''Brummell'' is a 1931

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 and five scenes by

Reynaldo Hahn Reynaldo Hahn de Echenagucia (9 August 1874 – 28 January 1947) was a Venezuelan-born French composer, conductor, music critic, and singer. He is best known for his songs – ''mélodies'' – of which he wrote more than 100. Hahn was born ...

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 ...

by Rip and Robert Dieudonné. Its protagonist is the English

dandy A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance and personal grooming, refined language and leisurely hobbies. A dandy could be a self-made man both in person and ''persona'', who emulated the aristocratic style of l ...

Beau Brummell George Bryan "Beau" Brummell (7 June 1778 – 30 March 1840) was an important figure in Regency England, and for many years he was the arbiter of British men's fashion. At one time, he was a close friend of the Prince Regent, the future King ...

(1778-1840), although the storyline is entirely fictional."Brummell"
''Encyclopédie multimedia de la comédie musicale en France'' website , accessed 25 June 2018

Roles

Synopsis

;Act I: Scene 1 "The dandies"; Scene 2 "The king of fashion" Beau Brummel meets with Jim, who is taking part in a

boxing match Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing punches at each other for a p ...

. Brummell shares Jim's lowly origins; they were friends as children when Brummell's aunt was a

dairy A dairy is a place where milk is stored and where butter, cheese, and other dairy products are made, or a place where those products are sold. It may be a room, a building, or a larger establishment. In the United States, the word may also des ...

-woman near Hyde Park, and when Brummell himself was in love with the

washerwoman A washerwoman or laundress is a woman who takes in laundry. Both terms are now old-fashioned; equivalent work nowadays is done by a laundry worker in large commercial premises, or a laundrette (laundromat) attendant, who helps with handling w ...

's daughter Peggy. Peggy has since become Brummell's laundress, without the latter being aware of her identity; however Jim recognizes her and Brummell is moved at the re-introduction. As Brummell has lost a lot of money at the

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

, Peggy suggests he retreats to the

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

countryside. ;Act II: Scene 1 "At Lady Eversharp's"; Scene 2 "To the country!" Lady Eversharp wonders where Brummel can have got to. By chance, a group of dandies are on a

fox hunt Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, normally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hounds" ...

at the village where Brummell is hiding, initially mistaking a

scarecrow A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin that is often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops. ...

on which Brummell's cast-off fineries have been clad for the man himself. Jim tells them that Brummell is living there in retirement, and as Brummell's word in fashion is law, the dandies reappear dressed as peasants. although they still do not recognize Brummell in his disguise. ;Act III The dandies are now dressed as Trianon-style

shepherd A shepherd is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations; it exists in many parts of the globe, and it is an important part of Pastoralism, pastoralist animal husbandry. ...

s. The Prince of Wales rebukes Brummell for having deserted high society in favour of a laundress who will not even consent to be his mistress. Brummell wagers that he can conquer her by mid-day. He loses: but when he is about to confess, Peggy offers to say that she has become his lover, to save his reputation. Touched, Brummell declines and gives his blessing for her to marry her true love.''Programme''
for ''Brummell'' (1931), ''Encyclopédie multimedia de la comédie musicale en France'' website , accessed 27 June 2018

Recordings and broadcast

A number of

78 rpm A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The g ...

recordings were made in 1931 of numbers from the opera, sung by those who premiered them. Some of these recordings were conducted by the composer. Complete performances were broadcast on French radio in 1946 (when the cast included Gérard Souzay), in 1950 and 1952, and in 1962 with Aime Doniat, Albert Voli, Gaston Rey, and the Orchestre Radio-Symphonique de Lille, conducted by Marcel Cariven.

Gallery

dandies A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance and personal grooming, refined language and leisurely hobbies. A dandy could be a self-made man both in person and ''persona'', who emulated the Aristocracy, aristocrati ...

Roles

Synopsis

Recordings and broadcast

Gallery

References

External links