BABETTE
A comic opera in 3 acts. Music by Victor Herbert ; Book and Lyrics by Harry B. Smith
Broadway Theatre, New York - 16th November 1903 - 9th January, 1904 (59 perfs)
Synopsis
Babette is a village letter writer in Antwerp during the days of Spanish domination. With the help of a soldier of fortune, Mondragon, she enlists the aid of the king of France to overthrow the despotic rule.
Musical Numbers
Act I - Garden of Van Tympel's House near Antwerp.
- Opening Chorus - "Swing the arm, and toss the sphere swiftly o'er the verdant moss; little reck' we care or fear, naught we care for gain or loss..."
- Song - Mondragon and Chorus - "Let others waste their time pursuing the fleeting phantoms, wealth and fame. Such bubbles are not worth the wooing..."
- Duet - Mondragon and Vinetta - "Here is a song to you, fair maid, on the other side of the wall, though I know well you're a fickle jade..."
- Entrance of Babette - "Here's Babette ... Here's Babette, the letter writer, come and set your mind at ease ... Here's Babette; welcome, Babette..."
- Song - Babette - "In pursuit of my profession many letters strange I write; sometimes 'tis a love confession, sometimes challenges to fight..."
- Song - Tympel and Chorus - "Oh, the clockmaker's trade is a right good trade and a thrifty trade as well, for the good old clocks that for you are made..."
- Duet - Marcel and Babette - "My subject is so fair a creature, no artist could her charm portray, nor realize her grace of feature on canvass..."
- Finale Act I - Babette, Marcel, Mondragon and Chorus - "My friends, to arms! Come, all, to arms, 'tis the Nation calls! Defend our native land..."
Act II - A Roadside Inn near Brussels.
- Opening Chorus - "Kermess day of all the year is the merriest of all, and so now that Kermess day let us all obey the call..."
- Chorus, Trio - Baltazar, Vinetta and Van Dyk - "Hey! hey! the coach ... Hey! hey! the coach ... the coach approaches, hurrah! ..."
- Dance
- Song - Mondragon and Chorus - "What would you buy, merry gentlemen all? For bargains each man of us strives, I've frippery furbelows, trinkets..."
- Romanza - Marcel - "If I could look into your eyes and see the love-light there, there were no knight in armor bright but might of me beware..."
- Entrance of Babette, Van Tympel and Eva - "To the sound of the pipe and the roll of the drum, the strolling comedians hitherward come..."
- Song - Babette - "Once young Pierrot the gay the free, fell deep in love as deep could be, with Columbine so fair to see, and sighed so sadly: woe is me..."
- Sextette - Marcel, Van Tympel, Eva, Mondragon, Katrina and Theresa - "There once was an owl, an intelligent fowl, so they tell me..."
- Entrance of Guzman and Musketeers - "When troopers ride into a town with chargers urged by the spur, there's never a girl but her head's in a whirl..."
- Finale Act II - "Hail! Duchess young and fair, of aristocratic air, never may your beauty fail! Here's hail, Duchess, hail! ..."
Act III - Versailles.
- Opening Chorus - "Stately grace! Rhythmic tread! Trip the newest dance of sword and fan. Proudly posed! Haughty head ..."
- Entrance of Principals as Spanish Envoys - "We've come from the land of sunny, sunny Spain ... and a hearing by royalty we wish to gain..."
- Madrigal - "My lady of the manor may be fair, may be fair. Hey nonny O, none shall say her nay. But Dolly of the milking pail may have as golden hair..."
- Butterfly Waltz Song - Babette - "Ah... Where the fairest flow'rs are blooming in the summer air 'neath the azure sky, I would dwell 'mid their perfuming..."
- Finale Act III - "Say farewell to all; one and all must happy be. I invite you to my wedding; none shall be as gay as we..."
Cast
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Scenes and settings
Act 1: - Garden of Van Tympel's House near Antwerp.
Act 2: - A Roadside Inn near Brussels.
Act 3: - Versailles.
Period: Seventeenth Century.