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''Les cadeaux de Noël'' (''The Christmas Gifts'') is an opera in one act composed by Xavier Leroux to a French-language libretto by Émile Fabre.〔 Described as a フランス語:''conte héroïque'' (heroic tale), it was premiered by the Opéra-Comique at the Salle Favart Theatre in Paris on Christmas Day 1915. Its story of four children, whose parents had been killed by German soldiers but who nevertheless found hope in a seemingly bleak Christmas, had a particular resonance with French audiences in the midst of World War I. The opera was a great success in Paris, and subsequently performed in Italy, Monte Carlo and Latin America. ==Background and performance history== The Opéra-Comique, one of France's most prosperous opera companies, was hard hit by the outbreak of World War I in the summer of 1914. By October, 127 of its musicians, singers, and staff had been mobilized to the Western Front.〔Prod'homme and Kinkeldey, p. 154〕 The threat to Paris by the advancing German army had also led to the closure of the city's theatres until December 1914, when the theatres were allowed to re-open for matinee performances. In the meantime, the company's conductor-in-chief, Paul Vidal, and the other directors had managed to reorganize and stabilize the company. In 1915, in addition to revivals of past successes, several new works were presented (often with a military or patriotic theme), including ''Les cadeaux de Noël''.〔Other new operas presented in 1915 included ''Les Soldats'' ("The Soldiers"), ''Sur le Front'' ("At the Front"), and ''Le Tambour'' ("The Drum"). The Opéra-Comique had re-opened on 6 December 1914 with a matinee performance of Donizetti's opera ''La fille du régiment'' performed in a programme with Vidal's ''Le Ballet des Nations'', Méhul's "Chant du départ" (sung as a staged tableau), and Marthe Chenal singing La Marseillaise. Prod'homme and Kinkeldey, pp. 153–154〕 Its composer, Xavier Leroux, was well-known on the Paris stages for his operas and theatre music. Three of his operas, ''La reine Fiammette'' (1903), ''Le chemineau'' (1907) and ''Le carillonneur'' (1913) had premiered at the Opéra-Comique.〔Casaglia, "Xavier Leroux"〕 The libretto of ''Les cadeaux de Noël'' was written by the playwright Émile Fabre. In 1915 he became the general administrator of the Comédie-Française and founder of the Théâtre Aux Armées, a theatrical troupe which entertained French soldiers during the war.〔Prochasson, p. 333〕 ''Les cadeaux de Noël'' premiered at a matinee performance on 25 December 1915 in a double bill with Massenet's ''Werther''.〔The setting of ''Werther'' was changed from Germany to Alsace. Prod'homme and Kinkeldey, pp. 153–154〕 The premiere performance was conducted by Paul Vidal with an all-female cast, apart from the 50-year-old baritone Henri Albers, who played Père Jean. The production was directed by Pierre Chéreau with the staging designed by Alexandre Bailly and Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi.〔Casaglia, "Les cadeaux de Noël"〕 Gheusi later recalled in his memoirs that the opera had been a triumph that left the entire audience in tears, adding: The thrilling voice of Vallin (Clara), the radiant timbre of the young Saiman (little Pierre), the touching acting of Calas (Emma), Carrière (little Louis) and Albers (Père Jean), and the new sets designed by Bailly ensured a success for the work, with mothers scarred by the War sobbing in the back of the theatre. In the wings, the voice of my fine Messin Bello imitated the voice of the Boche with a fierce hatred that made all hearts tremble, but they were immediately relieved when little Pierre fired his avenging rifle.〔Gheusi, p. 252〕 The opera received glowing reviews from the critics in ''Le Figaro'', ''Les Annales du théâtre et de la musique'', and ''La Nouvelle revue'' for the poignancy and originality of Fabre's libretto and Leroux's charming, simple and emotive music.〔Austruy, pp. 149–153; ''Le Figaro'' (26 December 1915), p. 3; Noël and Stoullig, p. 147〕 Described by ''Le Figaro'' in 1917 as having been a "vast success" in Paris, it was subsequently performed in 1917 at La Scala and the Teatro Costanzi in Italy with the same cast and at the Théâtre du Casino in Monte Carlo in a new production.〔''Le Figaro'' (13 April 1917) p. 4〕 In Latin America, it was performed in 1916 at the Teatro Solís in Montevideo and the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, on both occasions conducted by the composer. According to ''Le Temps'', a planned performance in Buenos Aires in 1916 was cancelled because the Argentine government feared it would offend the ambassadors from Germany and its allies.〔''Le Temps'' (11 September 1916) p. 1; ''Le Figaro'' (13 April 1917) p. 4〕 The complete piano/vocal score of ''Les cadeaux de Noël'' was published by Éditions Choudens in 1915. Mathilde Saïman, who created the role of Pierre, recorded his aria "Air du petit Pierre" for Pathé Records in 1916.〔Pathé Saphir, Matrix 3081, Catalog No. 167〕 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「Les cadeaux de Noël」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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