La fille du régiment

Act One In a valley in the Tyrolean mountains, a group of peasants gather on high ground on lookout for approaching troops (“L’ennemi s’avance”). They, along with their wives and daughters pray for protection from an oncoming battle. The Marquise de Berkenfeld and her steward Hortensius, have been caught in the middle of the war and are currently stuck in the valley with the peasants (“Pour une femme de mon nom”). A battle rages not far from the valley, and soon an old Sergeant of the French army arrives, scaring all of the peasants away by simply being seen. His name is Sulpice and he is Sergeant of the 21st Regiment of the French army. He is followed by a lovely young girl, Marie, who turns out to be the daughter of the regiment. Marie was found on the battlefield when she was just a baby and was adopted by the entire regiment. They have raised her and all love her dearly, and she looks upon each of them as a father.

Marie begins to sing a military song, and as she finishes the