Madame Pompadour (operetta)

"Madame Pompadour" is an operetta in three acts, composed by Leo Fall with a libretto by Rudolf Schanzer and Ernst Welisch. It opened at the Berliner Theater in Berlin on September 9 1922 and the Carltheater in Vienna on March 2 1923.

English adaptations

An English adaptation, by Frederick Lonsdale and Harry Graham (lyrics), opened at Daly's Theatre in London on December 20 1923 and ran for a very successful 469 performances. It starred Bertram Wallis, Derek Oldham, Huntley Wright and Evelyn Laye.

A second English adaptation, in two acts, with an adaptation by Clare Kummer and lyrics by Schanzer and Welisch, was produced on Broadway in 1924-25, starring Wilda Bennett. Film and other versions were made.

Roles

*King Louis XV
*René, Comte D'estrades (tenor)
*Maurepas, "Minister of Police"
*Poulard, "his assistant"
*Prunier, "landlord of the "Nine Muses"
*Collin, "Pompadour's chamberlain"
*Austrian Ambassador
*Lieut. Corneille, "in command of the guard"
*Boucher, "court painter"
*Tourelle, "porcelain manufacturer"
*Jacques
*Joseph Calicot (tenor)
*Madeleine, Comtesse D'estrades
*Mariette, "maid to Madame Pompadour"
*Madame de Pompadour (soprano)

Musical numbers (English adaptation)

Act I
*Introduction & ensemble (Calicot and Chorus)
*Quintet - (René and Girls) - "Carnival Time" - ("Laridi, laridon! At carnivals the world must have a gay time")
*Duet - (Pompadour & Mariette) - "Love me Now" - ("I feel so excited, I won't deny")
*Duet - (Pompadour and René) - "By the Light of the Moon" - ("Grant favour, In that arbour your heart will grow braver")
*Duet - (Calicot and Mariette) - "If I were King" - ("Though I'd feel a trifle strange")
*Finale Act I

Act II
*Introduction & ensemble
*Duet- (Pompadour and René) - "Love's Sentry" - ("Sentry 'shun, you're on parade now")
*Sextet - (Pompadour, Mariette, Madeleine & Three Maids) - "Tell me what your eyes were made for"
*Serenade - (René and Chorus of Soldiers) - "Madame Pompadour"
*Duet - (Pompadour & Calicot) - "Joseph!" - ("Mine's a mad infatuation")
*Reminiscence ... "Madame Pompadour"
*Finale Act II

Act III
*Introduction
*Duet - (Calicot & Mariette) - "Two Little Birds" - ("Though you're a girl I've gone simply mad about")
*Finale Act III

ee also

Madame de Pompadour (historical figure)

External links

* [http://musicaltheatreguide.com/composers/fall/madamepompadour.htm London cast list and musical numbers]
* [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=9624 Information about the Broadway production]
* [http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html Site showing the number of performances of long-running shows]