Act II of Charpentier's Opera
Orchestral Prelude: 'Paris Awakes '
Scene 1 : At the foot of the hill of Montmartre.
Scene 2 : A Dressmaker's Workroom-
Principal parts
Other parts sung by Lisette Denie ; Ruby Heyl ; Elsa Stenning ; Marie Thultiez ; Vanwy Davies ; Jean Givau dan ; Robert Easton ;Leslie Horsman ; Frank Sale ; Booth Hitchin ; Octave Dua ; Roy Devereux ; Clifford Millar ; Robert Alva ; Osborn Oakley ; Liddell Peddison ; Martin Quinn ; Enid James ; Dorothy Milnes ; Elizabeth Aveling ; Anna Bretton ; Margaret Lewys ;
Audrey Langford
Conductor, MALCOLM SARGENT
Chorus Master, ROBERT AINSWORTH from the Royal Opera House,
Covent Garden
Act II of Louise opens with a fine piece of tone painting in the form of a Prelude which is entitled ' Paris Awakes '. The curtain rises on a street scene in Montmartre, and we see the people in the street busily going about their work, such as the milk-woman, the rag-picker, the paper girl, etc. Julien appears with some of his friends and they plan to seize Louise on the way to her work. The dressmaking girls, among whom are Louise and her mother, begin to arrive. Louise goes into the house and when her mother has gone Julien rushes in and reappears with Louise. He tries to persuade her to fly with him, but she refuses.
After a short and brilliant orchestral interlude, the scene changes to the dressmakers' workroom, where we see
Louise surrounded by her friends. They make fun at her being in love, and she answers by singing of the spirit of Paris. From the street is heard a serenade sung by Julien, which has its desired effect on Louise, who finally tells her friends to inform her employer that she has been taken ill and has had to go home. She leaves her friends and goes off with Julien.