Les deux aveugles
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| Operas by Jacques Offenbach |
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Ba-ta-clan (1855) |
Les deux aveugles (The Two Blind Men) is a one-act bouffonerie musicale, in the style of an operetta, by Jacques Offenbach to a French libretto by Jules Moinaux. The piece was a condensation of Les Musiciens ambulants. It was first performed at the tiny Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens in the Champs-Elysées, Paris, on 5 July 1855. The piece later received more productions, including translations in German and English, playing at the large Gaiety Theatre, London in 1872, and has become one of Offenbach's popular one-act works.
The half-hour long piece is a comic sketch about two blind beggars. Offenbach was bold in making light of the disabled poor, but he believed that his patrons would see the humour of the piece. Most Parisians had been pestered by beggars on Parisian street corners, and Offenbach's blind beggars were con men, rather than deserving outcasts of society. The little piece was an instant hit, praised for its catchy dance tunes.
Offenbach became the darling of Second Empire Paris. His subsequent pieces would continue to mock customs of the day, without really upsetting the status quo enjoyed by the theatregoing public. Offenbach's early operettas were small-scale one-act works, since the law in France limited musical theatre works (other than grand opera) to one-act pieces with no more than three singers and, perhaps, some mute characters.[1] In 1858, this law was changed, and Offenbach was able to offer full-length works, beginning with Orpheus in the Underworld.
Contents |
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, July 5, 1855 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Giraflier | tenor | Jean Berthelier |
| Patachon | tenor | Étienne Pradeau |
[edit] Synopsis
In 19th century Vienna, two "blind" beggars compete for the best position on the Elisabeth bridge. "Business" has not been brisk. When passers-by drop coins, the beggars are able to see well enough to retrieve them. To impress each other, they fabricate wild stories, accompanied by singing. The contest becomes comically grotesque.
