Miss Helyett (opera)

Miss Helyett is an opérette in three acts with music by Edmond Audran and words by Maxime Boucheron. It depicts the complications ensuing when the excessively puritanical heroine believes herself duty-bound to marry an unknown man who, in rescuing her from a serious fall in the Pyrenees, has been unable to avoid seeing the exposed lower half of her body. The piece was first performed at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens on 12 November 1890. Productions followed in continental Europe, Britain, the US and Australia. The most recent revival in Paris was in 1921, and the piece remained popular in the French provinces during the next two decades, but fell out of the repertoire after that. Background and first production By 1890 Audran was a well-established composer of opérette and opéra comique, with 18 full-length pieces to his credit, including the very popular La mascotte (1880). Boucheron was also experienced, having written librettos for Paul Burani, Georges Grisier, André Martinet and others. This was the first of the three operas on which the two men collaborated. The premiere was marred by the illness of the leading lady, Biana Duhamel, whose performance was hampered by a cold, but the work was nevertheless a success, and played for 166 performances in its first run. Original cast Smithson – M. Montrouge Paul – M. Piccaluga Puycardas – M. Tauffenberger James – M. Jannin Bacarel – M. Désiré Gandol – M. Wolff Miss Helyett – Mdlle. Biana Duhamel La Senora – Madame Macé-Montrouge Manuela – Mdlle. Saint-Laurent Norette – Mdlle. Mary Stelly Ida – Mdlle. Meryem Eva – Mdlle. Suzanne-Nery Marguerite – Mdlle. Cora-Bertte Rosa – Mdlle. Derieu Source: Vocal score.