Chérubin

Although, in his memoirs, Massenet describes being completely bowled over by Francis de Croisset’s play staged at the Comédie-Française in 1901, he retained only its title and general outline. As a result, the work is more a fanciful follow-up to Beaumarchais’ Folle journée. Chérubin is now seventeen and still engaged in all manner of ardent love affairs. Passionately in love with three women–a countess, a baroness and a dancer–he ignores tender-hearted Nina, who will eventually win his love. This was a new type of plot and setting for Massenet, who had no interest in paying tribute to or satirising the 18th century and was distancing himself more than ever from his literary source. De Croisset, a young writer under the patronage of Sibyl Sanderson, collaborated with Cain, who knew better than anyone what the composer required. The sophisticated libretto therefore shook off the Vaudevillian character of the play to broach a style better suited to Massenet. The composer’s skill and the delicacy of his writing allowed him to craft each of the intertwined fates of the protagonists, giving this character comedy greater substance. Massenet started composing in 1902 at Égreville and, in the spring of 1904, Raoul Gunsbourg contacted the composer, who was highly regarded at the Palace of Monaco, to secure the work’s premiere at his theatre. The dress rehearsal was attended by critics from all the European capitals and the premiere on 14 February 1905, which Massenet and his wife attended in company with the Prince of Monaco, made the headlines. Mary Garden (Chérubin), Lina Cavalieri (l’Ensoleillad), Marguerite Carré (Nina) and Maurice Renaud (le Philosophe) were applauded at length by the audience.