MESDAMES DE LA HALLE

Operetta in one act by Jacques Offenbach (1819 - 1880) on the story of de Lapointe [Text revised by Robert Dhery] - Editions Chappell.

The market women are extolling their wares; the drum-major, Raflaflia, struts through the stalls, trying to seduce one of the vegetable-vendors and appro- priate her savings. However, Madou and Beurrefondu, disillusioned with men, repel his advances. These two have set their hearts on a young cook, Croute au Pot, who has come to the Marchée des Innocents to meet Ciboulette, the charming fruit-vendor. The two old- wives strive to attract the young man, give him their wares and end up annoyed because he remains unmo- ved by their proposals. They put a sack over his head and, when he calls for help, the drum-major takes advantage of the situation to take him down to the police-station.

Madou and Beurrefondu accuse one another of client stealing; Poiretapéee appears in time to take part in a real female battle. The uproar brings in the police and Ciboulette. In an attempt to restore order, the superintendent falls into the fountain. Res- cued by his men, he takes the three old wives along to the police-station. Left alone, Ciboulette recounts her life as a young fruit-vendor. Raflaflia appears and is emboldened to make Ciboulette advances she resists, while realiszing that the man arouses an odd feeling in her. She leaves, Poiretapéee, released by the police, returns and Raflaflia tries his luck with her; now at last he can sing his serenade, but Poiretapéee, who is a prey to old memories, tells him that she has no money and that, as she was abandoned as a child, she has decided to remain single. Raflaflia departs at once.

Ciboulette and Croute au Pot are finally reunited, acknowledge their love and vow to marry. Beurrefondu catches them unawares, the young man flees, while Ciboulette justifies herself, telling how her father, a sergeant, abandoned her in childhood. Beurrefondu, overcome by her story, falls into the fountain. She has realiszed that Ciboulette is her long-lost daughter. Poiretapéee appears on the scene, pulls her out of the water and learns how mother and daughter have been re-united. When Madou re-appears, Poiretapéee, outraged, brings her up to date with the heartless mother's conduct adding many a detail of her own invention. Whereupon Madou also recognizes Ciboulette as her daughter and falls into the fountain. Raflafila pulls her out of the water the two mothers immediately argue over their daughter. Finally, Ciboulette is asked to choose her mother. The girl then produces a letter her father sent her long ago. Croute au Pot, the only one who can read, reads it out loud. It reveals that Poiretapéee and Raflaflia are Ciboulette's parents. They give their con- sent forthwith to her marriage to Croute au Pot.