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"Le Bourgeois gentilhomme", comèdie-ballet en 5 actes (LWV 43)

     Comèdie-ballet "Le Bourgeois gentilhomme" was written in 1760. Molière's work of the same name underlies this ballet, and the great french playwright exactly matched all the passages, where, by his opinion, should dance be put in. So, Lully wasn't the original ballet perfomance's author, but was the author of the music for single dancing scenes. To understand the dramatical meaning of dancing scenes let's briefly remember the plot of the Molière's piece. Rich bourgeois Giourdin has a daughter, whom he want's to marry to a noble aristocrat. With a view to counterfeit the nobility, Giourdin starts to be taught dancing, music, fencing and so on. However, Giourdin's daughter - Lucille - is in love with no nobleman, but with a poor man, young Cleonte, who returns her feelings. To persuade Giourdin to give his consent to the marriage of Lucille and Cleonte, friends of the latter advice him to pass himself of as a noble Turk, arrived to ask Giourdin for the hand of his daughter. In order to make it more convincing, Cleonte and his accomplices arrange a turkish mascarade, where supposed "sultan's son" plays the leading role. Giourdin is happy to consent his daughter's marriage.

1. I act: Dance lesson
2. II act: Air "Je languis nuit et jour..."
3. II act: Air "Je languis nuit et jour..." (voice/keyboard transcription)
4. IV act: Turkish dance
5. V act: Chaconne des Scaramouches, Frivelins et Arlequins
6. V act: Menuet

� 2003 Vladimir Grudin