''Don César de Bazan'' is an opéra comique in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by

Adolphe d'Ennery Adolphe Philippe d'Ennery or Dennery (17 June 181125 January 1899) was a French playwright and novelist. Life Born in Paris, his real surname was Philippe. He obtained his first success in collaboration with Charles Desnoyer in ''Émile, ou le ...

, Philippe-François Pinel "

Dumanoir Philippe François Pinel, known as Dumanoir (31 July 1806 – 16 November 1865), was a French playwright and librettist. Biography Dumanoir was born in Capesterre-Belle-Eau, Guadeloupe. He was the son of Mrs. Pinel-Dumanoir, whose family plante ...

" and Jules Chantepie, based on the play by d'Ennery and Dumanoir, which was first performed at Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in 1844. This in turn drew on the popular character of Don César de Bazan, in the 1838 drama ''

Ruy Blas ''Ruy Blas'' is a tragic drama by Victor Hugo. It was the first play presented at the Théâtre de la Renaissance and opened on November 8, 1838. Though considered by many to be Hugo’s best drama, the play was initially met with only average ...

'' by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

, though it has little connection with the plot of Hugo's drama. Massenet's opera was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 30 November 1872. It was the first full-length opera by Massenet to be produced, the one-act ''

La grand'tante ''La grand'tante'' (The great-aunt) is an opéra comique in one act by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Jules Adenis and Charles Grandvallet. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 3 April 1867. Though not the first o ...

'' having been mounted five years earlier by the same company. ''Don César de Bazan'' was not a success and it would be another five years, with the premiere of ''

Le roi de Lahore ''Le roi de Lahore'' ("The king of Lahore") is an opera in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Louis Gallet. It was first performed at the Palais Garnier in Paris on 27 April 1877 in costumes designed by Eugène Lacoste and se ...

'' in 1877, before

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) ...

rose to his place among the most prominent composers of his time. ''Don César de Bazan'' was initially performed 13 times at the Opéra-Comique. After the fire at the Salle Favart when the parts were lost, Massenet constructed a new version from the vocal score, and this was performed in Geneva in 1888, then Antwerp, Brussels, the French provinces and the Gaîté-Lyrique in 1912, and the Hague in 1925. The orchestral ''

Entr'acte (or ', ;Since 1932–35 the French Academy recommends this spelling, with no apostrophe, so historical, ceremonial and traditional uses (such as the 1924 René Clair film title) are still spelled ''Entr'acte''. German: ' and ', Italian: ''inte ...

'' to Act 3, entitled 'Sévillana', was in 1895 adapted as a showpiece for solo coloratura soprano, to words specially written by Jules Ruelle (''"À Séville, Belles Señoras"''). Though this song is still regularly performed, it does not form part of the operatic score. A modern revival took place in several French cities in 2016, when the Frivolités Parisiennes staged a new production including an appearance at the

Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin The Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin is a venerable theatre and opera house at 18, Boulevard Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. History It was first built very rapidly in 1781 under the direction of (1726–1810) to house th ...

, conducted by Mathieu Romano.

Roles

Synopsis

Act 1
King Charles II of Spain is enamoured of Maritana, a street singer, whom he cannot approach because of her gypsy birth and low station. His chief minister Don José de Santarém promises to help his master win her love. Don César, Count de Bazan, a poor but witty and good-hearted Spanish grandee, fights a duel to save the boy Lazarille from imprisonment by a cruel army captain. Since a royal edict forbids duelling during Holy Week, Don César is arrested and condemned to death by hanging. Act 2
In his prison cell, Don César is visited by Don José. The latter is in love with the Queen, who in turn refuses his love unless the king is proved to have been unfaithful to her. Don José plots to have Maritana marry the condemned man before his execution, thus making her Countess de Bazan, and thus the potential mistress of the King. Without explaining his plan, he promises Maritana riches, while his friend Don César will gain commutation to death by firing squad (instead of a common hanging) and protection for the boy Lazarille. The marriage takes place and then, after Lazarille vows to save his master, the execution is carried out. Act 3
The 'widowed' Maritana is now living at the San Fernando palace to be taught courtly manners, being assured by Don José that her husband will soon return from exile. The King comes to visit her, claiming to be Don César - but Maritana says she cannot love him. Before Charles II can force his attentions on her, the real Don César comes in, for Lazarille had cunningly removed the shot from the execution squad's muskets. Don César has already discovered Don José's plot, and finding the traitor in the Queen's private apartments he has killed him, in order to save the honour of the Royal couple. He is appointed Governor of Granada (a long way from Madrid, to ensure Maritana's honour) by the King, and all look forward to the hero's happy life with his beautiful young wife.

Recording

Laurent Naouri Laurent Naouri, Chevalier L.H. (born May 23, 1964) is a French bass-baritone. Initially beginning his education at the École Centrale de Lyon, Naouri decided to concentrate on opera in 1986 and continued his musical studies at the Guildhall S ...

Elsa Dreisig Elsa Dreisig (born 1991) is a French-Danish operatic soprano. Based at the Berlin State Opera, she made a European career in both opera and concert. Her opera roles include, besides the standard lyric soprano repertoire such as Mozart's Fiordili ...

, Marion Lebègue, Christian Helmer, Thomas Bettinger, Ensemble Aedes, and Orchestre des Frivolités Parisiennes, cond. Mathieu Romano. Released June 2020. CD:

Naxos Naxos (; el, Νάξος, ) is a Greek island and the largest of the Cyclades. It was the centre of archaic Cycladic culture. The island is famous as a source of emery, a rock rich in corundum, which until modern times was one of the best ab ...

Cat:8660464-65.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Don Cesar de Bazan Operas by Jules Massenet French-language operas Operas 1872 operas Opera world premieres at the Opéra-Comique Operas based on plays Operas based on works by Victor Hugo

Roles

Synopsis

Recording

See also

References

External links