Gustave Charpentier (1860-1956) is remembered, to the extent that he is remembered at all, as the composer of Louise – 1900.  The opera enjoyed some success in the first half of the 20th century; it received 52 performances at the Met between 1921 and 1949. I saw a single performance of it a long time ago at the old New York City Opera, when it was on 55th Street. I can remember nothing about that performance except for the Father’s anguished cry of “Paris” that ends the opera after Louse has left her family, presumably for the last time.

While it is occasionally revived, most operatic seasons pass without the work receiving a single performance anywhere in the world. Charpentier was a proto-hippy who would have loved being young in the 60s. Virgil Thomson writing in the New York Herald Tribune in 1947 summed up the title character in this pithy paragraph:

The latter is no tender bourgeoise wrapped up in pink silk shirtwaists all for love. She is a working girl brought up on Socialism, adding thus to the normal revolt of youth a certain political and philosophic education. She would leave home shortly in any case. Her mother knows this only too well and hopes to keep her under guard until an offer of legitimate marriage in her own class turns up. Louise, however, is more interested in emancipation than in working; and when Julien offers her, along with Socialist conversation and the independence of the artist’s life, the full doctrine and practice of free love, it is perfectly clear that the family is not going to see much more, of her. Even if Julien should not pan out, her decision is made. Home and mother have lost.

Louise is a dressmaker who is torn by her devotion to her working class parents and her love for the Bohemian poet, Julian.  While the opera is rarely seen today, the aria that opens the third act (Depuis le jour) is a soprano staple and often appears on recitals or recordings. The French lyrics and an English translation are at the bottom of this piece.

Grace Moore (1898- 1947) appeared as Louise in a 1938 movie directed by Abel Gance. The film which is still available, was a greatly cut version of the opera.  Moore was coached in the role by the composer. She appeared in 19 performances of Louise at the Met between 1939 and 1943.  Grace Moore Depuis le jour

Maria Callas (1923-77) included this aria in a 1954 recital. Though she was only 30 when this recording was made the wobble that was to consume her voice was already much in evidence. Maria Callas Depuis le jour

Anna Moffo (1932-2006) was famous for both the beauty of her voice and her person. Her career was at its height in the 1960s. She appeared 201 times at the Met. An intense involvement in TV, movies, as well as opera led to a premature vocal collapse from which she never fully recovered. This recording, from a TV appearance, was made when her voice was intact. Anna Moffo Depuis le jour

Leontyne Price had a voice bigger than is need from this role, but her singing of the aria from a 1968 recording is very fine. Leontyne Price Depuis le jour

Montserrat Caballe (b 1933)  gives a brilliant reading of the aria recorded in a studio. She takes it at a very leisurely pace which is what I think the music demands. There is a two minute difference between the slowest and fastest versions presented here. Caballe’s piano singing and phrasing is unmatched. Montserrat Caballé  Depuis le jour

Beverly Sills (1929-2007) sang the aria in a 1971 recital in Paris. This too is a well paced interpretation. Beverly Sills Depuis le jour

Lucia Popp (1939-93) started as a coloratura soprano and moved to lyric roles later in her career. She sang only 26 performances at the Met, 24 of them in The Magic Flute. She was The Queen of the Night in the first half of these and Pamina in the second. The remaining two performances were as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. Her singing of the aria clocks in at a little more than 4 minutes; it’s from a 1976 recital. Lucia Popp Depuis le jour

Mirella Freni (b 1935) recorded the aria in a studio; it’s is very well done, but lacks some of the great sensitivity she brought to Italian roles. Mirella Freni Depuis le jour

Renee Fleming (b 1959) gives a beautiful and sensitive performance of the aria. It’s from a 2002 Paris recital when the singer was at the height of her considerable powers. Renee Fleming Depuis le jour

Anna Netrebko (b 1971) provides a lush rendition of the aria. It’s from a studio recording. Anna Netrebko Depuis le jour

Charpentier wrote a sequel to Louise, Julien. It was performed by the Met eight years before Louise reached the New York house. Its New York premiere had been at Oscar Hammerstein’s Manhattan Opera House – 1908. Julien sank faster than the Lusitania. Though he lived to be 95, Charpentier’s career as a composer had ceased more than half a century before his demise.

 

Depuis le jour où je me suis donnée,
toute fleurie semble ma destinée.
Je crois rêver sous un ciel de féerie,
l’âme encore grisée de ton premier baiser!
Quelle belle vie!
Mon rêve n’était pas un rêve!
Ah! je suis heureuse!
L’amour étend sur moi ses ailes!
Au jardin de mon coeur
chante une joie nouvelle!
Tout vibre,
tout se réjouit de mon triomphe!
Autour de moi tout est sourire,
lumiére et joie!
Et je tremble délicieusement
Au souvenir charmant
Du premier jour
D’amour!
Quelle belle vie!
Ah! je suis heureuse! trop heureuse…
Et je tremble délicieusement
Au souvenir charmant
Du premier jour
D’amour!

Love is spreading its wings over me!
In the garden of my heart
sings a new joy!
Everything is vibrant
everything rejoices at my triumph!
All around me everything is smiling
light and joy!
And I’m trembling delightfully
from the charming memory
of the first day
of love!
What a beautiful life!
Oh! I’m so happy! …utterly happy!
And I’m trembling delightfully
from the charming memory
of the first day
of love!