BABETTE A comic opera in 3 acts. Music by Victor Herbert ; Book and Lyrics by Harry B. Smith Broadway Theatre, New York - 16th November 1903 - 9th January, 1904 (59 perfs) SYNOPSIS Babette is a village letter writer in Antwerp during the days of Spanish domination. With the help of a soldier of fortune, Mondragon, she enlists the aid of the king of France to overthrow the despotic rule. MUSICAL NUMBERS Act I - Garden of Van Tympel's House near Antwerp. 1. Opening Chorus - "Swing the arm, and toss the sphere swiftly o'er the verdant moss; little reck' we care or fear, naught we care for gain or loss..." 2. Song - Mondragon and Chorus - "Let others waste their time pursuing the fleeting phantoms, wealth and fame. Such bubbles are not worth the wooing..." 3. Duet - Mondragon and Vinetta - "Here is a song to you, fair maid, on the other side of the wall, though I know well you're a fickle jade..." 4. Entrance of Babette - "Here's Babette ... Here's Babette, the letter writer, come and set your mind at ease ... Here's Babette; welcome, Babette..." 5. Song - Babette - "In pursuit of my profession many letters strange I write; sometimes 'tis a love confession, sometimes challenges to fight..." 6. Song - Tympel and Chorus - "Oh, the clockmaker's trade is a right good trade and a thrifty trade as well, for the good old clocks that for you are made..." 7. Duet - Marcel and Babette - "My subject is so fair a creature, no artist could her charm portray, nor realize her grace of feature on canvass..." 8. Finale Act I - Babette, Marcel, Mondragon and Chorus - "My friends, to arms! Come, all, to arms, 'tis the Nation calls! Defend our native land..." Act II - A Roadside Inn near Brussels. 9. Opening Chorus - "Kermess day of all the year is the merriest of all, and so now that Kermess day let us all obey the call..." 10. Chorus, Trio - Baltazar, Vinetta and Van Dyk - "Hey! hey! the coach ... Hey! hey! the coach ... the coach approaches, hurrah! ..." 11. Dance 12. Song - Mondragon and Chorus - "What would you buy, merry gentlemen all? For bargains each man of us strives, I've frippery furbelows, trinkets..." 13. Romanza - Marcel - "If I could look into your eyes and see the love-light there, there were no knight in armor bright but might of me beware..." 14. Entrance of Babette, Van Tympel and Eva - "To the sound of the pipe and the roll of the drum, the strolling comedians hitherward come..." 15. Song - Babette - "Once young Pierrot the gay the free, fell deep in love as deep could be, with Columbine so fair to see, and sighed so sadly: woe is me..." 16. Sextette - Marcel, Van Tympel, Eva, Mondragon, Katrina and Theresa - "There once was an owl, an intelligent fowl, so they tell me..." 17. Entrance of Guzman and Musketeers - "When troopers ride into a town with chargers urged by the spur, there's never a girl but her head's in a whirl..."
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