...
) for company. His fiancée and two family servants come to the island in search of him, and after narrow escapes from cannibals and pirates they seize the pirates' ship and set sail for home.
The opera was written for the prestigious
Opéra-Comique in Paris, his second work for that theatre, following the unsuccessful ''
Barkouf
''Barkouf'' is an opéra bouffe in three acts premiered in 1860 in music, 1860 with music composed by Jacques Offenbach to a French language, French libretto by Eugène Scribe and Henry Boisseaux, after Abbé François Blanchet, Abbé Blanchet, t ...
'' seven years earlier. The music is on a grander scale than that of most of the composer's earlier works. The opera was well received but ran for only 32 performances. In the 20th century it was not revived until the 1970s (in London) and was not seen again at the Opéra-Comique until 1986.
Background and first production
By the mid-1860s Offenbach had established himself both in Paris and internationally with his
opéras bouffes ''
Orphée aux enfers
''Orpheus in the Underworld'' and ''Orpheus in Hell'' are English names for (), a comic opera with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy. It was first performed as a two-act "opéra bouffon" at the Théâ ...
'' (1858), ''
La belle Hélène
''La belle Hélène'' (, ''The Beautiful Helen'') is an opéra bouffe in three acts, with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The piece parodies the story of Helen of Troy, Helen's elopement with Paris (myt ...
'' (1864), ''
La vie parisienne'' (1866) and ''
La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein
''La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein'' (''The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein'') is an opéra bouffe (a form of operetta), in three acts and four tableaux by Jacques Offenbach to an original French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The s ...
'' (1867) and many others. These were box-office successes in commercial theatres, but the composer's only work for the prestigious state-owned
Opéra-Comique, ''
Barkouf
''Barkouf'' is an opéra bouffe in three acts premiered in 1860 in music, 1860 with music composed by Jacques Offenbach to a French language, French libretto by Eugène Scribe and Henry Boisseaux, after Abbé François Blanchet, Abbé Blanchet, t ...
'' (1860), had been a failure, hampered by a plot described by
Hector Berlioz as puerile. Since then Offenbach had hoped for a triumphant return to the Opéra-Comique, which commissioned a new work from him for the 1867 season. The piece was described as an
opéra comique – regarded by the musical establishment as a superior genre to Offenbach's more usual opéra bouffe. Audiences at the Opéra-Comique were more straight-laced than those at the
Bouffes-Parisiens,
Variétés and other Parisian theatres where Offenbach's works were usually seen, and Offenbach, determined not to alienate them, chose a familiar subject,
Robinson Crusoe
''Robinson Crusoe'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tra ...
. It was well known to Parisian audiences from stage adaptations, particularly one by
René-Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt
René-Charles Guilbert de PixerécourtOften written as Pixérécourt, although the self-edited ''Théâtre choisi'' omits the first accent. The X was pronounced S. (22 January 1773 – 27 July 1844) was a French theatre director and playwright ...
described by ''
Le Figaro
''Le Figaro'' () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It is headquartered on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The oldest national newspaper in France, ''Le Figaro'' is one of three French newspapers of r ...
'' as "a happy amalgam of Shakespeare and Daniel de Foë" .
In the version by Offenbach's librettists,
Eugène Cormon
Pierre-Étienne Piestre, known as Eugène Cormon (5 May 1810 – March 1903), was a French dramatist and librettist. He used his mother's name, Cormon, during his career.
Cormon wrote dramas, comedies and, from the 1840s, libretti; around 15 ...
and
Hector Crémieux
In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...
, the first act opened with a reassuringly bourgeois scene: Crusoé senior reading the Bible while his wife busies herself at the spinning wheel. Later in the piece came the expected can-can and the equally required waltz-song.
[White, Don (1980). Notes to Opera Rara CD set OR228 ]
''Robinson Crusoé'' opened at the Opéra-Comique (
Salle Favart
The Salle Favart, officially the Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique, is a Paris opera house and theatre, the current home of the Opéra-Comique. It was built from 1893 to 1898 in a neo-Baroque style to the designs of the French architect Louis Bernie ...
), on 23 November 1867. Among the cast, playing Vendredi, was
Célestine Galli-Marié, later to achieve fame as the first
Carmen. The opening night was reported by ''Le Figaro'' as a considerable success, with many numbers being encored, but the piece ran for only 32 performances.
[
]
Original cast
Synopsis
Act 1
At the Crusoé family home in Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, Lady Crusoé, her niece Edwige and Suzanne, the maid, prepare for Sunday tea, while Sir William pointedly reads aloud the parable of the Prodigal Son from his Bible. Robinson finally arrives disgracefully late, but, a cherished only child, he easily persuades his parents to forgive him. Taking Toby aside, he explains that he has booked passages to South America for them both that very night on the schooner in the harbour. Edwige, realising that she is in love with Robinson, begs him to stay. He is tempted to remain, but she realises she will lose him if he forgoes his dream for her sake. Toby withdraws from the venture – at Suzanne's insistence – but Robinson knows he has to go alone to seek his fortune.
Act 2
Six years later, Robinson is on a desert island at the mouth of the Orinoco, having escaped from pirates who attacked his ship. He has only one companion, Vendredi, whom he earlier rescued from being sacrificed to the gods by the cannibal tribe on the island. Robinson dreams of Edwige, and tries to explain his feelings to Vendredi.
In another part of the island, Edwige, Suzanne and Toby have arrived to look for Robinson. They too have been attacked by and escaped from pirates. Toby and Suzanne are captured by the cannibals, and meet their old Bristol neighbour Jim Cocks. He had run away to sea ten years earlier, and, captured by the cannibals, has become their cook. He cheerfully informs Suzanne and Toby that they will be the cannibals' dinner that evening. At sunset, Edwige is brought in by natives, who believe that she is a white goddess. She is to be sacrificed to their god, Saranha. Vendredi spies all this, and is smitten with Edwige. When the fire is lit, he fires Robinson's pistol, the natives flee, and he rescues Edwige, Suzanne, Toby and Jim Cocks.
Act 3
The next day Robinson discovers Edwige sleeping in his hut and they are blissfully reunited. Vendredi explains that the pirates have left their ship, allowing the English group the chance to seize it and to return to England while the pirates feast and dance. Robinson, feigning insanity, fools the pirates with a story of treasure buried in the jungle and they go off to find it, but are caught by the cannibals. Robinson wields the pirates' guns and the pirates plead to be saved. Robinson agrees, and all set sail for Bristol once again, with the pirate chief, as ship's captain, marrying Robinson and Edwige at sea.
Numbers
Act 1
*Overture
*Introduction – "Et la maison était calme et prospère"
*Air de Robinson – "Voir, c'est avoir; allons courir"
*Ensemble – "A table donc, on fait grâce"
*Ronde – "Debout, c'est aujourd'hui dimanche"
*Ariette – "Tom était un danseur ingambe"
*Quatuor – "Ne le voyez-vous pas?"
*Romance – "S'il fallait qu'aujourd'hui"
*Ensemble – "Le voilà pris!"
*Duo – "Apprenez, mon cousin"
*Rondo – "Mon bon ami, j'ai réfléchi"
*Prière – "Seigneur, que ses jours soient bénis"
*Final – "Edwige, adieu"
Act 2, scene 1
*Entr'acte symphonique
*Grand air de Robinson – "Au seul bruit de mes pas … Salut, chaumière"
*La chanson de Vendredi – "Tamayo, mon frère"
*Duo – "Mon âme à ses regrets ne veut plus se rouvrir"
*Scène et rêve – "Le soleil fuit, l'ombre s'avance"
Act 2, scene 2
*Entr'acte – Marche des sauvages and Lever de rideau
*Mélodrame
*Chanson du pot-au-feu – "Je prends un vase de terre"
*Duo – "O mon Toby, mon doux ami"
*Mélodrame
*Choeur dansé – "Allons, guerriers des plages désertes"
*Scène – "Femmes, amenez la belle fiancée"
*Valse chantée – "Conduisez-moi vers celui que j'adore"
Act 3, scene 1
*Entr'acte
*Berceuse – "Beauté qui viens des cieux"
*Ariette – "Oui, c'est un brun, mais c'en est un"
*Trio – "Âme de mon âme"
*Sextuor – "Terrible homme des bois"
*Romance – "Je veux partir, bénissez-moi"
*Couplets – "Maître avait dit à Vendredi"
*Quatuor – "Veux-tu, mon bonhomme"
Act 3, scene 2
*Mélodrame
*Choeur de matelots – "Buvons, chantons"
*Scène – "Le chant des Tamayos"
*Final – "Partons, amis"
Revivals
In January 1868 Offenbach travelled to Vienna to oversee a production at the Theater an der Wien
The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served prima ...
, and the opera was staged at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels the following month. A German version for production in Darmstadt was planned for 1870 but the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War put paid to that.[Sterne, Ashley]
"Defoe Defied"
'' Radio Times'', 23 April 1937, p. 8 The piece was given in the US by a children's company;[ a heavily adapted version was presented in Germany as ''Robinsonade'' in the 1930s;][ and the ]BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
broadcast an abbreviated version of the opera on several occasions in the 1930s and 1940s.
The first professional stage revival in the 20th century was in 1973, at the
, London. It was given in an English adaptation by Don White.