Clairette Angot, daughter of the market.
Mlle. Lange, comedienne.
Ange Pitou, street singer.
Pomponnet, hairdresser.
Larivaudière, }
Louchard, } police officials.
Javotte.
Amaranthe.
Cydalise.
Hersilie.
Babet.
Trenitz.
[Bourgeois, grenadiers, conspirators, hussars, servants, marketwomen,
etc.
The scene is laid in Paris; time, about the period of the French
Revolution.
The first act opens in a market square in Paris where the marketwomen and
others in holiday costume are making ready to celebrate the wedding of
Pomponnet, the hairdresser, and Clairette, the daughter of the late
Madame Angot. During the festive preparations, for which Clairette has
little desire, as her affections are fixed upon Ange Pitou, a street
singer, who is continually in trouble by reason of his political songs,
the latter makes his appearance. He is informed of the forthcoming
wedding, which has been arranged by the market people, who have adopted
Clairette as the child of the market. At the same time Larivaudière and
Louchard, the police officials who caused his arrest because of his
knowledge of the relations of Larivaudière and Mademoiselle Lange, the
comedienne and favorite of Barras, are surprised to find him at large. To
prevent him from reciting his knowledge in a song which he is sure has
been written, Larivaudière buys him off. Pitou subsequently regrets his
bargain. When the crowd clamors for a song, he says he has none. The
people are furious with him, but Clairette comes to his rescue. She has
found the song denouncing Larivaudière, sings it, and is arrested,
notwithstanding Pitou's declaration that he is the author of it.
The second act opens in Mademoiselle Lange's salon. She has persuaded
Barras to release Clairette and have her brought to her apartments, so
that she may discover why she sings this song denouncing the government
and insulting her also. In the mean time she has also sent for Pomponnet,
her hairdresser, and informs him what his future wife has done. He
replies that Pitou wrote the song, and that he (Pomponnet) has it. She
orders him to fetch it to her. When Clairette arrives they recognize each
other as old school friends. Mademoiselle Lange assures her she shall not
go back to prison and that she need not marry Pomponnet. She retires to
Mademoiselle Lange's boudoir, when a visitor is announced. It is Ange
Pitou, and a love scene at once occurs. The jealous Larivaudière enters
and accuses them of being lovers. To justify herself Mademoiselle Lange
declares that Pitou and Clairette are lovers, and the latter confirms the
statement. Pomponnet's voice is heard in the outer room. He is admitted,
and promptly arrested for having the revolutionary song on his person.
The act closes with a meeting of conspirators, and Mademoiselle Lange's
clever oiling of the grenadiers who have come to arrest them by turning
the whole affair into a grand ball, to which they are invited.
The last act is occupied with plots and counter-plots which at last
succeed in disentangling all the complications. Mademoiselle Lange's
perfidy, as well as Pitou's, is shown up, Larivaudière has his revenge,
and Clairette and Pomponnet are made happy.
The music of the opera is so bright, gay, and characteristic that it made
Lecocq a dangerous rival of Offenbach. The most conspicuous numbers are
Clairette's pretty romance, "L'enfant de la Halle" ("The Child of the
Market"); Amaranthe's jolly couplets, "Marchande de marée" ("A Beautiful
Fishwoman"); Ange Pitou's rondo, "Certainement j'aimais Clairette" ("'Tis
true I loved Clairette") and Clairette's spirited song, "Jadis les rois,
race proscrite" ("Once Kings, a Race proscribed"), in the first act:
another equally spirited song, "Comme un Coursier" ("Like a Courser");
Pomponnet's pretty air, "Elle est tellement innocente" ("She is so
innocent"); a charming sentimental duet for Mademoiselle Lange and
Clairette, "Jours fortunes de notre enfance" ("Happy Days of Childhood");
a striking ensemble in the form of a quintette, "Oui, je vous le dis,
c'est pour elle" ("Yes, 'tis on her Account alone"); and the famous
conspirators' chorus, "Quand on conspire" ("When one conspires"), in the
second act: and Clairette's couplets with chorus, "Vous aviez fait de la
dépense" ("You put yourselves to Great Expense"); the humorous duet,
"Larivaudière and Pomponnet," and Clairette's song, "Ah! c'est donc toi"
("Ah! 'tis you, then"), in the last act.