Charles LECOCQ (1832-1918). Autograph musical manuscript sig - Lot 379

Charles LECOCQ (1832-1918). Autograph musical manuscript signed, [Yetta, 1908]; 138pages oblong in-fol. (27x35cm). Complete manuscript of this comic opera in 3 acts. One of Lecocq's very last works, composed to a libretto by Fernand Beissier, Yetta premiered in Brussels at the Galeries Saint-Hubert theater on March 7, 1903, and was published the same year by Choudens. The action takes place in Holland at the end of the 18th century. The grocer Celestus wants to marry off his daughter Yetta to his old client Van der Boot. Yetta, in love with Laurens, runs away from her father's home. Her friend Christiane brings her back into the fold, and Yetta marries Laurens, while Christiane marries the clerk Tonie, who was in love with the daughter of her boss Celestus. "To set this little novel to music, Lecocq seemed to have rediscovered his old-fashioned verve. The songs of the two heroines, particularly in the third act, are of the highest quality" (Louis Schneider). The manuscript of the song and piano version, in black ink (sometimes on a pencil sketch) on 16-line oblong paper, was used for the edition. It shows erasures and corrections, and annotations of nuances in blue pencil, as well as some instrumentation indications in pencil. The leaves are numbered twice, by act and generally. It comprises: - Overture. - Act I. N°1 Sérénade (Laurens). N°2 Chorus and ensemble (Acheteuses, acheteurs, Tonie). N°3 Trio and couplets (Tonie, Célestus, Yetta). N°4 Duet (Christiane, Yetta). N°5 Duet (Laurens, Yetta). Continuation of n°5 Repetition of duet (id.). N°6 Finale (chorus, Célestus, Yetta, Laurens, Christiane and Tonie) [at bottom of 1st sheet, autogr. note signed in blue pencil: "prière me rendre cette feuille Ch. Lecocq"]. - Intermission. - Act II. N°7 Duo (Laurens, Yetta). N°8 Couplets by Célestus. N°9 Trio (Yetta, Christiane, Laurens). N°10 Couplets (Christiane, Tonie). N°11 Scene and couplets (Christiane, Laurens, Yetta). N°12 [Final] (Chorus, Celestus, Van der Boot, Gudule). - 2nd intermission. - Act III. N°13 Chœur des Commis. N°14 Trio (Gudule, Tonie, Célestus). N°15 Duo (Yetta, Laurens) [the brief 2-bar introduction has been crossed out, and expanded to 39 bars on an inserted sheet]. N°16 Couplet (Tonie). N°17 Couplets (Yetta). N°18 Ensemble and rondeau (Yetta, Laurens, Christiane, Van der Boot, Célestus, Tonie). N°19 Couplet finale (id.). Attached is the autograph manuscript of the orchestral score for Trio n°14, marked at the top "Entrée de Gudule" (8pages).