Overview
Synopsis
The actress Adriana has been waiting for news from her beloved Maurizio for the past four years, and tonight he is here at the theatre to see her perform. They are supposed to meet after the performance, but Maurizio has been called away on political business. Instead, Adriana will attend the Prince’s party where she can talk to the Count of Saxony on behalf of Maurizio.
At the Prince’s party, however, everything Adriana thought she knew about Maurizio is turned upside-down. First, he is rumored to have a secret lover, whom Adriana is sure is the Princess de Bouillon. Secondly, it turns out that Maurizio is the Count of Saxony himself. Heartbroken, betrayed, and devastated, Adriana takes the stage at the party and delivers a monologue from Phedra, clearly telling the Princess that she knows everything about their affair, before making a swift exit.
Alone at home and unable to shake her heartbreak, Adriana gratefully receives a visit from her colleagues at the Comédie-Française. She resolves to take up her place on the stage once more, and to have her vengeance on Maurizio through her art. An anonymous package arrives, containing the posy she gave Maurizio as a favor. She smells its dried petals before throwing it into the fire. Maurizio himself arrives shortly after the package, but it is too late: the dried flowers were poisoned, and Adriana dies in his arms.
Francesco Cilea’s beautiful retelling of the death of the French actress Adrienne Lecouvrer remains a firm favorite in the operatic canon.
Show Information
- Book
- Eugène Scribe
- Music
- Francesco Cilea
- Libretto
- Arturo Colautti
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Adrienne Lecouvreur by Eugene Scribe and Ernest Legouve
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 4
- First Produced
- 1902
- Genres
- Drama, Tragedy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings, Period
- Time & Place
- Paris, France, March 1730, 18th Century
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Large Cast
Context
First performed at the Teatro Lirici di Milano, in 1902, Cilea’s grand opera Adriana Lecouvrer is a retelling of the mysterious events surrounding the death of French actress Adrienne Lecouvrer in 1730. The opera is based on the French play of the same name by Eugene Scribe and Ernest Legouve. It has remained popular since its first performance, and its leading roles have been performed by some of the world’s greatest singers.
As an actress, Adrienne Lecouvrer was famed for her naturalistic
to read the context for Adriana Lecouvreur and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
In the dressing room of the Comédie-Française, Mademoiselle Jouvenot, Mademoiselle Dangeville, Monsieur Quinault, and Monsieur Poisson are putting on their costumes for this evening’s performance of Bajazet. In their hurry they call out orders to Michonnet, who supplies them with everything they need (‘Michonnet, della biacca!’). Exhausted from running around, Michonnet observes how much he has to do for these people. Between constantly worrying about their gossip, and dealing with
to read the plot for Adriana Lecouvreur and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
Songs
Act 1: The dressing room of the Comédie-Française
Scene 1
‘Michonnet, della biacca!’ - Jouvenot, Michonnet, Dangeville, Poisson, Quinault
‘Michonnet, su! Michonnet, giu!’ - Michonnet ‘Che mai borbotti?’ - Poisson, Dangeville, Jouvenot, Michonnet, Quinault
Scene 2
‘Il principe di Bouillon’ - Michonnet, Poisson, Quinault, L’Abate, Il Principe, Dangeville, Jouvenot
Scene 3
‘Del sultano Amuratte’ - Adriana, L’Abate, Il Principe
‘Io son l'umile’ - Adriana, Il Principe, L’Abate
‘Adriana...tu scherzi, figlia mia’ - Michonnet, Jouvenot, Adriana, Dangeville, L’Abate, Il Principe, Quinault
Scene 4
‘Eccoci soli, alfin!’ - Michonnet
‘Adriana... Che c'e?’ - Michonnet, Adriana
Scene 5
‘Adriana! … Maurizio!’ - Maurizio, Adriana
‘La dolcissima effigie’ - Maurizio, Adriana
‘E il vostro avanzamento?’ - Adriana, Maurizio
Scene 6
‘Or dunque, abate’ - Il Principe, L’Abate
Scene 7
‘Quanto è burlevole!’ - Jouvenot, Dangeville, Poisson, Quinault
‘Questo al numero tre’ - Il Principe, L’Abate, Jouvenot, Dangeville, Poisson, Quinault
‘Signori, tocca a voi!’ - Michonnet, Jouvenot, Dangeville, Poisson, Quinault
Scene 8
‘Ecco il monologo’ - Michonnet
‘Dov’e, dunque, il biglietto di Zatima?’ - Michonnet, Maurizio, Quinault
‘Neppure una parola’ - Maurizio, Michonnet
‘Che furore’ ‘Un delirio’ - Jouvenot, Quinault, Dangeville, Poisson, Michonnet, L’Abate, Il Principe, Adriana, Chorus
Act 2: At the villa of Grange-Batelière
Scene 1
‘Acerba volutta ...O vagabonda’ - La Principessa
Scene 2
‘Principessa... Finalmente!’ - Maurizio, La Principessa
‘L'anima ho stanco’ - Maurizio, La Principessa
Scene 3
‘Vi cogliam’ - Il Principe, L’Abate, Maurizio
Scene 4
‘Eccovi alfin, Divina!’ - L’Abate, Il Principe, Maurizio, Adriana
Scene 5
‘Ma dunque, e vero?’ - Adriana, Maurizio
Scene 6
‘Signor Abate, cortese siate’ - Michonnet, L’Abate, Adriana, Maurizio
Scene 7
‘Adriana, ascoltate’ - Maurizio, Adriana
Scene 8
‘E bene?... Che granchio!’ - L’Abate, Michonnet, Adriana
Scene 9
‘Che mediti, Adriana?’ - Michonnet, Adriana
Scene 10
‘Sia! Non risponde’ - Adriana, La Principessa
Scene 11
‘Proprio, ne sei sicuro?’ - Il Principe, L’Abate
Scene 12
‘Buone nuove, Adriana!’ - Michonnet, Adriana
Scene 13
‘Nessuno!’ - Il Principe, L’Abate, Adriana
Act 3: The Bouillon Palace
Scene 1
‘Eh via! Cosi non va’ - L’Abate
Scene 2
‘Ah! Quella donna’ - La Principessa, L’Abate
Scene 3
‘Voi, Principessa?’ - L’Abate, La Principessa
Scene 4
‘Chiudete questi oggetti’ - Il Principe, L’Abate, La Principessa
Scene 5
‘A quella strana polvere’ - La Principessa, L’Abate
Scene 6
‘Grazie per lei mio Principe!’ - Michonnet, Il Principe, La Principessa, L’Abate
Scene 7
‘Abate… Ebbene?’ - La Principessa, L’Abate
Scene 8
‘Madame la Duchesse d’Aumont’ - Maggiordomo, L’Abate, La Principessa, Duchess d’Aumont
Scene 9
‘Siete deliziose…’ - La Principessa, L’Abate
Scene 10
‘Dimenticate il meglio…’ - Il Principe, Chorus, L’Abate, La Principessa
Scene 11
‘Madamigella Lecouvreur’ - Maggiordomo, Il Principe, La Principessa, Adriana, Duchess d’Aumont, Michonnet
Scene 12
‘Il conte di Sassonia!’ - Maggiordomo, Adriana, Michonnet, Il Principe, Chorus, Maurizio, La Principessa, L’Abate
‘Il russo Mencikoff’ - Maurizio, Chorus
‘Dopo Marte’ - L’Abate, Il Principe
Scene 13
Ballet ‘The Judgment of Paris’ - Ballet Ensemble, Chorus
‘E la Duchessa al certo’ - L’Abate, La Principessa. Adriana, Chorus
Scene 14
‘Che consultate, in grazia?’ - La Principessa, Adriana, Michonnet, Il Principe, L’Abate, Maurizio, Chorus
‘Giusto Cielo!’ - Adriana, La Principessa, Maurizio, L’Abate, Michonnet, Il Principe, Chorus
Act 4: At the house of Adriana
Prelude
Scene 1
‘So ch'ella dorme’ - Michonnet, la Cameriera
Scene 2
‘Amico mio’ - Adriana, Michonnet
‘Bambina, non ti crucciar’ - Adriana, Michonnet
Scene 3
‘Lieta sorpresa!’ - Poisson, Quinault, Jouvenot, Dangeville, Adriana, Michonnet
‘Una volta c’era un Principe’ - Poisson, Quinault, Jouvenot, Dangeville
Scene 4
‘Uno stipo? Scusate…’ - La Cameriera, Adriana, Michonnet, Quinault, Poisson, Jouvenot, Dangeville
Scene 5
‘Vediam … Cielo!’ - Adriana, Michonnet
‘Poveri fiori’ - Adriana, Michonnet
‘Adriana!... Non odi?’ - Maurizio, Adriana, Michonnet
Scene 6
‘Maurizio! Signore…’ - Adriana, Maurizio
‘No, la mia fronte’ - Adriana, Maurizio
‘Che? Tu tremi’ - Maurizio, Adriana, Michonnet
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.