Marie Galante
(1934)
Play with music in two acts.
Book by Jacques Deval.
Lyrics by Jacques Deval and Roger Fernay.


Florelle as Marie and Alcover as Staub, from the original production, 1934.

Synopsis

Marie is kidnapped and taken to Panama by a lecherous sea captain, who abandons her when she will not give in to his desires. She becomes a prostitute in order to earn money to return to France; meanwhile, she is unwittingly involved in an espionage plot. She spends most of her money to care for a dying black man whom no one else will tend to. When she does finally save enough money for a steamer fare, she is murdered the night before the boat sails. Song list

  1. Ouverture (instrumental)
  2. Les filles de Bordeaux (chant)
  3. L'intermezzo (instrumental)
  4. Marche de l'armée panaméenne (instrumental)
  5. L'Arreglo religioso (instrumental) inédit
  6. Tengo quince años (instrumental) inédit
  7. J'attends un navire (chant)
  8. Le roi d'Aquitaine (chant)
  9. J'ai une âme blanche (chant) inédit
  10. Yo le dije al caporal (chant) inédit
  11. Youkali (tango-habanera- instrumental et chant)
  12. Le Train du ciel (chant)
  13. Scène au dancing (instrumental)
  14. Le Grand Lustucru (chant)

Performance Information

Cast:
Singing roles -- Marie (soprano), Mamouille (high baritone), Soledad (mezzo-soprano), Mercédès (mezzo-soprano), Staub (baritone), one Negro tenor, chorus.
Speaking roles -- Josiah, Letuvier, Pastolle, Vigouroux, Crawbett, Tsamatsui, Poldine, Tapia, Gloria, Massoubre, Plauen.

Orchestra: alto sax (fl, cl); alto sax (cl); ten. sax (sop. sax); 2 tpt, 1 tbn; piano, accordion, guitar (banjo), perc; 2 vn, viola, bass.

Duration: full evening, 35 minutes music

Principal production
December 22, 1934, Paris, Théâtre de Paris, H. Henriot, dir., Edmond Mahieux, cond.

Recordings
Koch Schwann 3-6592-2 Joy Bogen, soprano
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Victor Symonette, cond.
Introduction
Le Roi D'Aquitaine
Marche de l'armée Panaméenne
Le train du ciel
Tango
Le Grand Lustucru
Intermezzo
Les filles de Bordeaux
Scène au dancing
J'attends un navire
Assai 207192 Loes Luca, soprano, 
Ensemble Dreigroschen, 
Giorgio Bernasconi, cond.
Introduction
Marche de l'armée Panaméenne
Les filles de Bordeaux
Scène au dancing
Intermezzo
Le Grand Lustucru
Le Roi D'Aquitaine
Presto
J'attends un navire
Tango
Le train du ciel
L'Empreinte Digitale 13178 Cabaret songs 
Françoise Tillard, Piano 
Hanna Shaer, Mezzo soprano
Le grand lustucru
J'attends un navire
Decca 436417-2 Ute Lemper singt Kurt Weill Vol. 2
London Voices, Jeff Cohen, 
RIAS-Sinfonietta
John Mauceri 
Les filles de Bordeaux
Le train du ciel
Le grand Lustucru
Le Roi D'Aquitaine
J'attends un navire 
NONESUCH 9 79131-2  Stratas Sings Weill
Chamber Symphony
Gerard Schwarz 
J'attends un navire
Le Roi d'Aquitaine
LeTrain du Ciel
Unicorn 9055 Jill Gomez 
John Constable, piano
Les filles de Bordeaux
Le grand Lustucru
Le Roi d'Aquitaine
J'attends un navire
BVHAAST 9808  Loes Luca
Willem Breuker Collectif
Introduction
Le Roi d'Aquitaine
Marche de l'armée panaméenne
Train du ciel
Le Grand Lustucru
Intermezzo
Les filles de Bordeaux
Scène au dancing
J'attends un navire
EPM 854852 Lys Gauty
Florelle
Lys Gauty
Complainte de la Seine
Je ne t'aime pas
J'attends un navire
.
Florelle
Le Grand Lustucru
J'attends un navire
Le Roi d'aquitaine
Les Filles de Bordeaux
 

 
 

Suite panaméenne
Instrumental suite from Marie galante, arranged by David Drew.
Tango (first movement) orchestrated by HK Gruber.

List of Movements

Performance Information
 
English title: Panamanian Suite

Orchestra: fl; alto sax (fl, cl); alto sax (cl); ten sax (sop. sax); 2 tpt, 1 tbn; piano, accordion, guitar (banjo), perc; 2 vn, viola, bass.
Duration: 11 minutes
First performance: June 14, 1990, London, Almeida Festival, Matrix Ensemble, Robert Ziegler, cond.
 

Recordings
 
Largo CD
5114
Ensemble Modern, HK Gruber, cond.

 

Marie Galante Concert Suite

Concert suite for voice(s) and instrumental ensemble,
arranged by Kim Kowalke and Lys Symonette.

Song list

Performance Information
 
Orchestra: alto sax (fl, cl); alto sax (cl); ten. sax (sop. sax); 2 tpt, 1 tbn; piano, accordion, guitar (banjo), perc; 2 vns, viola, bass.

Duration: 35 minutes
First performance: September 17, 1987, New York, Kurt Weill Festival, Faith Esham, vocalist, David Atherton, cond.

 

See also Youkali (Tango)