Le médecin malgré lui (opera)

"Le médecin malgré lui" ("The Doctor in spite of himself"; sometimes also called "The Mock Doctor") is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré after Molière's play, also entitled Le médecin malgré lui.

Performance history

It premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris on January 15, 1858. As the work uses spoken dialogue and verse taken directly from Molière's play the Comédie-Française tried unsuccessfully to block performance of the opera [Haubner S. Le médecin malgré lui in "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera" ed Sadie S. Macmillan, London & New York, 1997.] . It was revived at the Opéra-Comique in 1872, 1886, 1902 and 1938, was seen in Hamburg, Stockholm and Warsaw in 1862 and in England between 1865 and 1891. [Johansson E. Notes for LPs MRF 157-S. 1979.]
It has been rarely performed in recent years, although there have been radio broadcasts: the BBC in the 1950s and French radio in the 1970s.

Roles

ynopsis [Forward to English vocal score "The Mock Doctor". English version by C L Kenney, edited by A Sullivan and J Pittman. Boosey & Co, London and New York, 18??.]

The setting is rural France in the 17th century.
(Overture)
Act 1 "in a forest"
Sganarelle is a drunken wood-cutter who ill-treats his wife "(Duo "Non, je te dis que je n'en veux rien faire")". She is waiting for a chance for revenge "(Couplets "Toute femme tient")", when Valère and Lucas, servants of wealthy Géronte, present themselves in search of a doctor for Géronte's daughter, Lucinde who is feigning dumbness in order to avoid an unpalatable marriage.Martine, Sganarelle's wife tells Valère and Lucas that her husband is a learned doctor, but will refuse to practise his art unless he is given a thrashing. They find the oblivious wood-cutter drinking "(Couplets "Qu'ils sont doux")", and force him "(Trio "Monsieur n'est ce pas")", by blows to admit his imputed profession and go with them. "(Chorus "Nous faisons tous")"
Act 2 "a room in Géronte's house"
"("Entr'acte")" Léandre sings a serenade for Lucinde "(Sérénade "Est-on sage")". Géronte complains to Lucinde's nurse Jacqueline's that he has got a rich husband in line for Lucinde as Léandre is too poor "(Couplets "D'un bout du monde")". Sganarelle puts on an act as a doctor with nonsense words and false treatments "(Sextuor "Eh bien, charmante demoiselle"; Finale "Sans nous")".
Act 3 "the house of Géronte"
"("Entr'acte")" "(Air "Vive la médicine")" After Sganarelle has been introduced to the 'patient' Lucinde, her lover Léandre obtains an interview with him, and under the disguise of an apothecary, arranges an elopement with Lucinde while the mock doctor distracts the father. "(Scene et Choeur "Sarviteur Monsieur le Docteur")""("Changement à vue")" Sganarelle and Jacqueline flirt "(Duo "Ah! que j'en suis, belle nourrice")". When the mock doctor and his apothecary return, Lucinde sees her lover and instantly regains the power of speech. "(Quintette "Rien n'est capable")" Géronte's fury is so great he is about to call for justice and to have Sganarelle hanged, when Léandre announces his father-in-law that he has just inherited a large property from an uncle. Géronte's objection to Léandre (his poverty) is thus overcome, Sganarelle is saved from punishment, Martine claims the credit for her husband's social elevation - and Sganarelle forgives her "(Finale)".

Musical style and reputation

The light, non-sentimental style of the music in "Le médecin malgré lui" has attracted many musicians and critics, including Berlioz [Huebner S. The Operas of Charles Gounod. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1990.] . "Gounod is at his best... - an elegant musician, with a charming lyrical gift, a genuine instinct for what may be called 'chamber' drama, and a discreet and well-balanced sense of the orchestra". [Cooper M. "French music from the death of Berlioz to the death of Fauré". Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1961.]
Alongside his distinctive feel throughout for French prosody, the Sextet from Act 2 has been noted for its use of song and melodrame where Sganarelle has to diagnose Lucinde's muteness; Gounod also manages pastiches of earlier styles in the march that closes Act 2 and Léandre's serenade. [Lacombe H. The Keys to French Opera in the Nineteenth Century. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2001.]

Other operas based on the same play

By: Désaugiers (1792), Haibel (1841), Poise (1887) [Wiley Hitchcock H. Molière in "New Grove Dictionary of Opera" ed Sadie S. Macmillan, London & New York, 1997.] .

References

* [http://www.amadeusonline.net/almanacco.php?Start=0&Giorno=15&Mese=01&Anno=1858&Giornata=&Testo=&Parola=Stringa Amadeus Almanac, accessed 17 August 2008]