Kirke La Shelle provided the libretto for Julian Edwards' bold score for The Princess Chic which opened at the Casino Theatre, New York, on 12 February 1900.
La Shelle's tale told how Princess Chic of Normandy, disguised as a peasant, warns Charles the Bold of King Louis' plans to make trouble. Charles falls in love with the maid and learns her true station in time for a happy ending. The show survived only twenty two performances.
Dramatis Personæ
MIDI Files
ACT I - Courtyard of the Duke's Chateau, Peronne, Burgundy, in 1468.
- No. 1a - Opening Men's Chorus - "Sing hey! to the wild-eyed, antlered stag; Sing hey! to the chase so keen..."
- No. 1b - Ensemble - Estelle, François and Male Chorus - "A greeting, merry gentlemen ... A greeting, fair Estelle! ..."
- No. 2 - Entrance of Duke, and Song with Male Chorus - "The Duke! The Duke! Give greeting to the Duke..."
- No. 3 - Trio - Brevet, Brabeau and Chambertin - "The soldier of fortune is gallant and gay..."
- No. 4 - Chorus and Song - Princess Chic - "We're blades of a temper both fine and tried..." & "An envoy's duty is to greet..."
- No. 5 - Song - Chambertin and Girls - "There was once a foolish swallow found of wine a brimming cup..."
- No. 6 - Ensemble Septette, and Song - Princess Chic - "Hold, I command! He dies who disobeys..."
- No. 7 - Song - Lorraine - "If I might tell you all my heart doth feel..."
- No. 8 - Finale Act I - "Save me! Oh, save me, save me, brave and gracious lord..."
ACT II - Grand Hall of the Chateau.
- No. 9 - Song - François and Chorus - "A gallant goes a-courting, a-courting, a-courting..."
- No. 10 - Duet - Brevet and Brabeau - "If only we lived in the olden days, when magic carpets did men amaze..."
- No. 11 - Chorus Entrance - "She's but a woman, he's but a man; noble is he and knightly..."
- No. 12 - Song - Princess Chic and Chorus - "'Tis said that love is a butterfly that dwells in a beautiful river..."
- No. 13 - Duet - Estelle and François - "A youth met a maiden with eyes of heaven's blue, once in a story book..."
- No. 14 - Quartette - Brevet, Brabeau, Chambertin and Pommard - "When a man says a thing, it should have a true ring..."
- No. 15 - Ensemble - "Fair Burgundy lifts up her voice in welcome to the King..."
- No. 16 - Song - Princess Chic - "A wood nymph lived in a old oak tree on a river's bend in a forest fair..."
- No. 17 - Finale Act I - "What does it mean? What can the trouble be? Is madness in the air? ..."
ACT III - Courtyard of the Duke's Chateau. (Same as Act I.)
- No. 18 - Opening Chorus, and Song - Brevet - "There's a feeling of war in the air..." & "War gives to a lover the soldier bold..."
- No. 19 - Trio - Estelle, Brevet and Brabeau - "When a damsel meets with a fighting man, she always affects disdain..."
- No. 20 - Quartette - Chic, Lorraine, Duke and François - "Love came to me one day, decked out in colors gay..."
- No. 21 - Double Chorus, and "Love and War" Song - Chic - "The Princess's men at arms are we, the very flow'r of chivalry..."
- No. 22 - Finale Act III - "She's but a woman, he's but a man, noble is he and knightly..."
- External Link
- Vocal Score at the University of Rochester.
Page modified 2 November 2016