''Le droit d'aînesse'' (, "The Birthright") is an

opéra bouffe ''Opéra bouffe'' (, plural: ''opéras bouffes'') is a genre of mid- to late 19th-century French operetta, closely associated with Jacques Offenbach, who produced many of them at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, inspiring the genre's name. It ...

, a form of

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs and including dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, and length of the work. Apart from its shorter length, the oper ...

, in three acts by

Francis Chassaigne Francis Chassaigne (also known as Francisque Chassaigne) (30 October 1847 – 21 December 1922) was a Belgian-born French composer of operettas, songs, and numerous pieces of dance music for piano. The English-language versions of his operettas, ...

with a French

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) 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 th ...

Eugène Leterrier Eugène Leterrier (; 1843 – 22 December 1884 in Paris) was a French librettist. Leterrier worked at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris but then turned to the theatre. He mainly collaborated in writing libretti with Albert Vanloo. Their working relat ...

and Albert Vanloo. It premiered in Paris in 1883. An English-language version titled ''Falka'' (after the name of the principal female character), with a libretto translated and adapted by

Henry Brougham Farnie Henry Brougham Farnie (8 April 1836 – 21 September 1889), often called H. B. Farnie, was a British librettist and adapter of French operettas and an author. Some of his English-language versions of operettas became record-setting hits on th ...

, was successfully premiered in London later that year followed by productions throughout the English-speaking world.

''Le droit d'aînesse''

''Le droit d'aînesse'' was first performed on 27 January

1883 Events January * January 4 – ''Life'' magazine is founded in Los Angeles, California, United States. * January 10 – A fire at the Newhall Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, kills 73 people. * January 16 – ...

, at the

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 ...

in Paris, directed by

Jules Brasseur Jules Brasseur (; 1829-1890) was a French actor and singer, born 1829 in Paris and died in the same city in 1890, who achieved considerable popular success in Paris and around France in the second half of the 19th century. Life and career Born ...

with a cast featuring

Marguerite Ugalde Marguerite Ugalde (née Marie Varcollier) (1862–1940) was a French mezzo-soprano. She was the daughter of the singer and theatre manager Delphine Ugalde.Forbes E. Delphine Ugalde. In: ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London ...

Jean-François Berthelier Jean-François-Philibert Berthelier (; 14 December 1830 – 29 September 1888) was a French actor and singer, who performed many light tenor roles in opéra-comique and opéra-bouffe.O’Connor P. 'Jean-François Berthelier' In : ''The New Grove D ...

, Juliette Darcourt, Albert Brasseur and Eugène Vauthier.

Roles and premiere cast

''Falka''

''Falka'', the English version of ''Le droit d'aînesse'', with Leterrier and Vanloo's libretto translated and adapted by

, was first produced at the

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

in London on 29 October 1883.

Violet Cameron Violet Lydia Thompson (7 December 1862 – 25 October 1919), known professionally as Violet Cameron, was an English actress and singer who gained fame in Robert Planquette's operettas '' Les cloches de Corneville'' and ''Rip Van Winkle'', and F ...

performed the title role of Falka, Harry Paulton was Folbach, and

W. S. Penley William Sydney Penley (19 November 1851 – 11 November 1912) was an English actor, singer and comedian who had an early success in the small role of the Foreman in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Trial by Jury''. He later achieved wider fame as prod ...

was Brother Pelican. It ran at the Comedy for 157 performances. Charles Manners later played Boleslas, and

Giulia Warwick Giulia Warwick (15 January 1857 – 13 July 1904) was an English opera and concert singer and professor of music in the last quarter of the 19th century. She is best known for roles with Richard D'Oyly Carte's Comedy Opera Company and with the Car ...

played the title role on tour.Hubbard, L. W. (ed.)
''The American History and Encyclopedia of Music'', Vol. II ''Operas''
(1908) pp. 159-162. London: Irving Squire It was revived at the

Avenue Theatre The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square, central London. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt in ...

in 1885, still starring Cameron, with

Hayden Coffin Charles Hayden Coffin (22 April 1862 – 8 December 1935) was an English actor and singer known for his performances in many famous Edwardian musical comedies, particularly those produced by George Edwardes. Hayden achieved fame as Harry Sher ...

and E. J. Lonnen. ''Falka'' also enjoyed successful productions in Australia, New Zealand and the United States, including 1884 and 1900 productions on Broadway. The first of these, at the Casino Theatre, starred

J. H. Ryley John Handford Ryley (11 September 1841Kurt Gänzl, Gänzl, Kurt"J H Ryley: setting at least some of the record straight ..." Kurt of Gerolstein, 13 May 2018 – 28 July 1922) was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in th ...

Synopsis

This synopsis is based on ''Falka''.

Act 1

The Emperor of Hungary has promised Governor Folbach a

patent of nobility The patent of nobility, also letters of nobility (always ), or diploma of nobility documented the legal act of ennoblement (granting rights of a nobleman to a "new man" and his family). The ennoblement was an event of ultimate importance in a feuda ...

providing that he can produce an heir. Folbach is childless but has a niece and a nephew that he had previously sent away to school and a convent, respectively. He summons his nephew, Tancred, the heir presumptive. On his way to see his uncle, Tancred is captured by a band of gypsies (Tzigans). Edwige, the chief's sister, promises to release him if he agrees to marry her. Tancred agrees, but he escapes before the wedding can take place. Edwige and her brother Boleslas pursue Tancred. Although they had not seen his face in the darkness, they follow the sound of his voice. Along the way, they learn that he is the nephew of the Governor. They hide and wait for him. Tancred learns of their scheme and does not appear before his uncle, writing a note that he is ill. H-b-farnie

Meanwhile, Falka, the Governor's niece, has eloped from the convent with Arthur, a rich farmer's son. They also travel to the inn where the Governor is waiting for Tancred; they are followed by Brother Pelican, the door-keeper at the convent. Falka manages to elude detection by dressing in Arthur's clothes. Upon learning that her brother is expected at the inn, Falka impersonates him. Brother Pelican finds Falka's clothing and assumes that Arthur is Falka disguised as a man - he promptly arrests Arthur; Arthur plays along with Falka's scheme and keeps quiet. The gypsies witness the meeting of Falka and Folbach and believe they have found Tancred. The Governor also believes that Falka is Tancred, and they go off to the castle for a wedding between "Tancred" and Alexina de Kelkirsch,This character is called Marja in the French libretto the wealthy bride whom the Emperor has assigned to wed Folbach's heir.

Act 2

Arthur is forced to put on convent dress and is marched away to the convent by Pelican, leaving Falka, in

hussar A hussar, ; ; ; ; . was a member of a class of light cavalry, originally from the Kingdom of Hungary during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely adopted by light cavalry ...

uniform, to try to gain her uncle's consent to her marriage with Arthur. Unfortunately, Folbach dislikes girls. Tancred angrily arrives, in disguise as a footman, to defeat the young impostor, not knowing that it is his sister. He does not reveal himself because of the gypsies, but he hopes that they will kill his rival, whom they believe is Tancred. When the gypsies arrive, Boleslas challenges Falka to a duel denouncing "Tancred" for breaking his promise to marry Edwige. Falka avoids the duel by confessing to Edwige that she is a woman. Arthur is brought back from the convent in haste and confesses the scheme to the Governor. The Governor is disgusted and orders the pair out of his presence. When Tancred hears this, he cries "O joy! O rapture!" The gypsies recognize his voice. Folbach is shocked that his nephew is betrothed to a gypsy and that the impostor is his niece.

Act 3

The Governor, who is obliged to carry out the emperor's will, begrudgingly goes on with the marriage of Tancred and Alexina. He is not pleased with the behavior or his niece or nephew. Falka is sent to a tower to await her return to the convent. Boleslas arrives with Edwige. Tancred has sent Boleslas money to stay away, but the gypsy assumes that it is for the wedding dress, which he has purchased. Edwige has a discussion with Alexina and, as a result, Edwige and Tancred marry. Meanwhile, Falka escapes from her tower only to be recaptured and led before her uncle. The Governor admires her spirit and pardons her, just as the notice from the Emperor arrives allowing Folbach to make his niece his heiress, settling the succession in the female bloodline. All are pleased except, perhaps, Tancred.

References

External links

Score for ''Le droit d'aînesse'' digitized by the University of Toronto, accessed 18 December 2010Vocal score for ''Falka''1900 Broadway production of ''Falka''
on the

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade asso ...

Theatre poster
from ''Falka'' at the

Royal Lyceum Theatre The Royal Lyceum Theatre is a 658-seat theatre in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, named after the Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House, the residence at the time of legendary Shakespearean actor Henry Irving. It was built in 1883 by a ...

, Edinburgh in 1885 {{DEFAULTSORT:Droit Dainesse Opéras bouffes 1883 operas Operas