' (French for ''The Mason'') is an ''

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular ''opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Théâtre de la foire, Fair Theatres of St Germain and S ...

'' in three acts by

Daniel Auber Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (; 29 January 178212 May 1871) was a French composer and director of the Paris Conservatoire. Born into an artistic family, Auber was at first an amateur composer before he took up writing operas professionally whe ...

to a

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 Scribe Augustin Eugène Scribe (; 24 December 179120 February 1861) was a French dramatist and librettist. He is known for writing "well-made plays" ("pièces bien faites"), a mainstay of popular theatre for over 100 years, and as the librettist of man ...

and Germain Delavigne. It premiered at the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...

Salle Feydeau in Paris on 3 May 1825. It was to become Auber's first enduring success.

Letellier, Robert Ignatius Robert Ignatius Letellier (born 1953, in Durban, South Africa) is a cultural historian and academic, specialising in the history of music, Romantic literature and the Bible. He teaches at the Maryvale Institute and the Institute of Continuing Edu ...

, ed. ''Daniel-François-Esprit Auber: 'Le Maçon''. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2011. Among the original cast was the

tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...

Antoine Ponchard Louis Antoine Ponchard (31 August 1787 – 6 June 1866) was a 19th-century French operatic tenor and teacher. He made his debut in 1812 in ''L'Ami de la maison'', opera by Grétry. In 1825, he sang the leading role − George Brown − at the ...

Synopsis

''Le maçon'' is set in Paris, in the

Faubourg Saint-Antoine The Faubourg Saint-Antoine () was one of the traditional suburbs of Paris, France. It grew up to the east of the Bastille around the abbey of Saint-Antoine-des-Champs, and ran along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. Location The Faubourg Sain ...

, around 1820.

Act 1

Roger, a mason, and his bride Henriette (the sister of his friend Baptiste, a

locksmith Locksmithing is the work of creating and bypassing locks. Locksmithing is a traditional trade and in many countries requires completion of an apprenticeship. The level of formal education legally required varies by country, ranging from no formal ...

) are rejoicing at their wedding. An officer, Léon de Mérinville, whose life was once saved by Roger, arrives at the wedding reception. He explains that he is on his way to a nearby

château A château (, ; plural: châteaux) is a manor house, or palace, or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking re ...

to release Irma, a young Greek girl who is being held against her will by some Turks. Two figures in muffled in cloaks arrive, and secretly abduct Roger and Baptiste at knifepoint from the wedding reception.

Act 2

Léon has been seized by the Turks. Irma and Léon's plans of escape have been discovered. Turkish slaves Usbeck and Rica who had kidnapped Roger and Baptiste arrive at the château with the two blindfolded men. The mason and locksmith are forced to build a prison. Roger recognizes with dismay that it is meant for Léon. The now repentant Turk, Rica, tries to help Irma and Léon to escape, but they are let down by Baptiste's cowardice and captured. He and Roger are forced to wall up the three alive.

Act 3

Roger and Baptiste are guided back home, again with their eyes blindfolded, but their homecoming is detected by an incensed Henriette, who tells them they were seen entering the château of the Turkish ambassador. This information solves the mystery of the château's location, and the mason and locksmith rush out crying, "They are saved!". When they find that the Turks have bolted from the embassy, then they set the prisoners are free.

References

External links

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Words and music without accompaniment
via Gallica
Libretto
Brussels 1827 {{DEFAULTSORT:Macon, Le Operas by Daniel Auber 1825 operas Libretti by Eugène Scribe Libretti by Germain Delavigne French-language operas Operas set in France Operas set in the 19th century Operas