Offenbach Le Pont des Soupirs

Plot Synopsis and Character Description of a French Operetta

Nov 1, 2009 Tel Asiado

Le Pont des Soupirs (The Bridge of Sighs,) a French operetta by Jacques Offenbach: opera plot summary, character list, and other Offenbach opera information.

Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819 – October 5, 1880) composed Le Pont des soupirs (The Bridge of Sighs,) a four-act French operetta, an opéra bouffe. Libretto was written by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy. It was premiered in Paris in a two-act version, Theatre des Bouffes Parisiens, on March 23, 1861. The setting is in Venice in 1321. A four-act version was given at the Theatre des Varietes, Paris, on 8 May 1868.

Notable arias: "Catarina, je chante" (Amoroso) and "Les affaires sont les afffaires" (Malatromba)

Jacques Offenbach was a German-born French composer and cellist of the Romantic period and a of the operetta form. He was one of the most influential composers of 19th century European popular music. Two of his most popular operettas are Orpheus in the Underworld and La belle Hélène. But his fame rests in his one operatic masterpiece, The Tales of Hoffmann.

Characters of The Bridge of Sighs (Le Pont des Soupirs)

• Cornarino Cornarini, Doge of Venice (tenor)
• Catarina Cornarino (soprano)
• Amoroso, Pageboy of Catarina (mezzo)
• Baptiste, Cornarini's Servant (comic tenor)
• Fabiano Fabiani Malatromba, a Member of the Council of Ten (tenor)
• Cascadetto, a Street Stinger (tenor)
• Chief of the Council of Ten (tenor)

Plot Summary / Synopsis of The Bridge of Sighs

Act I. A Square in Front of the Cornarini Palace

Doge Cornarino Cornarini flees his first battle. He returns to Venice in disguise with his servant, Baptiste. Cornarino finds the page Amoroso wooing Cornarino's wife, Catarina. Malatromba, a member of the Council of Ten also loves Catarina, and he has Amoroso arrested. Cascadetto announces the destruction of the fleet, and the reward offered by the Council of Ten for the capture of Cornarino.

Act II. A Hall in the Cornarini Palace

While Malatromba tries to woo Catarina, Cornarino and Baptiste knock out Malatromba's two bodyguards, taking their places. Amoroso escapes from prison and challenges Malatromba. Malatromba calls his cohorts and orders for everyone's arrest. Cornarino is discovered but still under disguise. To save himself, he claims to have proof that the doge is dead. Malatromba then bribes the populace to elect him doge.

Act III. The Hall of the Council of Ten

Malatromba gathers the Council of Ten and presents Cornarino, but Cornarino's testimony is contradicted by Amoroso and Catarina. When Cornarino's true identity is discovered, he is condemned to death. Malatromba is elected doge. However, before Cornarino can be executed by hanging, news arrives that his escape is in fact a ruse, a strategy to trick the enemy, and that the fleet is victorious.

Act IV. The Lido

Since Venice now has two doges, the council decrees that Carnarino and Malatromba must fight for the dogeship. Malatromba wins. He banishes Cornarino, Catarina and Amoroso to Spain.

Readers may want to check out Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann and Orpheus aux Enfers.

Sources:

Lamb, Andrew, "Le Pont des soupirs, " in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie. London: Macmillan, 1992

Martin, Nicholas Ivor. The Da Capo Opera Manual. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997

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Bridge of Sighs, Venice

Jacques Offenbach, French Composer