Brummell is a 1931 operetta in three acts and five scenes by Reynaldo Hahn to a libretto by Rip and Robert Dieudonné. Its protagonist is the English dandy Beau Brummell (1778-1840), although the storyline is entirely fictional. [1]
Brummell is a 1931 operetta in three acts and five scenes by Reynaldo Hahn to a libretto by Rip and Robert Dieudonné. Its protagonist is the English dandy Beau Brummell (1778-1840), although the storyline is entirely fictional. [1]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 17 January 1931 [1] Théâtre des Folies-Wagram (Conductor: Albert Valsien) |
|---|---|---|
| Beau Brummell | Robert Pizani | |
| Jim | Lucien Baroux | |
| Dick Fryatt | Louis Arnault | |
| The Prince of Wales | Henry Jullien | |
| Lady Eversharp | Marguerite Deval | |
| Peggy | Sim Viva | |
| Laura | Renée Devilder | |
Beau Brummel meets with Jim, who is taking part in a boxing match. Brummell shares Jim's lowly origins; they were friends as children when Brummell's aunt was a dairy-woman near Hyde Park, and when Brummell himself was in love with the washerwoman's daughter Peggy. Peggy has since become Brummell's laundress, without the latter being aware of her identity; however Jim recognizes her and Brummell is moved at the re-introduction. As Brummell has lost a lot of money at the Derby, Peggy suggests he retreats to the Surrey countryside.
Lady Eversharp wonders where Brummel can have got to. By chance, a group of dandies are on a fox hunt at the village where Brummell is hiding, initially mistaking a scarecrow on which Brummell's cast-off fineries have been clad for the man himself. Jim tells them that Brummell is living there in retirement, and as Brummell's word in fashion is law, the dandies reappear dressed as peasants. although they still do not recognize Brummell in his disguise.
The dandies are now dressed as Trianon-style shepherds. The Prince of Wales rebukes Brummell for having deserted high society in favour of a laundress who will not even consent to be his mistress. Brummell wagers that he can conquer her by mid-day. He loses: but when he is about to confess, Peggy offers to say that she has become his lover, to save his reputation. Touched, Brummell declines and gives his blessing for her to marry her true love. [2]
A number of 78 rpm recordings were made in 1931 of numbers from the opera, sung by those who premiered them. Some of these recordings were conducted by the composer. Complete performances were broadcast on French radio in 1946 (when the cast included Gérard Souzay), in 1950 and 1952, and in 1962 with Aime Doniat, Albert Voli, Gaston Rey, and the Orchestre Radio-Symphonique de Lille, conducted by Marcel Cariven. [1]
A dandy, historically, is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of self. A dandy could be a self-made man who strove to imitate an aristocratic lifestyle despite coming from a middle-class background, especially in late 18th- and early 19th-century Britain.
George Bryan "Beau" Brummell was an iconic figure in Regency England and for many years the arbiter of men's fashion. At one time he was a close friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, but after the two quarrelled, and Brummell got into debt, he had to take refuge in France. Eventually he died shabby and insane in Caen.
Reynaldo Hahn was a Venezuelan, naturalised French, composer, conductor, music critic, diarist, theatre director, and salon singer. Best known as a composer of songs, he wrote in the French classical tradition of the mélodie.
Beau Brummell is a 1954 American-British historical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Curtis Bernhardt and produced by Sam Zimbalist from a screenplay by Karl Tunberg, based on the play Beau Brummell by Clyde Fitch. The play was previously adapted as a silent film made in 1924 and starring John Barrymore as Beau Brummell, Mary Astor, and Willard Louis as the Prince of Wales.
Monsieur Beaucaire is a romantic opera in three acts, composed by André Messager. The libretto, based on the 1900 novel by Booth Tarkington, is by Frederick Lonsdale, with lyrics by Adrian Ross. The piece premiered at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Birmingham, England, on 7 April 1919, before opening at the Prince's Theatre in London under the management of Frank Curzon on 19 April 1919 and transferring to the Palace Theatre on 29 July 1919, for a successful run.
Coups de roulis is an opérette in three acts with music by André Messager and a French libretto by Albert Willemetz, based on the 1925 novel by Maurice Larrouy.
Henri Marius Christiné was a French composer of Swiss birth.
Dédé is an opérette or musical comedy in three acts with music by Henri Christiné and a French libretto by Albert Willemetz. It marked an important milestone in developing the career of Maurice Chevalier.
L'amour masqué is a comédie musicale in three acts with music by André Messager and a French libretto by Sacha Guitry, based on the work by Ivan Caryll. It was originally to be called J'ai deux amants – the title of a song for Elle in act 1. Messager's orchestration, on a smaller-scale than usual, was necessitated by the size of the pit at the Théâtre Édouard VII, and modelled on the pit bands which played for silent films of the time.
Mariette Sully (1878–1950) was a Belgian soprano who was principally active in operetta in France.
The Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques was a theatre in Paris in the 19th and 20th centuries. Opened first in 1832 in the site of the old Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique on the Boulevard du Temple, under Frédérick Lemaître it became a noted venue for the genre of mélodrame.
Beau Brummel is a 1924 American silent film historical drama starring John Barrymore and Mary Astor. The film was directed by Harry Beaumont and based upon Clyde Fitch's 1890 play, which had been performed by Richard Mansfield, and depicts the life of the British Regency dandy Beau Brummell.
Louis Bouchêne, known as Louis Baron, fils, was an actor and singer, who took part in many operettas and comédie-musicales, and was in 30 films between 1929 et 1938. He was the son of Louis Baron often associated with the works of Offenbach.
André Gaston Baugé was a French baritone, active in opera and operetta, who also appeared in films in the 1930s.
Marguerite Deval was a French singer and actress.
Brummell may refer to:
On Dandyism and George Brummell is an 1845 biographical essay by the French writer Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly. It has also been published in English as Of Dandyism and of George Brummell and The Anatomy of Dandyism. It uses the English fashion icon Beau Brummell (1778–1840) as the starting point for a discussion on dandyism. The book is dedicated to the author's friend César Daly.
The Théâtre des Folies-Wagram was a theatre in Paris which operated from 1928 until 1964. From late 1935 it was known as the Théâtre de l'Étoile. Located at 35 Avenue de Wagram in the 17th arrondissement, the theatre saw the premieres of numerous French operettas as well as Antonin Artaud's play Les Cenci. It had no connection to another theatre also known as the Théâtre de l'Étoile which was located on the Champs-Élysées and operated from 1923 to 1926.
Robert Pizani was a French stage and film actor whose 45-year career encompassed leading roles in numerous plays, revues and operettas as well as dozens of films.
Sim Viva was a Belgian soprano singer and actress prominent in operetta and film in the 1920s and 1930s. She made several recordings on the Ultraphone, Pathé, and Odeon labels..
