Mârouf, savetier du Caire


Mârouf, savetier du Caire is an opéra comique by the French composer Henri Rabaud. The libretto, by Lucien Nepoty, is based on a tale from the Arabian Nights. Mârouf was first performed at the Opéra-Comique, Paris, on 15 May 1914. The premiere was a great success and Mârouf became Rabaud's most popular opera. The score makes great use of oriental colour. The United States premiere of the opera was given at the Metropolitan Opera on December 19, 1917, with Giuseppe De Luca in the title role, Frances Alda as Princess Saamcheddine, and Pierre Monteux conducting. The opera was revived at the Opéra-Comique in 2013 in a production by Jérôme Deschamps, with Jean-Sébastien Bou in the title role, conducted by Alain Altinoglu.

Roles

RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 15 May 1914
Conductor: François Ruhlmann
MâroufbaritoneJean Périer
Fattoumah, his wifesopranoJeanne Tiphaine
The Sultan of KhaïtânbassFélix Vieuille
Princess Saamcheddine, his daughtersopranoMarthe Davelli
His vizierbassJean Delvoye
AlibassDaniel Vigneau
Fellah/GenietenorGeorges-Louis Mesmaecker
First merchanttenorMaurice Cazeneuve
Second merchanttenorÉric Audoin
First policemantenorPierre Delager
Second policemanbaritoneCorbière
Chief sailor/First muezzintenorEugène de Creus
Second muezzinbassThibault
Donkey-drivertenorDonval
First mamlukbaritoneJean Reymond
Second mamlukbassBrun
Pâtissier/AhmedbassLouis Azéma
KadıbassPaul Payen
ballerinassilentSonia Pavloff, Germaine Dugué, Gina Luparia, Sallandri
ballerinosilentRobert Quinault

Synopsis

The hen-pecked cobbler Mârouf decides to join a group of sailors and travels to Khaïtân where he pretends to be a rich merchant awaiting the arrival of his caravan. The sultan is impressed and offers him the hand of his daughter Saamcheddine. Mârouf's deception is discovered and he flees, followed by the princess, who has fallen in love with him. They find a mysterious ring which gives Mârouf power over a magician. The magician grants Mârouf's wish for the caravan he boasted about to become reality. The sultan is appeased, pardons Mârouf and allows him to marry Saamcheddine.