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{{Short description|Opéra comique with music by Giacomo Meyerbeer}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox opera
| name              = Dinorah<br />Le pardon de Ploërmel
| type              = [[Opéra comique]]
| composer          = [[Giacomo Meyerbeer]]
| image             = Poster for Le pardon de Ploërmel 1859.jpg
| image_upright     = 1.2
| caption           = Poster for the premiere depicting Corentin, Dinorah, and Hoël
| librettist        = {{plainlist|
* [[Jules Barbier]]
* [[Michel Carré]]
}}
| language          = French
| based_on          = [[Brittany|Breton]] tales
| premiere_date     = {{Start date|1859|04|04|df=y}} 
| premiere_location = [[Opéra-Comique]]
}}
'''''Dinorah''''', originally '''''Le pardon de Ploërmel''''' (''The [[Pardon (ceremony)|Pardon]] of Ploërmel''),<ref>In France the opera is most often performed as ''Le pardon de Ploërmel''. The translation "The Pilgrimage of Ploërmel" is by {{harvp|Huebner|1992}} and is not generally used as the title in English-speaking countries. Some revivals in France and most performances outside France have used the name ''Dinorah''. Other French titles have included ''Le Pardon de Notre-Dame d'Auray'' and ''Les Chercheurs d'or'' ({{harvnb|Wild|Charlton|2005|p=353}}).</ref> is an 1859 French [[opéra comique]] in three acts with music by [[Giacomo Meyerbeer]] and a [[libretto]] by [[Jules Barbier]] and [[Michel Carré]].<ref>Additions to the libretto were made in German by Meyerbeer and Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer and translated into French by Georges-Frédéric Burguis and Joseph Duesburg respectively ({{harvnb|Arsenty|2008|p=1}}).</ref> The story takes place near the rural town of [[Ploërmel]] and is based on two [[Brittany|Breton]] tales by [[Émile Souvestre]], "La Chasse aux trésors" and "Le Kacouss de [[Côtes-d'Armor|l'Armor]]", both published separately in 1850 in the ''[[Revue des deux mondes]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Wild|Charlton|2005|p=353}}; {{harvnb|Letellier|2008|p=187}} (Letellier gives the title of the second story as "Le Kacouss de l'amour".)</ref>

==Roles==

{| class="wikitable"
|+ {{sronly|Roles, voice types, and premiere cast}}
!Role
![[Voice type]]
!Premiere cast,<ref name="Wolff"/> 4&nbsp;April&nbsp;1859<br/>(Conductor: Meyerbeer)
|-
|Dinorah, ''a peasant girl''
|[[coloratura soprano]]
|[[Marie Cabel]]
|-
|Shepherd
|[[soprano]]
|Breuillé
|-
|Shepherd
|[[mezzo-soprano]]
|Emma Belia
|-
|Corentin, ''a bag-piper''
|[[tenor]]
|[[Charles-Louis Sainte-Foy]]
|-
|Goatherd
|soprano
|Dupuy
|-
|Goatherd
|soprano
|Marguerite Decroix
|-
|Hoël, ''a goat-herd''
|[[baritone]]
|[[Jean-Baptiste Faure]]
|-
|A huntsman
|[[bass (voice type)|bass]]
| Barreille<ref>The real name of the bass singer using the stage name of Barreille was Alexandre-Maximilien Bonvoux ({{harvnb|Letellier|2008|p=241}}).</ref>
|-
|A harvester
|tenor
|[[Victor Warot]]
|-
|Loïc
|baritone
|Lemaire
|-
|Claude
|tenor
|Palianti
|-
| colspan="3" |Chorus: ''peasants and villagers''
|}
{{Multiple image|width=150|header=Role creators
|image1=Meyerbeer dinorah Marie Cabel.jpg|caption1=Marie Cabel
|image2=Sainte-Foy in Meyerbeer's Le Pardon de Ploërmel.jpg|caption2=Sainte-Foy
|image3=Jean-Baptiste Faure, dans "le Pardon de Ploërmel" de Meyerbeer - Gallica (adjusted).jpg|caption3=J-B Faure}}

==Synopsis==
:Time: Nineteenth century
:Place: [[Brittany]]

=== Act 1 ===
''In the Breton village of [[Ploërmel]], a rugged and wild site illuminated by the last rays of the setting sun with, in the foreground, Corentin's cottage''

During the annual pilgrimage to the chapel of the Virgin, Dinorah has gone mad because her bridegroom Hoël disappeared following a storm that interrupted their wedding on the same day the previous year. Dinorah has lost her pet goat Bellah but, believing she has found it, she sings a lullaby to the goat and then walks away (''[[Berceuse]]: Bellah, ma chèvre chérie''). Hoël returns to the village, having discovered the whereabouts of a treasure. He enlists Corentin to help him recover the riches, but not without sinister intent, since according to the legend, the first to touch them will perish.

[[File:Meyerbeer dinorah act2 scene1.jpg|thumb|right|Act 2, scene 1, Dinorah dances with her shadow (London, 1859)]]
[[File:Act2 of Le pardon de Ploërmel 1859 - Letellier2008p195.jpg|thumb|Mühldorfers' design for act 2, scene 2]]

===Act 2===

====Scene 1====
''A birch wood lit by the moon''

Dinorah imagined she heard Hoël's voice and followed it into the wood, but once there, she weeps to find herself alone (''Romance: Me voici, Hoël doit m’attendre ici''). A moonbeam falls on her and casts its shadow on her feet. Imagining that it is the day before her wedding, she sings and dances with her shadow (''Air: Ombre légère'').

====Scene 2====
''A mysterious valley''

Hoël and Corentin descend upon the cache where Dinorah also happens to be. From her, Corentin learns about the legend, and later he and Hoël invite each other first to inspect the treasure. During that time, Dinorah, in pursuit of her pet goat, steps on a tree trunk by a river as it is hit by lightning, and falls in the water and is swept away by the current. Hoël having witnessed the scene leaps to her rescue.

===Act 3===
[[File:Un sito agreste, bozzetto di Carlo Ferrario per Dinorah (1870) - Archivio Storico Ricordi ICON012102.jpg|thumb|''Un sito agreste'', set design for ''Dinorah'' act 3 scene 1 (1870).]]
Hoël admits his love and regrets to Dinorah as she regains consciousness  ''(Romance: Ah ! mon remords te venge)''. She recognizes him and regains her sanity. The villagers arrive and sing a hymn of forgiveness and lead the two lovers to the chapel where they will be married.

==Performance history==
The opera was premiered on 4 April 1859 by the [[Opéra-Comique]] at the second [[Salle Favart]] in Paris. The stage designs for acts 1 and 3 were by [[Edouard-Désiré-Joseph Despléchin]] and Jean-Louis Chéret.<ref>{{harvnb|Henze-Döhring|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=J-m-Dzb-9GgC&pg=PA682 682]}} identifies the set designer Chéret as Jean Louis Chéret (1810–1882). {{harvnb|Letellier|2008|p=196}} gives the name Jules Chérets (probably confusing him with the painter [[Jules Chéret]]).</ref> Those for the more technically demanding act 2, which included onstage running water, were by Joseph and Karl Wilhelm Mühldorfer.<ref name=Letellier196>{{harvnb|Letellier|2008|p=196}}</ref>

The principal singers were highly acclaimed: "Marie Cabel for her vertiginous-virtuoso interpretation of Dinorah; Sainte-Foy for his overwhelmingly convincing characterization of Corentin, lyrically as well as dramatically; Jean-Baptiste Faure for his fascinating stage presence as Hoël, Meyerbeer's first big baritone role."<ref name=Letellier196/> The supporting singers were also greatly admired, in particular, Barreille as the huntsman and Warot as the harvester. Meyerbeer's music was praised for its originality, but the libretto was found incomprehensible and even met with derision. In the initial run of performances up to the end of 1859, changes were made, the most significant being the casting of the contralto Palmyre Wertheimber in the role of Hoël.<ref name=Letellier196/>

The opera remained very successful in Paris up to 1912.<ref name=Loewenberg>{{harvnb|Loewenberg|1978|loc=column 942}}</ref> Under its original title it was revived at the [[Opéra-Comique]] on 27 August 1874, 23 May 1881, 6 June 1896, and 16 March 1912,<ref name=Loewenberg/> by which time it had been performed over 200 times by the company.<ref name="Wolff">{{harvnb|Wolff|1953|p=135}}</ref> It was revived in Brussels as late as 11 January 1939.<ref name=Loewenberg/>

Meyerbeer composed [[recitatives]] to replace the spoken dialog for performances abroad.{{sfn|Huebner|1992|p=1180}} The opera was translated into Italian by Achille de Lauzières for the premiere in London on 26 July 1859 (with [[Marie Caroline Miolan-Carvalho|Miolan-Carvalho]]) and became known internationally as ''Dinorah'', but it was first performed in America on 4 March 1861 at the [[French Opera House]] in New Orleans in French.<ref>{{harvnb|Belsom|2007}}; {{harvnb|Joyce|McPeek|2001}}. {{harvnb|Loewenberg|1978|loc=column 942}} has the exact date and language, but not the venue. Note that {{harvnb|Brown|2001|p=576}}, and {{harvnb|Belsom|1992|p=584}}, say it was given at the [[Théâtre d'Orléans]].</ref>

''Dinorah'' was performed in New York (at the [[Academy of Music (New York City)|Academy of Music]]) in Italian on 24 November 1862.<ref name=Loewenberg/> As a novelty, it attracted a great deal of attention and (starring the now nearly forgotten Angelina Cordier) was very popular. One of its attractions was to be the appearance of an actual, live goat on stage, which "inspired a vast dissemination of facetious goat-lore in all the papers."{{sfn|Brodsky Lawrence|1999|p=514}} Unfortunately, the opera followed close on the heels of a highly successful production of Bellini's ''[[Norma (opera)|Norma]]'', and Meyerbeer's work suffered by comparison. The reviewer in ''Dwight's Music'' (6 December 1862) was highly critical, writing: "Beside such music as this (the heaviest of light operas), Bellini's melodies are golden and Rossini's operas classic."<ref>Quoted in {{harvnb|Brodsky Lawrence|1999|pp=514–515}}</ref>

Nevertheless, ''Dinorah'' was initially performed quite often outside France and became a great favorite of [[Adelina Patti]], but was rarely performed during the latter half of the 20th century except for the famous virtuoso aria for soprano "Ombre légère", also known as "The Shadow Song", in which Dinorah sings to and then dances with her [[shadow]]. Other sopranos who have enjoyed considerable success in the role of Dinorah include [[Amelita Galli-Curci]], [[Ema Pukšec|Ilma di Murska]], [[Georgina Schubert]], [[Luisa Tetrazzini]], [[Maria Barrientos]], and [[Lily Pons]].

<gallery mode="packed" heights="160px" caption="Illustrations from ''The Victrola Book of the Opera'' (1919)">
File:Tetrazzini as Dinorah - Victrola Book of Opera 1919 p78.jpg|[[Luisa Tetrazzini|Tetrazzini]] as Dinorah
File:The Shadow Dance from 'Dinorah' in the Victrola Book of Opera 1919 p77.jpg|"The Shadow Song"
File:Galli-Curci as Dinorah in the Victrola Book of Opera 1919 p77.jpg|[[Amelita Galli-Curci|Galli-Curci]] as Dinorah
</gallery>

Although the opera has been largely neglected during the latter half of the last century, a rare broadcast performance of the overture by [[Arturo Toscanini]] and the [[NBC Symphony Orchestra]] from 12 November 1938, has been preserved.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Toscanini Discography |url=http://www.toscaninionline.com/disco17.htm |publisher=ToscaniniOnline.com |author=Wilson, John |date=2002 |access-date=7 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603195751/http://www.toscaninionline.com/disco17.htm |archive-date=3 June 2010 }}</ref> This unusual overture has several sections with chorus, and ample percussion, and has been compared favorably with those of [[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]] and [[Giuseppe Verdi|Verdi]].

Meyerbeer's operas have become performed more often in Europe in the 21st century.<ref name="Letellier">{{cite book|last1=Letellier|first1=Robert Ignatius|author-link=Robert Letellier|title=The Operas of Giacomo Meyerbeer|year=2006|publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson University Press|isbn=978-0-8386-4093-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/operasofgiacomom00lete}}</ref> ''Dinorah'' received stagings in [[Dortmund]] and [[Parma]] in 2000 and in [[Compiègne]] in 2002.<ref name="Letellier"/>  A concert performance of the opera was given by the [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]], in 2014, which was recorded.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=David J. |title=Meyerbeer:Dinorah |url=https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/11/Recordings/MEYERBEER__Dinorah.html |website=operanews.com |access-date=9 September 2018 |archive-date=9 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909222302/https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/11/Recordings/MEYERBEER__Dinorah.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

''Dinorah'' was presented in full production by New York City's Amore Opera from March 19 to 23, 2019, at the [[Riverside Church|Riverside Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simpson |first1=Eric C. |title=New York Classical Review |url=http://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2019/03/worthy-singing-from-young-cast-in-amore-operas-rough-and-unready-dinorah/ |website=newyorkclassicalreview.com |access-date=22 March 2019}}</ref>

==Recordings==
'''Audio'''
* ''Dinorah'' – [[Deborah Cook (soprano)|Deborah Cook]] (Dinorah), [[Christian du Plessis]] (Hoël), Alexander Oliver (Corentin) – [[Geoffrey Mitchell Choir]], Philarmonia Orchestra – [[James Judd]] (conductor) – [[Opera Rara]] (1979)
* ''Dinorah'' – [[Patrizia Ciofi]] (Dinorah), Étienne Dupuis (Hoël), Phiippe Talbot (Corentin) – Chorus and Orchestra of [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]] – [[Enrique Mazzola]] (conductor) – [[Classic Produktion Osnabruck|cpo]] (2014)
* The aria "Ombre légère" has been recorded by many [[coloratura soprano]]s, including [[Maria Callas]], [[Joan Sutherland]], [[Anna Moffo]], [[June Anderson]] and [[Natalie Dessay]].
'''Video'''
* Isabelle Philippe (Dinorah), Armand Arapian (Hoël), Frédéric Mazzotta (Corentin) – Théâtre français de la musique, Cori Spezzatti, Orchestre de L’Opéra d’Etat Hongrais Failoni, Olivier Opdebeeck (conductor), [[Pierre Jourdan]] (adaptation and production) – Recorded in performance in October 2002 at the [[Théâtre impérial de Compiègne]]. Cascavelle DVDELD7000 ([[PAL]], [[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 0]]). {{OCLC|717423316}}. Kultur D4013 ([[NTSC]], [[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 1]]) {{ISBN|978-0-7697-7983-6}}.

==Libretto and scores==
Meyerbeer's manuscripts have not been found, and most published libretti reflect cuts to the score made in almost all productions. A complete libretto has recently been published by [[Cambridge Scholars Publishing]] as part of the series ''Giacomo Meyerbeer: The Complete Libretti in Eleven Volumes''.{{sfn|Arsenty|2008|pp=2–3}} The following are the early printed sources which were used in the preparation of that libretto:
* ''Le Pardon de Ploërmel; opéra-comique en trois actes''. Paris: Brandus & Dufour, 1859. (First edition of the full orchestral score with spoken dialogue.)
* ''Le Pardon de Ploërmel; opéra en trois actes. "Edition contenant les récitatifs et les morceaux ajoutés par l’auteur."'' Paris: Benoit, 1885. (Score with sung recitatives in place of spoken dialog.)
* ''Le Pardon de Ploërmel; opéra-comique en trois actes.'' Paris: Michel Lévy Frères, 1859. (Second edition of the libretto used for additional stage directions and scenic descriptions.)

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
'''Sources'''
* {{cite book|editor-last=Arsenty|editor-first=Richard|year=2008|title=The Meyerbeer Libretti: Opéra Comique 2 Le Pardon de Ploërmel|others=Introduction by [[Robert Letellier]]|location=Newcastle upon Tyne|series=Cambridge Scholars|isbn=978-1-84718-969-1}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Belsom|1992}}|reference=Belsom, Jack (1992). "New Orleans"}} in {{harvnb|Sadie|1992|loc=vol. 3, pp.&nbsp;584–585}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Belsom|2007}}|reference=Belsom, Jack (2007). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531005833/http://www.neworleansopera.org/about_us_history.html |date=May 31, 2008 |title=''A History of Opera in New Orleans''}}}}
* {{cite book|last=Brown|first=Clive|year=2001|chapter=Giacomo Meyerbeer|editor=Amanda Holden|editor-link=Amanda Holden (writer)|title=The New Penguin Opera Guide|location=New York|publisher=Penguin Putnam|isbn=0-14-029312-4|pages=570–577}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Henze-Döhring|editor-first=Sabine|year=2004|title=Giacomo Meyerbeer: Briefwechsel und Tagebücher, 1856–1859|language=de|type=volume 7|location=Berlin|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-3-11-018030-5}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Huebner|1992}}|reference=Huebner, Steven (1992). "''Dinorah'' [''Le pardon de Ploërmel'' ('The Pilgrimage of Ploërmel')]"}} in {{harvnb|Sadie|1992|loc=vol. 1, pp. 1179–1180}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Joyce|McPeek|2001}}|reference=Joyce, John; McPeek, Gwynn Spencer (2001). "New Orleans"}} in {{harvnb|Sadie|2001}}
* {{cite book|last=Brodsky Lawrence|first=Vera |author-link=Vera Brodsky Lawrence |year=1999|title=Strong on Music: The New York Music Scene in the Days of George Templeton Strong. Volume III: Repercussions, 1857–1862|location=Chicago|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=9780226470160}}
* {{cite book|last=Letellier|first=Robert Ignatius|author-link=Robert Letellier|year=2008|title=An Introduction to the Dramatic Works of Giacomo Meyerbeer: Operas, Ballets, Cantatas, Plays |page=195 |location=Hampshire, England|publisher=Ashgate|isbn=978-0-7546-6039-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Loewenberg|first=Alfred|year=1978|title=Annals of Opera 1597–1940|edition=third, revised|location=Totowa, New Jersey|publisher=Rowman and Littlefield|isbn=978-0-87471-851-5}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Sadie|editor-first=Stanley|editor-link=Stanley Sadie|year=1992|title=[[The New Grove Dictionary of Opera]]|type=4 volumes|location=London|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-1-56159-228-9}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Sadie|editor-first=Stanley|year=2001|title=[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]|edition=2nd|location=London|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-1-56159-239-5}} (hardcover), {{OCLC|419285866}} (eBook), and [[Grove Music Online]].
* {{cite book|last1=Wild|first1=Nicole|last2=Charlton|first2=David|year=2005|title=Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique: Repertoire 1762–1972|language=fr|location=Sprimont, Belgium|publisher=Mardaga|isbn=978-2-87009-898-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Wolff|first=Stéphane|year=1953|title=Un demi-siècle d'Opéra-Comique (1900–1950)|location=Paris|publisher=André Bonne|id={{OCLC|250469567|459125672|2174128}}}}

==Further reading==
* {{Almanacco|dmy=04-04-1859|match=Dinorah}}
* Huebner, Steven (2008). ''"Dinorah"'' at ''[[Grove Music Online]]''.
* [[Gustav Kobbé|Kobbé, Gustav]]; [[George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood|Harewood, Earl of]] (1958). ''Kobbé's Complete Opera Book''. New York: Putnam. {{OCLC|560129867|10720244|637971238}}.

==External links==
* {{IMSLP|work=Le pardon de Ploërmel (Meyerbeer, Giacomo)|cname=''Le pardon de Ploërmel''}} (Includes vocal scores in French and Italian.)
* {{YouTube|ZjhMrW3OCEs|Act 2, storm scene}}, Amore Opera, New York City, 2019

{{Giacomo Meyerbeer|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dinorah, Ou Le Pardon De Ploermel}}
[[Category:French-language operas]]
[[Category:Operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer]]
[[Category:Operas]]
[[Category:1859 operas]]
[[Category:Opéras comiques]]
[[Category:Opera world premieres at the Opéra-Comique]]
[[Category:Libretti by Jules Barbier]]
[[Category:Libretti by Michel Carré]]
[[Category:Operas set in France]]