Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

ings forth the hidden treasure, together with several documents which prove beyond all doubt
that the heir of Avenel is still alive, and that, in fact, the stranger, George Brown, is the missing
lord of the soil. Gaveston thereupon pulls aside the ghost's veil, revealing the features of his
beautiful and clever ward, Anna; and he retires, crestfallen and defeated, as the restored heir
hastens forward, and, taking the fair maid by the hand, declares that she shall be his bride.
22. JEAN DE PARIS
Opera Comique in Three Acts. By François Adrien Boieldieu
Libretto By St Just
First Produced Paris, 1812
Chief Characters Princess of Navarre, Lorezza, Crown Prince of France (Jean de Paris), Olivier
the Page
THE action takes place in the seventeenth century, in a country inn in the Pyrenees. A marriage
has been arranged between the young widowed Princess of Navarre and the Crown Prince of
France; and both being young and romantic they are naturally anxious to see something of each
other before the wedding takes place. The Prince, being fond of adventure, determines to gratify
his desire; and, taking his suite into his confidence, he sends forward his page, Olivier, to the inn
in the Pyrenees, where he knows the Princess is expected to stop on a journey she is taking, to
make arrangements with the landlord for the reception of himself under the title of Jean de Paris, a
plain citizen. At first the page meets with a cold reception from the landlord, who declares he has
no room for a common citizen, since all his rooms are being prepared for the reception of the
Princess of Navarre, who is expected to arrive shortly; but the host's pretty daughter is greatly
attracted by the good looks and gaiety of the young page, and promises to help him all she can.
Pres-ently the suite of the so-called Jean de Paris arrive, and when the landlord sees what a grand
company they are he alters his opinion of the plain citizen, whom he sees is at any rate extremely
wealthy, since he can afford such smart followers; and he arranges with Olivier that his master
shall have all the rooms in the inn, since he hopes they will depart before the arrival of the
Princess, and he will thus have the advantage of the two visits. Jean de Paris is satisfied with the
arrangements made; but the landlord is soon at his wits' end, for the Princess and her suite arrive
almost immediately the Parisian citizen has taken possession. The Princess's seneschal is furious
because there is no proper accommodation for his royal mistress; but Jean de Paris comes to the
rescue by declaring that he will be honoured by the Princess accepting him as her host, and he will
entertain her to the best that the house affords. Whilst the seneschal is still in a state of
dumbfounded amazement at such impudence the Princess herself enters, and the pretended citizen
of Paris, delighted with her beauty and charm of manner, at once falls in love with her. The
Princess recognises in the stranger her royal fiancé, whom she has seen before, unknown to him;
and, being equally attracted by him, she determines to enjoy the game a little while, and so accepts
the invitation of the wealthy first-coiner, to the great delight of the landlord and the utter dismay of
the seneschal, who is shocked at such an outrage of royal etiquette. The young couple, however,
enjoy themselves immensely; and when dinner is announced the pretended citizen leads the
Princess to the table with perfect grace; and the seneschal is amazed to find such elaborate silver
and gold service, and such gorgeous appointments the property of plain Jean de Paris, and,
regarding him as some adventurous rogue, he is horrified at the rapid progress towards friendship