Cyrano de Bergerac is an operetta composed by Victor Herbert with a libretto by Harry B. Smith. It is based on play written in 1897 by Edmond Rostand. It opened at the Knickerbocker Theatre, New York on 18 September 1899.

Dramatis Personæ

MIDI Files

• Overture

ACT I   -   Salon in the Hotel de Bourgogne.

• No. 1 - Opening Chorus - "The clock is on the stroke of eight, the hall is gay and bright, and with impatience we await a novelty tonight..."
• No. 2a - Chorus of Cavaliers - "Come the gallants of the court, the valiant carpet Knights;  play and sport of ev'ry sort each cavalier invites..."
• No. 2b - Song - Roxane and Male Chorus - "I am a court coquette, they say, eh bien! it is admitted, you've tried to win me ev'ry way, and all have been outwitted."
• No. 3 - Song - Cyrano and Chorus - "I come, I come from Gascony, that home of poor relations;  I'm rustic bred as you may see; my folk of humble stations."
• No. 4 - Duet - Cyrano and Roxane - "The man to whom I give my heart must have a wondrous brain, must know each science and each art..."
• No. 5 - Combat Chorus and Solo - Christian - "What's that? what can it be? 'Tis the ring of swords." & "Ye gallants of our sunny land who woo with hearts aflame..."
• No. 6 - Trio - Roxane, Cyrano and Christian - "The little song he sent to me, I'll sing it, then perchance I'll see if my unknown ideal is he;  Yes, I will see..."
• No. 7 - Finale Act I - "With measured tread and haughty head we come, the Cardinal's guard;  for he insists that duellists shall meet a fate that's hard..."

ACT II   -   Ragueneau's Cook Shop.

• No. 8 - Opening Chorus, and Song - Lise - "In Ragueneau's café there is a welcome hearty, and here on ev'ry day you'll find a hungry party..."
• No. 9 - Chorus of Poets, with Ragueneau, 1st. Poet and Lise - "Comrades of Apollo you behold in us;  rough the road we follow, fate of genius..."
• No. 10 - Song - Cyrano and Chorus - "What makes a man a soldier or a poet?  What makes a man succeed at any game?  I fancy ev'rybody doesn't know it..."
• No. 11 - Captain Castel-Jaloux and Male Chorus - "Captain am I of a gallant band, the bold cadets of Gascony.  Sword in hand 'gainst the world we stand..."
• No. 12 - Waltz Song - Roxane - "I wonder, I wonder if love is grief or joy.  I wonder if to love or not is best.  With smiling be guiling, a mischief making boy..."
• No. 13 - Finale Act II - "Oh, hark the call, our country is in need.  The foe awaits e'en at our gates, we must the summons heed."

ACT III   -   The French Camp.

• No. 14 - Entr'acte, and Unaccompanied Male Chorus - "In bivouac reposing, warriors sleep, in lightest of dozing or in slumber deep..."
• No. 15 - Song - Cyrano and Chorus - "If a person asks me questions on affairs of no account, I'll give him ready answers in a fabulous amount..."
• No. 16 - Song - Roxane and Chorus - "Over the mountain road so steep, we started at early dawn;  o'er the cliffs so high, in the gorges deep, we rushed..."
• No. 17 - Serenade - Captain Castel-Jaloux and Chorus - "Here's a song for you, beauty's own paragon, for we hear you're surpassingly fair..."
• No. 18 - Trio - Cyrano, Christian and Roxane - "Let the sun of thine eyes melt the ice of my heart, which may melt into rivers of melody sweet..."
• No. 19 - Finale Act III - "It's the influence of an ambitious nose;  it is that which always leads on to great and noble deeds..."

 MIDI files

External Links

Vocal Score at The Library of Congress

"Pocket Version" on YouTube

American Musical Theatre

Page modified 14 November 2016