Reproduction of an engraving made from a photograph in 1859, about the
time of the first production of Faust, Gounod being then in his
forty-first year.
]
Gounod had borrowed “Le Médécin Malgré Lui” from Molière; he had
appropriated material from Goethe’s “Faust;” it was La Fontaine who
furnished him the subject of a pretty opera, somewhat light in
character, called “Philémon et Baucis,” performed at the
_Théâtre-Lyrique_, Feb. 18, 1860. The score of “Philémon et Baucis” is a
pleasant one, full of charm, in which tenderness and grace alternates
with fun and buffoonery. The work, which was in three acts, achieved
only a moderate success at the _Théâtre-Lyrique_; its real success dates
from its transfer to the _Opéra Comique_, reduced to two acts. Since
then it has never been taken from the repertoire of that theatre. But
soon Gounod was to appear on the grand stage of the _Opéra_ with a work
of large proportions, “La Reine de Saba.” Notwithstanding the fame which
his previous works had made for him, he was no more fortunate with “La
Reine de Saba” (Feb. 29, 1862) than he had been with “La Nonne
Sanglante.” It is true that this time the trouble lay principally in the
libretto of his collaborators, which was absolutely devoid of interest.
For it is but just to say that if the score of “La Reine de Saba” is of
unequal merit and of a secondary character, it nevertheless contains
some superb and exquisite pages, like the noble air of Balkis, and the
beautiful chorus of the Jewesses and the Sabians. However, it only lived
through fifteen performances at Paris, though it should be remarked that
in certain foreign cities it was received with great favor, and that in
Brussels and Darmstadt, among others, its success was considerable.
Gounod’s unfortunate attempts at the _Opéra_ led him to turn his
attention anew to the _Théâtre-Lyrique_, where he brought out, March 19,
1864, a work entitled “Mireille,” the subject of which was taken from a
pretty provincial poem by Frederic Mistral, bearing the same title,
(Mireio). This poem is an exquisite pastorale, written in that
provincial language at once so musical, so sweet and harmonious, a
language which is melody in itself. Unhappily, the libretto which Gounod
set to music on this subject was badly chosen, being ill adapted to the
stage, and therefore militated against the composer’s work, although the
latter contained some truly charming pages. The first act, particularly,
radiant with light and sunshine, is charmingly poetic, and especially
deserving of mention is the beautiful chorus of the magnarelles and the
touching duet of Mireille and Vincent. The score contains still other
charming bits, such as Magali’s beautiful song and Taven’s couplets:
Voici la saison, mignonne. However, the defective libretto stood in the
way of the success of the work, which at first remained undecided. It
was found necessary to entirely rewrite the work, to make large
suppressions, and reduce it from five to three acts, which did not
result in its being any better received by the public. It was not until
later, when it was transferred to the _Opéra Comique_ after having been
subjected to still further revisions and cast in its final form, that
“Mireille” at last found the success which its incontestable musical
value merited. Thereafter, it never left the repertoire of that theatre.
No particular importance can be attached to a little work in two acts,
“La Colombe,” which Gounod gave to the _Opéra Comique_ in 1866, and
which he had written some years before for the theatre at Baden; it was
a sort of salon operetta, without special character or consequence. But
the composer was yet to carry off one of the most brilliant victories of
his career with “Roméo et Juliette” which made its first appearance at
the _Théâtre-Lyrique_ on the 27th of April, 1867. More fortunate than
“Faust” and “Mireille,” whose success had been so difficult to
establish, “Roméo et Juliette” was well received from the very outset,
and this superb score in which the passion of love and the sentiment of
chivalry are so happily united, immediately found favor with the public.
Nor has it ever ceased to excite public sympathy, and it has changed its
biding-place from the _Théâtre-Lyrique_ to the _Opéra Comique_, and from
that theatre to the _Opéra_ without experiencing any diminution of
public interest. “Roméo et Juliette” has exceeded the number of five
hundred performances in Paris, one hundred of which were at the
_Théâtre-Lyrique_, about three hundred at the _Opéra Comique_ and more
than one hundred at the _Opéra_. Outside of France it has not been less
successful, and it has made a part of the repertoire of all the great
theatres of Europe.
Moreover, “Roméo et Juliette” marks the culminating point in the career
of Gounod, who since then has not been able to equal its success. In
1870 the master went to London where he remained for several years,
working and producing much. There it was that he wrote, among other
things, an opera called “George Dandin,” to the prose of Molière, which
has not yet been performed; it was there also that he wrote, for the
Universal Exposition at London in 1871, a grand cantata entitled
“Gallia,” which was performed later at Paris, where it was very
favorably received. A warm welcome was also given to the music which
Gounod wrote for “Jeanne d’Arc,” a drama in verse by Jules Barbier which
was performed at the Gaiety on Nov. 8, 1873. This music consisted of
melodramas, interludes, choruses, etc., and contained some very
interesting pages. The preceding year the Ventadour theatre had brought
out a drama in verse by Ernest Legouvé for which Gounod had written a
score of the same kind; this drama was called “Les Deux Reines de
France.”
In these two works the music was merely an accessory, and the composer
was only the humble servant of the poet, whom he discreetly aided and
supplemented. But Gounod had not given up the idea of appearing again
before the public as a true dramatic musician. Ten years had elapsed
since he had given “Roméo et Juliette,” and the public were growing
impatient for a new work from him, when in 1877 the _Opéra Comique_
announced the performance of “Cinq-Mars.” This was an artistic treat in
which all Paris desired to participate, but which did not wholly justify
the hopes which it had raised. The score of “Cinq-Mars” was certainly
far from being worthless; it was written in a musical language that was
superb and noble in style, but aside from a few exquisite pages, it did
not have the freshness, the abundance and the generosity of inspiration
which had hitherto characterized Gounod’s work. It was unequal, cold at
intervals, and one no longer felt that vigor of youth, that warmth of
accent which had made the triumph of the master’s great productions. In
a word “Cinq-Mars” was received with sympathy but not enthusiasm, and as
soon as the novelty had passed it disappeared without causing any
disquietude.
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