Cover to cast recordingIgnace

Operetta in 3 acts. Book and Lyrics by Jean Manse. Music by Roger Dumas.

First produced Théâtre de Variéties, Marseilles (1935). Transferred to Théâtre Lyrique National, Paris.

(orginally 2 Acts but reworked for 3 acts for a revival presentation)

Synopsis

In a garrison town of the 1930s, Colonel Romuald Durozier, a man of dignity, loses his when he sees Loulette, a ravishingly beautiful actress and cast-off of Baron Gidéon des Orfraies, or Chouchouille, as she has nicknamed him.

The Colonel's wife has the character of a shopgirl. The Baron, a hypocrite and scoundrel of a man, pays her court in private. Monique, an 18 year old beauty and the daughter of the "father of the Regiment", is in love with a dashing young lawyer named Serge de Montroc. There is also the maid, Annette, who enjoys looking after the colonel's young officers, amongst whom we find Ignace Boitaclou, a recent recruit, who witnesses the plots, muddles and intrigues whilst behaving as everyone's confidant.

Comic and sentimental songs, duets and choruses punctuate the goings-on. In short, it is a military musical with little subtlety but much good fun: it is entertaining and ends happily.

Musical Numbers

  1. Ouverture
  2. Couplets de Monique "Un mari"
  3. "Pour faire un bon avocat" (Serge)
  4. Duet: "Je n'aime que vous" (Serge-Monique)
  5. Chanson d'Ignace
  6. Duet: Ignace-Annette "Pour être ordonnance"
  7. Finale Acte I
  8. Reprise - des danseuses (Orchestre)
  9. Duet "Redis-le me" (Ignace-Annette)
  10. Chanson de Loulette
  11. La Mexicana (Serge)
  12. Romance de Monique "Lequel des deux"
  13. "Quelle famille" (Ignace)
  14. La lettre de Monique
  15. Final Acte II
  16. Orchestre
  17. "Java des petits galons" (Ignace)
  18. "Lequel des deux" (Ignace)
  19. Finale

Cast

  • Ignace Boitaclou
  • Serge de Montroc
  • Baron des Orfraies
  • Colonel Durozier
  • Capitaine Boisdelisle
  • Philibert Le Gérant
  • Colonelle Durozier
  • Annette
  • Monique
  • Loulette