description Chilpéric Overview
Chilpéric is an opera bouffe by the French composer Hervé, first performed in Paris in 1868. The work treats the Merovingian king Chilperic I and his court as material for comic parody rather than conventional historical drama. Hervé appeared in the title role, and the score includes the Chanson du jambon, a comic number that became independently associated with the operetta.
help Chilpéric FAQ
Who composed Chilpéric and when was it first performed?
Chilpéric is an opéra bouffe by the French composer Hervé, the stage name of Florimond Ronger, first performed in Paris in 1868. Hervé himself appeared in the title role at the premiere.
Which historical figure does Chilpéréor mock?
The work parodies Chilperic I, the 6th-century Merovingian king familiar from the histories of Gregory of Tours. Rather than treating him as a serious historical drama subject, Hervé turns the king and his court into broad comic material.
Does Chilpéric contain any famous musical numbers?
Yes, the song 'Le petit vert vert' from the score became a popular hit in its own right, outliving the operetta's original run. It remained one of Hervé's best-known tunes.
How does Chilpéric relate to Offenbach and French operetta?
Hervé is widely credited, alongside Jacques Offenbach, as a founding father of French operetta in the mid-19th century. Chilpéric (1868) came at the height of that tradition, roughly two decades after Offenbach launched his own bouffes-parisiennes.
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