L'Opéra du pauvre (English: Poor's Opera) is a piece for voices and orchestra formalized by Léo Ferré as a quadruple concept album released in 1983. This dreamlike and wry plea in favor of the Night, symbol of imagination and subversiveness for Ferré, synthesizes all aspects of the French poet and musician.
History L'Opéra du pauvre comes from a "lyrical" ballet titled The Night, written in 1956 at the request of choreographer and dancer Roland Petit, within the Revue des Ballets de Paris. The piece was abandoned by Petit after a few performances (critics being severely negative). Ferré published the libretto the same year at La Table Ronde Editions. This work stayed on the shelf for twenty-six years.
It was after the triple LP Ludwig - L'Imaginaire - Le Bateau ivre was released in 1982, that Léo Ferré decided to dedicate his upcoming year to bring The Night back to life. As time had passed, Ferré had accumulated a lot of material, and he chose to enrich his original text and score with elements from various sources, thus creating a new Baroque work of much larger scope (it would take four LP to hold this whole new version).
Roles Léo Ferré changes his voice and acts all parts.
Narrator The Night, defendant The Raven, presiding judge The Cock, prosecutor The Owl, Night's attorney The Cat, court clerk The Nun, witness The Rose, witness Calva, night-club landlord and witness Miseria, witness The Glow-worm, witness The two Prostitutes, witnesses The Child, witness The Casino Player, witness The Candle, witness Death, witness The Blue Whale, witness The Poet, witness Hearing audience Saint Peter's voice & various voices
Synopsis The Night is accused of having murdered Lady Shadow, who is missing. The opera depicts Night's trial by the "day people", allegorized by animals. The judge is a raven, the prosecutor is a cock, Night's attorney is an owl and the court clerk is a cat. Witnesses, all night owls for some reason of their own, are called to the bar and try to save the Night.
Personnel Léo Ferré - voices, piano Giuseppe Magnani - violin solo Milan Symphonic Orchestra
Production Arranger and orchestra conductor: Léo Ferré Engineer: Paolo Bocchi Producer: Léo Ferré
References
External links Album presentation (French)