French feature of the week: Non monsieur mon mari!
"Non Monsieur mon mari" from Les Mamelles de Tirésias by Francis Poulenc, on a libretto by Guillaume Apollinaire.
Ok first of all, this is one of the reasons I wish I were a soprano!
Make your week complete and listen to Poulenc performing it with his muse, Denise Duval. We can say anything we want about her voice, she inspired him this role, and La Voix Humaine and Blanche, and embodies his style. Plus, hearing Poulenc sing the husband's interjections is pretty hilarious.
I am so happy that more and more singers are using this aria for auditions and as part of their overall repertoire. It's a showstopper, especially if the diction is good, and the acting not overly prissy. Thérèse, as a woman, has nothing of a giggling "débutante" and this aria is not a mad scene either. It's a manifesto, it's full of humor and the way it is written says it all, no need for extra frills.
The whole opera is "loufoque" like we would say in French: I think it best translates as "zany" or "madcap" (Thanks WordReference). From a woman growing a beard, turning into a man, a husband giving birth to thousands of babies once his wife becomes a man, etc...no shortage of fun and a great entertainment to both performers and audiences.
One word that often puzzles us is in the phrase "diafoirer à mon gré l'Europe et l'Amérique". The verb "diafoirer" was made up and comes from the Molière play Le Malade Imaginaire. It refers to its two characters whose last name is Diafoirus. Apollinaire turned their name into a verb, it means "to act like the Diafoirus": they're pompous and pretentious. So "diafoirer" means pontificating basically. "Diafoirer à mon gré l'Europe et l'Amérique" means spreading my knowledge and opinions on Europe and America at will.
I encourage any soprano who is looking to spice up their audition package to take a good look at this aria, and I encourage any pianists who plays auditions or voice lessons to ALSO take a look at it. It can seem overwhelming at first glance, but should be part of the standard rep one can accompany without breaking a sweat.
If you need the IPA for the aria or the whole opera, take a look at the Operas for Sale page on this website, have everything you need, even the super titles!