385 CHERUBIN' Comédie chaniée in three acts Music by Jules Massenot Libretto by Francis de Croisset and Genri Gain, after the former's Le Chérubin First performed at the Opéra de Monte Carlo on Fobruary 14, 1903 CHARACTERS Chérubin, a young man: mezzo-soprano Jacoppo, Le Philesophe, his tutor: bass LEnsoleillad, a Spanish dancor and tho King's mistross: soprano Nina, a young girl: soprano ‘The Count: baritone ‘The Countess: soprano The Baroness: mezzo-soprano ‘The Duke: tenor Captain Ricardo: tonor ‘The Innkeeper: baritone An Officer: bass Officers, male and female Servants, Travellers ‘The location is Spain, near Seville and the time during the XVIII Contury ‘THE PLOT ACTI ‘Thoro is a big colobration at Chérubin's chateau to calebrate the young man’s first military commission and his 17th birthday. Nina confesses to Chérubin’s tutor Jacoppo (known as The Philosopher), that she hhas loved his pupil since childhood, even though she is aware of his faults. ‘The Duke, the Count and the Baron havo loamnod that Chérubin has invited L'Ensoleillad - the premiére dansouse of tha Teatro Real in Madrid - to come and dance that evening. As the three Jealous men ridicule the dashing young Chérubin, he declares his happiness because L’Ensoleillad has accepted. Peasants dance and entertain, whilo tho guosts watch the festivities from the terrace and Chérubin tells the entranced Countess that he has left a lottor for hor in the hollow of a willow tree. The Baroness is also taken with the boy. Finding his pupil downcast, the Philosopher asks why, end the young man confesses that he cannot look “This is the Frooch spalling of a character with whom wo are almedy amply acqualotel: Cherubino, the anorous page of Boaumarchat! play "The Marriage of Figaro’, sat to music by Moan. Charsbino also appears in Milhanel's La Mére Coxpable the opera which deals with his afar with Countess Almaviva, ax in John Gorigliase’s opera "Une Ghosts of Versailles” (iocantly premired at the Metiopolitan Opera Co), where Laon, his son by the Countess, suffers atthe hand ofthe ealous386 at a woman without becoming sick with love; the older man tells him it is only natural. The Count has intercepted the letter from Chérubin to his wife and, in a fury, wants to challenge him to a duel. ‘The innocent Nina protends tho vorsos wore moant for her and proves it by rociting the madrigal by hoart. ‘Although the Count is satisfied, the Countess is annoyed to discover that Chérubin loves Nina. ‘The Philosopher is delighted to leam that his pupil loves the gir! he himself has chosen for him, Chérubin excitedly proclaims that he lovesa ravishing creature - not Nina, but L'Ensoloillad, who prosontly arrives with great pomp and catemony. AcT It In the courtyard of the inn, travellers are trying to book rooms for the fiesta. When the Baroness and Countess are shown to their smallish quarters, they pronounce them unworthy of their station. The Innkooper reveals that the best rooms are reserved for L'Ensoleillad, the favorite of the King Some officers, with their girlfriends (Manolas), celebrate Chérubin’s induction into their regiment. Despite his dashing uniform and plucky manner, they are surprised at his small size. When Chérubin makes advances at Ricardo's mistress, the outraged captain challongos him to a duel. A masked woman arrives, and Chérubin rashly embraces her and gives her a rough kiss - but apologizes when he discovers she is LEnsoleillad. ‘The Philosopher pleads with Ricardo to excuse Chérubin’s brashness and Ricardo calls off the duel. L'Ensoleillad - who has fainted in the fracas - recovers, rebukes the mon, offers a toast to love, and launches the fiesta by dancing, ‘The Philosopher wams Cherubin to be on guard against the dangers of being such a flit, but the young man, longing only to s¢¢ L'Ensoleillad appear on her balcony ‘on such a beautiful evening, sends the exasperated tutor away. Chérubino finally catchos sight of the dancer and sings to her. Delighted, she comes down to him, and tha two, lost in their blissfull private ‘world, vanish into the nearby woods. The Baron, the Count and the Duke decide to thwart Chérubin's attentions to L'Ensoleillad, but the returning lovers lead them on a merry chase, Chérubin draws tho ‘men into the woods, so that L'Ensolelllad can retum to her room without being caught. Quickly retuming, he finds a ladder, climbs it, and embraces the dancer through the bars of her balcony. ‘The duped mon burst onto the scone, and Chérubin has just enough tims to loap down and mockingly throw the ladder to the ground, making it impossible for them to know at which of the three ladies’ adjacent ‘windows it had boon standing, The love-tokons Chérubin bas been given - a bouquet from the Baroness, a ribbon from the Countess and a garter from L'Ensoleillad - add to the confusion. Ch6rubin parties with the outraged men before the police arrive to arrest the noblemen for inciting to riot. The women faint. ACT Il ‘The next moming, Chérubin, preparing for three duels, draws up his will. ‘The Baroness and the Countess demand to know whom he had been serenading the previous evening. As he admits it was LEnsoleillad, their husbands retum, heaping reproacheson Chérubin, The womenassure their husbands it was not they, whom Chérubin visited, but LEnsolefilad, and so @ duel is out of the question. ‘The Duke delivors a royal mossago summoning tho dancor back to court, and she leaves, still extolling the wonders of a single fleeting might of love. Chérubin tries to detain her, but, left alone with the Philosopher, gives vent to his disillusionment and pronounces a curse on love. His tutor advises hin to wait for truc love with "a woman who is kind and understanding, one who will console you in adversity.” Just then Nina arrives to say farewell to Chérubin before retiring to a convent because her love is unrequited. As the young man realizes that he is the cause of her sorrow, he begs forgiveness, and Nina is moved by his sincerity. As tho two decloro otomal love, the Philosopher orders Chérubin to got rid of the Countess ribbon sticking out of his coat. Chérubin does so, and ‘rushes into the arms of his forgiving Nina.