Whittington is an opera (described in the premiere programme as 'A New Grand Opera Bouffe Feerie, in Four Acts and Nine Tableaux) with music by Jacques Offenbach, based on the legend of Dick Whittington and His Cat. It was premiered in a spectacular production at the Alhambra Theatre, London, on 26 December 1874. Whittington is the only major work of Offenbach to have received its premiere in London, and came between the incidental music for La Haine and his third version of Geneviève de Brabant.
Background The work was commissioned by Wood & Co, publishers for the Christmas season at the Alhambra, Leicester Square. Based on a scenario by H. B. Farnie, a French libretto was prepared by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter and Étienne Tréfeu (who had previously given Offenbach Il signor Fagotto, Le Fifre enchanté, Coscoletto, La princesse de Trébizonde and Boule de neige), and then translated into English by Farnie for the production in London's West End.
Offenbach devised three major dance sequences in deference to the Alhambra's reputation as a theatre of ballet: for sailors in Act 1, a 'Grand Barbaric Ballet' in Act 2 and a ballet for peasants and archers in the fourth act. The 1890s French critic in Les Annales was particularly impressed by several numbers of the score, noting particularly the quartet "Tout bon citoyen d'Angleterre", the cat's song, the duetto "Mais qu'est ce donc qu'une chatte ?" and the Act 1 quartet of the inventory. Jean-Claude Yon cites the ballad "Wind that blows across the sea", Hirvoia's brindisi, the police sergeant's comic song and the first act finale with its 'romance du miaou' and waltz song, as evidence of Offenbach keeping to his high musical standards.
Offenbach's La chatte métamorphosée en femme also has a prominent role for a feline.
Performance history In anticipation of the new piece, the Alhambra revived Offenbach's Le roi Carotte; at its premiere Whittington was preceded by Dieu et la Bayadère by Auber and a one-act farce. Whittington then ran for 120 performances in the large theatre of the Alhambra.
The notice given in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News for the 1874–1875 production criticized both text and music, and faulting it for tampering with the well-known story and transposing the whole cast on the ship to meet the fate of being shipwrecked.(Review) "Offenbach's Whittington", Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 2, January 9, 1875, p. 351 More favourable reviews were given elsewhere, for instance in The Athenaeum.(Review) "M. Offenbach's Whittington", The Athenaeum, no. 2462, 2 January 1875, p. 26–27
Since 1885 the director of the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris had wished to mount Whittington in the French capital. Finally on 19 October 1893 the work was seen at the theatre as Le Chat du diable. For this, Nuitter and Tréfeu reworked their original libretto, and a few movements from the ballet Le Papillon were inserted in the score. It ran for 77 performances that year (with another 11 in early 1894) but then fell into neglect.
In more recent times the 2000 City of London Festival included a concert performance of the work at the Mansion House, using materials reconstructed from an autograph score dating from Offenbach's lifetime, possibly for a putative French staging. The cast included Sally Bruce-Payne in the title rôle, Constance Hauman, Nerys Jones, Christian Immler and Kevin West; the conductor was Cem Mansur and narrator John Suchet.O'Connor, P. "British Opera Diary: Whittington by City of London Sinfonia". Opera, September 2000, vol. 51, no. 9, pp. 1121–1122.
In 2005 University College Opera staged the work at the Bloomsbury Theatre London.Porter, A., "Opera on the fringe: Whittington by University College Opera". Opera, June 2005, vol. 56, no. 6, pp. 736–737.
The song 'The Haunted Kickaboo' in Act 1 was published separately after the London premiere and found its way into Victorian song anthologies. No 17 in Act 2, "Voici le moment où l'on dîne" is included in the CD Offenbach anthology 'Offenbach au menu'.Laurent, F. Review of 'Offenbach au menu!' Maguelone CD MAG11188. Diapason, January 2012 (598), p. 93.
Roles
+RoleVoice typePremiere cast,26 December 1874Revised Paris premiere, and . Les Annales du théâtre et de la musique, 19th ed., 1893. Georges Charpentier and E. Fasquelle, Paris, 1894, pp, 295–297.19 October 1893Conductor: Alexandre ArtusDick Whittingtonsoprano (tenor in French)Kate SantleyAlexandreFitzwarren, alderman and draperbaritoneCharles HeywoodScipionAlice, daughter of FitzwarrensopranoJulia MatthewsMlle MaretteThomas, Dick's catmuteAbrahamsF PrévostDorothy, Fitzwarren's cooksopranoLennox GreyBlanche MiroirPolice sergeantHarry PaultonCaptain BobstayJ RouseThiryPrincess Hirvaiamezzo-sopranoGrace ArmytageJuliette DarcourtMoonshiW WorboysKing Edward IIIHuttonKing LallaliGardelZaziMlle DumontChorus, Dancers
Synopsis Dick Whittington is an apprentice to the draper Fitzwarren whose daughter Alice he is in love with. After an argument with his master, Whittington flees the shop in company of his cat Thomas. Alice and the cook Dorothy track him down in Highgate where he is sleeping on the street with his cat as a pillow. Dick goes on the run again pursued across rooftops by a strange police patrol. He embarks on the sailing ship Z. 10 owned by Fitzwarren under the captain Bobstay. In the second act the ship has set in on the exotic island of Bambouli with temples and sacred gardens where Whittington and others witness a grand procession of the local ruler. Employed at the court Dick gains swift promotion thanks to the attentions of Princess Hirvaia, although he remains faithful to Alice. Whittington becomes rich by ridding the island of all its rats with the help of his cat. The third act, after a pastoral interlude, is back in London, where the cat guides Dick to Alice's house. Now a rich man, Whittington can marry Alice. Edward III of England receives him at Westminster Hall and names him Lord Mayor of London. The opera ends with a grand Lord mayoral procession.
Musical numbers The vocal score published in London by J. B. Cramer & Co., 201, Regent Street, contains both the English words of Farmie and the French words of Nuitter and Tréfeu.
In square brackets are additional words on the inner pages.
ActNo.Description in the scoreFirst line in EnglishFirst line in FrenchIInstrumental[e] introduction1Chœur des acheteursShop chorusCome shop, there shop no more be tryingRépondez donc à la pratique2From sand glass and sundia [(The bell ringer)]Song & chorusFrom sand glass and sun dial folks the hour take, ah!De mainte horloge on fait l'éloge3A prentice linen-draperRondoA prentice linen-draperNous étions dans la rue4Good English beerFinale, scene 1[scene 1, act 1]So long as there's good beer in EnglandTout bon citoyen d'Angleterre4bisMarche de la patrouille[Scene 2, Highgate]5O slumber and dream[Ballad]O slumber and dream for dark the way across the lonely moorSur toi dans sa rage si d'abord s'acharne un mauvais sort6Look him upFinale, scene 2[Scene 2, act 1]Look him upIl est pris6bisHornpipe scene, the ship[Scene 3]7The haunted kickaboSong & chorusAh! Well I remember Tom BellowsJ'ai là dans un coin de la cale8Sweetheart, here I amFinale, scene 3[Scene 3, act 1]Sweetheart, here I amAlice ! pstt, pstt, psttIIEntr'acte, instrumental1Here in dreamly leisurHammock chorusHere in dreamly leisurePendant qu'en cadence2Woman's wil[l][(Ça m'est égal)]Couplets avec chœurA Princess I but still a womanQue l'eau soit froide, chaude ou tiède3The ship was old[(Prenez pitié)]Quintett[e]The ship was oldPrenez pitié4O tell me pray[(Mais qu'est ce donc qu'une chatte)]DuettO tell me pray what's a cat?Mais qu'est ce donc qu'une chatte ?5Great at colonizing[Fils de l'Angleterre]Rondo & chorusGreat at colonizingFils de l'Angleterre5bisD° D°[Exit of court]Great at colonizingFils de l'Angleterre6Cortege instrumental[Cortège]7Ballet music8D° D°9Corps de ballet10, 11, 12Variations on D° [Var:]13Galop finale14O wind that blows [across the sea]BalladI wander where fair flow's are fairestDans ce beau pays de l'Asie15We are very wise[(Nous possédons tous)]Chorus of moonshi'sWe are very wiseNous possédons tous16Song of the hird & the maiden[The] Rat songThe song of the bird and the maidenL'oiseau chante sous la ramée17The banquet's preparedFinale & [(A)] chorus [(B) Dinner rondo]The banquet's prepared bannish sorrowVoici le moment où l'on dîne18 [17B]English meats are broughtDinner rondo & chorusEnglish meats are brought togetherCe pâté de BécassinesIII19While yet the earth is sleeping[Chœur et ballet]While yet the earth is sleepingAllons jeunes filles20Valse21Thimblerig song[(Paddok était un petit homme)]ChansonMy gentleman so quick and nimblePaddock était un petit homme, Sir22Little we've found out[(Avez vous trouvé quelque trace ?][Trio]Ah! little we've found out for master!Avez-vous trouvé quelque trace ?23Again, again[C'est toi !]Duet[t]Again, againC'est toi ! C'est toi !24Finale [At last I hope(Je suis le père)]At last I hopeJe suis le père25[Finale The] Lord Major's showMarch & chorus[Marche]To our Lord Major's gloryGloire au nouveau Lord Maire !
References