Percy Anderson - Poster for The Duchess of Dantzic

''The Duchess of Dantzic'' is a

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a n ...

in three acts, set in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

, with music by

Ivan Caryll Félix Marie Henri Tilkin (12 May 1861 – 29 November 1921), better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian-born composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language, who made his career in London and later ...

and a book and lyrics by Henry Hamilton, based on the play '' Madame Sans-Gêne'' by

Victorien Sardou Victorien Sardou ( , ; 5 September 18318 November 1908) was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play. He also wrote several plays that were made into popular 19th-centur ...

and Émile Moreau. Additional lyrics by

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

. The story concerns

Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

and a laundress, Catherine Üpscher, who marries

Marshal Lefebvre Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

and becomes a

Duchess Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

. The opera was first produced in London at the Lyric Theatre in 1903 and ran for 236 performances. Subsequently, it enjoyed a successful New York production at

Daly's Theatre Daly's Theatre was a theatre in the City of Westminster. It was located at 2 Cranbourn Street, just off Leicester Square. It opened on 27 June 1893, and was demolished in 1937. The theatre was built for and named after the American impresar ...

and other productions around the world, and was revived in London and performed regularly by amateur theatre groups, particularly in Britain, until the 1950s.

Background

After composing a few

s early in his career, Caryll became extraordinarily successful in the 1890s, writing the music to hit musical comedies produced by

George Edwardes George Joseph Edwardes (né Edwards; 8 October 1855 – 4 October 1915) was an English theatre manager and producer of Irish ancestry who brought a new era in musical theatre to the British stage and beyond. Edwardes started out in theatre ma ...

, including ''

The Shop Girl ''The Shop Girl'' was a musical comedy in two acts (described by the author as a musical farce) written by H. J. W. Dam, with Lyrics by Dam and Adrian Ross and music by Ivan Caryll, and additional numbers by Lionel Monckton and Ross. It prem ...

'' (1894), '' The Gay Parisienne'' (1896), '' The Circus Girl'' (1896) and '' A Runaway Girl'' (1898). After the turn of the century, he continued to write some of the most successful musical comedy scores of the era, including '' The Messenger Boy'' (1900), '' The Toreador'' (1901), ''

The Girl From Kays ''The Girl from Kays'' is a musical comedy in three acts, with music by Ivan Caryll and book and lyrics by Owen Hall. Additional songs were by Paul Rubens, Howard Talbot, Adrian Ross, Percy Greenbank and others. The farcical story concerns a m ...

'' (1902), ''

The Earl and the Girl ''The Earl and the Girl'' is a musical comedy in two acts by Seymour Hicks, with lyrics by Percy Greenbank and music by Ivan Caryll. It was produced by William Greet and opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 10 December 1903. It transferre ...

'' (1903) and '' The Orchid'' (1903). With ''The Duchess of Dantzic'', he turned back to comic opera. Although the piece met with success, it was not the kind of blockbuster hit that the above-mentioned musical comedies were. The musical adaptation followed a celebrated production of an English version of the original French play, translated by J. Comyns Carr and starring

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ...

and

Ellen Terry Dame Alice Ellen Terry, (27 February 184721 July 1928), was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and tour ...

. The original production of ''The Duchess of Dantzic'', produced by Edwardes, opened at the Lyric Theatre in London on 17 October 1903 and ran for 236 performances. It was directed by

Robert Courtneidge Robert Courtneidge (29 June 1859 – 6 April 1939) was a British theatrical manager-producer and playwright. He is best remembered as the co-author of the light opera ''Tom Jones (Edward German), Tom Jones'' (1907) and the producer of ''The Arc ...

, choreographed by

Willie Warde Willie Warde (1857 – 18 August 1943) was an English actor, dancer, singer and choreographer. The son of a dancer, his first theatre work was with a dance company. He was engaged to arrange dances for London productions and was later cast as a ...

and had scenery by Joseph Harker and costumes by Percy Anderson. The score was generally admired, although called old-fashioned.Traubner, Richard
''Operetta: a theatrical history''
Routledge, 2003 The original New York production at Daly's Theatre ran from 16 January 1905 to 15 April 1905 for a total of 93 performances. The production was directed by

Holbrook Blinn Holbrook Blinn was an American stage and film actor. Early years Blinn was the son of Civil War veteran Col. Charles Blinn and actress Nellie Holbrook-Blinn. He was born in San Francisco and attended Stanford University before he began a career ...

and choreographed by Warde with the Anderson costumes. The cast consisted mostly of the London players, including

Adrienne Augarde Adrienne Adele Augarde (12 May 1882 – 17 March 1913) was an English actress and singer popular for nearly a decade on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, primarily for her roles in Edwardian musical comedy. She began her career in 1898 in pant ...

as Renée,

as Napoleon I,

Evie Greene Edith Elizabeth "Evie" Greene (14 January 1875 – 11 September 1917) was a much-photographed English actress and singer who played in Edwardian musical comedies in London and on Broadway. She starred as Dolores in the international hit musical ' ...

as Catherine, and

Courtice Pounds Charles Courtice Pounds (30 May 1861 Gänzl, Kurt"Pounds of Pyes, or mea culpa No. 2" Kurt Gänzl's blog, 4 May 2018. Note that hibirth registrationis in central London in the third quarter of 1861 – 21 December 1927), better known by the sta ...

as Papillon. J.C. Williamson produced the piece in Australia in 1909. A 1932 London revival starring Frank Cellier ran from 26 April to 20 May.

Roles and original cast

;Act I (1792) * Catherine Üpscher (Known as "La Sans-Gêne") –

*Lisette, Jeanne, Mathilde, Babette (Laundresses) – Claire Greet, Dorothy Tremblett, Mea Winfred and E. Labare *Philippe, Vicomte de Bethune – Lawrence Rea *Captain Regnier (National Guard) – Philip H. Bracy *

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

(Lieutenant of Artillery) –

* Sergeant François Lefebvre (of the National Guard) – Denis O'Sullivan *Sergeant Flageot (of the National Guard) – A. J. Evelyn *Papillon (A Pedlar) –

;Acts II And III - (1807) * Caroline Murat (Grand Duchess of Berg and Cleves, Sister of Napoleon) – Kitty Gordon * Pauline, Princess Borghese (Sister of Napoleon) – Violet Elliott *Catherine Maréchale Lefebvre (Madame Sans-Gêne) – Evie Greene *Renée de Saint Mézard (An Imperial Ward) –

*Mme. De Beauffremont (of the Imperial Court) – Mabel Lorrell *Mme. De Chatel (of the Imperial Court) – Mina Green *Lisette (Maréchale Lefebvre's Maid) – Claire Greet *Napoleon I (Emperor of the French) – Holbrook Blinn * Comte de Narbonne (A Courtier) – Barry Neame *M. D'alégre (Chamberlain to the Grand Duchess of Berg) – Philip H. Bracy *Adhémar, Vicomte de Bethune – Lawrence Rea *Papillon (Court Milliner) – Courtice Pounds

Billie Burke Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...

was a replacement player.

Synopsis

;Act I At the height of the

French revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

, Catherine, nicknamed Madame Sans-Gêne ("without embarrassment"), a laundress, pursues her job, unimpressed by the revolutionary comings and goings. Her fiancé, Lefebvre, is absent, taking part in the storming of the royal palace. She concentrates on her job, in the course of which she is visited by Lieutenant

. He is too short of money to pay his laundry bill, and touched by his description of the calls on his modest income in supporting his family she lets him off his debts and even offers him some money to help him. However, she holds on to his unpaid bill. As soon as Bonaparte has left, a young aristocrat, Philippe de Béthune, dashes in, to seek sanctuary from a pursuing revolutionary mob. Catherine takes pity on him, and, aided by the sympathetic pedlar Papillon, she hides Béthune in her bedroom. Her fiancé, Lefebvre, searches the place on behalf of the mob and publicly declares that she is not concealing anyone. Left alone he accuses her of hiding a lover. Béthune emerges from hiding to defend Catherine's honour, and Lefebvre is won over. He and Catherine help Béthune make his escape, leaving his young son and heir under their protection. Lefebvre gains a commission in the army and is appointed a lieutenant. Catherine is appointed vivandière (supplier of goods and victuals) to the regiment. ;Act II Fifteen years elapse. Bonaparte is now Emperor of the French, and all his old colleagues have been rewarded with titles and places at court. Lefebvre is now a Marshal of France, but his free-minded wife, Catherine, despite her new title of Duchess of Dantzic, not to mention her adopted son Adhèmar (Béthune's son), does not fit in with court etiquette, and Napoleon indicates to Lefebvre that he should divorce her and marry Mademoiselle Renée, whom the emperor considers more suitable. As Adhèmar is in love with Renée, he rebels against the emperor's cruel command and is arrested. ;Act III Adhèmar is liable to execution for rebellion. His pardon is dependent on his adopted parents' obeying Napoleon's orders and divorcing. Catherine confronts the emperor with the unpaid laundry bill from the days of his youthful poverty, and, reminded of her unselfish kindness to him, he relents, allows Catherine and Lefebvre to stay together, and blesses the marriage of Adhèmar and Renée.

Musical numbers

;Act 1 *Here you may gaze upon a bevy of beauty – Lisette, Jacqueline, Mathilde and Laundresses *When the trumpets sound "To arms" – Soldiers *Wine of France! – Sergeant Francoise Lefebvre and All *Catherine Upscher, licensed laundress – Catherine Üpscher *Are you wanting silk or satin? – Papillon and Chorus *Fricassée (dance) *My Sabots – Catherine *Do You Remember? – Francoise and Catherine *Dear Francois – Catherine Upscher, Sergeant Francoise Lefebvre, Papillon and Phillipe *Forgive me, pray – Phillipe (New York production only) *Finale Act I **The tyrant is shaken – Soldiers, Mob, Laundresses and Chorus **Aha, my boy, I give you joy – Captain Reignier **Brothers in Arms – Catherine **Then haste to the wedding – All ;Act 2 *Old days have come again – Reignier, Pauline, Caroline Murat, Ladies and Courtiers *When lurid terror ruled the land – Adhémar *His Majesty orders that ladies at court – Ensemble *You know the legend olden – Adhémar and Renée de Saint Mezard *La Petit Caporal (Lyrics by Ross) – Renée and Chorus *Here in big boxes we bear – Chorus *I'm the Milliner Monarch of Paris – Papillon and Chorus *First right, then left – Catherine and Papillon, with Chorus *Vivat! Vivat! Imperator Salve – Entrance of Napoleon I *La Midinette – Lisette and Chorus (New York production only) *Finale Act II: Assent to no divorce I can – Catherine, Francois, Napoleon I, Adhemar and Courtiers ;Act 3 *Mirror, in thy glass we scan – Catherine *A real good cry together – Catherine, Renée and Babette *Though many a happy year hath flown – Catherine and Lefebvre *Once the lips the Bourbon owned – Ladies and Courtiers *Menuet *The Legend Olden – Catherine and Napoleon I *Finale Act III: Gavotte de Vestris – All

Critical reception

Punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pu ...

'' magazine found the musical "well-balanced", although the action was "somewhat hindered" by the interpolated numbers. ''Everybody's'' magazine declared that the music of Ivan Caryll has dignity and value and real melody with breadth and colour." ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' wrote that "From start to finish the whole piece went with a swing which delighted and held the audience.""King Edward Sees New Play"
''The New York Times'', 18 October 1903, p. 9

Gallery

Promotional photographs from ''

The Play Pictorial ''The Play Pictorial'' was an English theatrical magazine that was published in London between 1902 and 1939. ''The Play Pictorial'' provided pictorial records of West End theatrical productions. Each issue described a single show, with descrip ...

'', September 1903 File:Duchess-of-Dantzic1.jpg,

, Lawrence Rea and

, Act I File:Duchess-of-Dantzic2.jpg,

and

, Act I File:Duchess-of-Dantzic3.jpg, Denis O'Sullivan as Lefebvre, Act II File:Duchess-of-Dantzic4.jpg,

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

, Act II

References

External links

The Duchess of Dantzic
at the IBDB database
Vocal score of The Duchess of DanzicReview by ''Punch'' magazine''Everybody's Magazine'' review of the New York productionImage of Pounds as Papillon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duchess of Dantzic, The English-language operas English comic operas 1903 musicals 1903 operas Operas Operas by Ivan Caryll Operas based on works by Victorien Sardou