The Duchess of Dantzic

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The Duchess of Dantzic is a comic opera in three acts, set in Paris, with music by Ivan Caryll and a book and lyrics by Henry Hamilton, based on the play Madame Sans-Gêne by Victorien Sardou and Émile Moreau. Additional lyrics by Adrian Ross. The story concerns Napoleon I and a laundress, Catherine Üpscher, who marries Marshal Lefebvre and becomes a Duchess.

The opera was first produced in London at the Lyric Theatre on 17 October 1903 and ran for 236 performances.

Dramatis Personæ

ACT I - (1792)

CATHERINE ÜPSCHER (Known as "La Sans-Gêne")

Miss Evie Greene

LISETTE
JEANNE
MATHILDE
BABETTE

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(Laundresses)

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Miss Claire Greet
Miss Dorothy Tremblett
Miss Mea Winfred
Miss E. Labare

PHILIPPE, VICOMTE DE BETHUNE	Mr. Lawrence Rea
CAPTAIN REGNIER (National Guard)	Mr. Philip H. Bracy
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE (Lieutenant of Artillery)	Mr. Holbrook Blinn
SERGEANT FRANÇOIS LEFEBVRE (of the National Guard)	Mr. Denis O'Sullivan
SERGEANT FLAGEOT (of the National Guard)	Mr. A. J. Evelyn
PAPILLON (a Pedlar)	Mr. Courtice Pounds

ACTS II AND III. - (1807)

CAROLINE MURAT

Miss Kitty Gordon

(Grand Duchess of Berg and Cleves, Sister of Napoleon)

PAULINE, PRINCESS BORGHESE (Sister of Napoleon)

Miss Violet Elliott

CATHERINE MARÉCHALE LEFEBVRE (Madame Sans-Gêne)

Miss Evie Greene

RENÉE DE SAINT MÉZARD (an Imperial Ward)

Miss Adrienne Augarde

MME. DE BEAUFFREMONT (of the Imperial Court)

Miss Mabel Lorrell

MME. DE CHATEL (of the Imperial Court)

Miss Mina Green

LISETTE (Maréchale Lefebvre's Maid)

Miss Claire Greet

NAPOLEON I. (Emperor of the French)

Mr. Holbrook Blinn

COMTE DE NARBONNE (a Courtier)

Mr. Barry Neame

M. D'ALÉGRE (Chamberlain to the Grand Duchess of Berg)

Mr. Philip H. Bracy

ADHÉMAR, VICOMTE DE BETHUNE

Mr. Lawrence Rea

PAPILLON (Court Milliner)

Mr. Courtice Pounds

MIDI Files

Act I - La Sans-Gêne's Laundry in the Rue Royale, Paris.

Overture
No. 1 - Opening Chorus of Laundresses - "Here you may gaze on a bevy of beauty..."
No. 2 - Chorus of Soldiers - "When the trumpets sound 'To Arms!'..."
No. 3 - Drinking Song - Lefebvre - "Wine of France!"
No. 4 - Song - Catherine - "Catherine Upscher, licensed laundress..."
No. 5 - Song - Papillon and Chorus - "Are you wanting silk or satin?"
No. 6 - Dance - "Fricassée."
No. 7 - Duet - Catherine and Lefebvre - "Do you remember?"
No. 8 - Trio - Catherine, Bethune and Lefebvre - "Dear François, just in nick of time you came..."
No. 9 - Finale Act I - "The tyrant is shaken..."

Act II - Gardens of the Palace of Fontainebleau.

No. 10 - Act II Opening Chorus - "Old days have come again..."
No. 11 - Song - Adhémar - "When lurid terror ruled the land..."
No. 12 - Scene and Ensemble - "His Majesty orders that ladies at court..."
No. 13 - Duet - Adhémar and Renée - "You know the legend olden..."
No. 14 - Chorus of Assistants - "Here in boxes big we bear..."
No. 14a - Song - Papillon and Chorus - "I'm milliner monarch of Paris..."
No. 15 - Vocal Menuet - Catherine and Papillon, with Chorus - "First right, then left..."
No. 16 - Chorus - Entrance of Napoleon - "Vivat! Vivat! Imperator Salve..."
No. 17 - Finale - Act II - "Assent to no divorce I can..."

Act III - Scene I - Les Tuileries - Apartments of the Maréchale Lefebvre.

No. 18 - Opening of Act III - Song - Catherine - "Mirror, in thy glass we scan..."
No. 19 - Trio - Catherine, Renée and Babette - "A real good cry together."
No. 20 - Duet - Catherine and Lefebvre - "Though many a happy year hath flown..."

Act III - Scene II - Les Tuileries - The Throne Room.

No. 21 - Chorus of Ladies and Courtiers - "Once our lips the Bourbon owned..."
No. 22 - Menuet
No. 23 - Duet - Catherine and Napoleon - "Letter Song."
No. 24 - Finale - Gavotte de Vestris
Additional Song - Catherine and Chorus - "My Sabots."
Additional Song - Renée and Chorus - "Le Petit Caporal."

MIDI Files

External Links: Vocal Score at MUSOPEN; The Duchess of Dantzic at Wikipedia; The Duchess of Dantzic at The Guide to Musical Theatre; The Duchess of Dantzic at Stage Beauty

British Musical Theatre | Musicals

Page modified 17 November 2016