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''La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein'' (''The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein'') is an opéra bouffe (a form of operetta), in three acts and four tableaux by Jacques Offenbach to an original French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The story is a satirical critique of unthinking militarism and concerns a spoiled and tyrannical young Grand Duchess who learns that she cannot always get her way. The opera premiered in Paris in 1867 and starred Hortense Schneider in the title role. Thereafter, it was heard in New York, London and elsewhere, and it is still performed and recorded. ==Background== Offenbach's career was at its height in the 1860s with the premieres of some of his most popular and enduring works, such as ''La belle Hélène'' (1864) and ''La vie parisienne'' (1866). With the original production of the latter still running, Offenbach and his librettists hurried to prepare a new opera, ''La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein'', to play during the Paris Exposition (''Exposition universelle'') of 1867. Offenbach assisted Meilhac and Halévy in shaping the libretto. They were eager to ensure a hit, and so they engaged the immensely popular Hortense Schneider, who had created the title role in ''La Belle Hélène'', among other Offenbach roles, paying her the extraordinarily rich monthly sum of 4,500 francs. Schneider, in addition to her vocal gifts, was well able to portray the commanding and saucy character of the Grand Duchess, which parodied Catherine the Great.〔Corleonis, Adrian. ("''La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein'', operetta in 3 acts: Description ). Allmusic.com, accessed 21 June 2011〕 The April 1867 premiere was an immediate hit, and a parade of European royalty, drawn to Paris by the Exposition, attended performances of the operetta. Among those attending were French emperor Napoleon III; the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom; Tsar Alexander II of Russia and his son Grand Duke Vladimir; Franz-Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary; Otto von Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Prussia; and other crowned heads, generals, and ministers.〔Gammond, pp. 88–93〕〔Grovlez, Gabriel. ("Jacques Offenbach: A Centennial Sketch", ) ''The Musical Quarterly'', Vol. 5, No. 3 (July 1919), pp. 329–337 〕 Of the military satire in the piece, Bismarck remarked, "''C'est tout-a-fait ça!''" (That's exactly how it is!)〔 Three years later the Franco-Prussian War broke out, and the operetta was later banned in France, because of its antimilitarism, after the French defeat.〔Clements, Andrew. ("Offenbach: La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein", ) ''The Guardian'', 14 October 2005〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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