Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

118. LA BELLE HÉLÈNE
Opera Comique in Three Acts By Jacques Offenbach
Libretto By Meilhac and Halévy
First Produced Paris, December, 1864
Chief Characters Helen of Troy, Paris, Menelaus, Calchas
THE story of this opera presents in humorous fashion the love passages of Helen of Troy and
Paris, dealing with these and certain other mythical heroes of Greece in present-day burlesque
form as in "Orpheus aux Enfers."
In Act 1 Helen is seen trying to devise with Calchas the Augur a means to avoid the decree of the
oracle, which has announced that she is destined to desert her husband, Menelaus, and to elope
with Paris, the handsome son of Priam, King of Troy. Even as they confer Paris himself appears in
shepherd garb and begins his wooing at once; and in a very short time the pair are passionate
lovers. Their love is strengthened by a second meeting at a comical tournament, in which Paris
defeats the most illustrious heroes; and the oracle encourages them by decreeing that Menelaus
must set off on a journey to Crete at once. When he has gone Helen makes an attempt to struggle
against her destiny, and she refuses to accept the further eager advances of Paris. The latter,
however, bribes the augur to admit him one night to the chamber of the sleeping Queen; but here
their pretty love scene is cut short by the unexpected return of Menelaus, and a stormy interview
ensues.
In Act 3 Menelaus and Helen are seen engaged in a lively squabble, the former being still jealous
and suspicious of his beautiful wife, who indignantly repudiates his insinuations; and in the midst
of this domestic altercation a golden galley is seen approaching, in which a new augur is
announced as bringing a message from Venus. This augur is Paris in disguise, and he announces
that Venus is much offended that Helen has not yet obeyed the command of the oracle. The
goddess will only be appeased if Helen will at once return with this new augur to sacrifice at her
shrine; and the beautiful Queen, unable to longer resist the decrees of fate, finally decides to obey
the command of the intriguing goddess. She therefore enters the galley and sails away with her
lover Paris to Troy; and the opera closes with the declaration of vengeance by the deserted and
furious Menelaus, which reaches its fulfilment in the famous Trojan War.
119. THE GRAND DUCHESS OF GEROLSTEIN
Opera Comique in Three Acts By Jacques Offenbach
Libretto By Meilhac and Halévy
First Produced Paris, April, 1867
Chief Characters The Grand Duchess, Wanda, Fritz, General Bourn, Baron Grog, Baron Puck,
Prince Paul
THE Grand Duchess of Gerolstein attends a review of the troops and is greatly struck with the