L'Etoile

Hailed by Stravinsky as a masterpiece, Emmanuel Chabrier’s 1877 opera L’Étoile (The Lucky Star) is one of the great works in the opera bouffe tradition, with a memorably silly plot, inventive music (among the novelty numbers are a tickle duet, a drunken duo, and a sneezing aria) and many allusions to the conventions of grand opera. SYNOPSIS: Crazy King (Ouf) is about to celebrate his 39th birthday the way he celebrates every year – with a public execution. A peddler named Lazuli, in a bad mood because the woman he has just fallen for (Laoula) is otherwise betrothed, insults the King and is designated the sacrifice. But before the execution, King Ouf’s astrologer, Siroco, warns the King that he is to die within a day after Lazuli. So Lazuli is spared and honoured, but he still wants to marry Laoula, and - after much confusion – King Ouf approves and they wed. Jeremy Sams’ renowned, sparkling English translation brings this hilarious, Offenbachian opera to life!

Instrumentation
0

Format
Vocal material only