Text by LEUVEN and BRUNSWICK.

This charming little opera is well worthy of being named among the best
of its kind, both on account of its delightful music and because the
text is so entertaining and funny as entirely to captivate the hearer's
interest.

The whole opera is essentially French in the best sense of the word and
we scarce can find a more graceful and witty composition. Its subject,
written originally in good French verse is as follows:

Chapelou, stage-driver at Longjumeau is about to celebrate his marriage
with the young hostess of the post-house, Madelaine. The wedding has
taken place and the young bride is led away by her friends, according
to an old custom, while her bridegroom is held back by his comrades,
who {275} compel him to sing. He begins the romance of a young
postilion, who had the luck to be carried away by a Princess, having
touched her heart by his beautiful playing on the cornet. Chapelou has
such a fine voice, that the Superintendent of the Grand Opera at Paris,
the Marquis de Corcy, who hears him, is enchanted, and being in search
of a good tenor, succeeds in winning over Chapelou, who consents to
leave his young wife in order to follow the Marquis' call to glory and
fortune. He begs his friend Bijou, a smith, to console Madeleine, by
telling her that he will soon return to her. While Madeleine calls for
him in tenderest accents, he drives away with his protectors and Bijou
delivers his message, determined to try his fortune in a similar way.
The desperate Madeleine resolves to fly from the unhappy spot, where
everything recalls to her her faithless husband.

In the second act we find Madeleine under the assumed name of Madame de
Latour. She has inherited a fortune from an old aunt, and makes her
appearance in Paris as a rich and noble lady, with the intention of
punishing her husband, whom she however still loves. During these six
years, that have passed since their wedding-day, Chapelou has won his
laurels under the name of St. Phar and is now the first tenor of the
Grand Opera and everybody's spoilt favorite. Bijou is with him as
leader of the chorus, and is called Alcindor. We presently witness a
comical rehearsal in which the principal singers are determined to do
as badly as possible. {276} They all seem hoarse and instead of
singing, produce the most lamentable sounds. The Marquis de Corcy is
desperate, having promised this representation to Mme. Latour, at whose