[Umberto Giordano]

UMBERTO GIORDANO was born at Foggia, August 26, 1867. Paolo Serrão was his teacher in music at the Naples Conservatory. With a one-act opera, "Marina," he competed for the Sonzogno prize, which Mascagni won with "Cavalleria Rusticana." "Marina," however, secured for him a commission for the three-act opera, "Mala Vita," Rome, 1892. Then followed the operas which have been noticed above.

MADAME SANS-GÊNE

Opera in four acts by Umberto Giordano, words by Renato Simoni after the play by Victorien Sardou and E. Moreau. Produced, for the first time on any stage, Metropolitan Opera House, New York January 25, 1915, with Farrar as Catherine, and Amato as Napoleon.

Characters

Napoleon BonaparteBaritone
Lefebvre, sergeant of the National Guards, later
a Marshal of France and Duke of Danzig		Tenor
Fouché, officer of the National Guards,
later Minister of Police		Baritone
Count de NeippergTenor
Vinaigre, drummer boyTenor
Despréaux, dancing masterTenor
Gelsomino, pageBaritone
Leroy, tailorBaritone
De Brigode, chamberlainBaritone
Roustan, head of the MamelukesBaritone
Catherine Huebscher, "Madame Sans-Gêne," laundress;
later Duchess of Danzig		Soprano
Toinette}laundresses{Soprano
Julia}{Soprano
La Rossa}{Soprano
Queen Caroline}sisters of Napoleon{Soprano
Princess Elisa}{Soprano
Lady de Bülow, matron of honour to the EmpressSoprano

Maturino, Constant (valet to Napoleon), the voice of the Empress, citizens, shopkeepers, villagers, soldiers, ladies of the court, officials, diplomats, academicians, hunters, pages, and two Mamelukes.

Time—August 10, 1792; and September, 1811.