Le Petit Duc Opéra-Comique en Trois Actes Paroles de M.M. Henri Meilhac et Ludovic Halévy... Partition Chant & Piano Arrangée par Léon Roques. [Piano-vocal score]

Paris: Brandus et Cie. [PN B. et Cie. 12367], 1878. Large octavo. Original publisher's decorative orange wrappers printed in silver and black. 1f. (recto title within decorative border printed in light purple, verso blank), 1f. (recto dedication to Jeanne Granier, verso blank), 1f. (recto notes on first performance and named cast list, verso contents), x, 301, [i] (blank) pp. Lithographed.

Named cast includes J. Granier, Vauthier, Berthelier, Urbaoin, Caliste, Elim, Bovet, Hervier, Deberg, Desclos, Duchosal, Desclauzas, Mily Meyer, Léa d'Asco, Piccolo, Panseron, Ribe, Lasselin, Dianie, and Davenay.

Wrappers somewhat worn with chipping to edges; upper partially detached; shaken. Some minor foxing; handstamp to lower margin of title. First Edition, second issue.

Le petit duc, to a libretto by Meilhac and Halévy, was first performed in Paris at the Renaissance on January 25, 1878.

"Settling once again in Paris, [Lecocq] confirmed his international reputation with La petite mariée (1875) and Le petit duc (1878), both of which have remained in the French operetta repertory..."

"Much of Lecocq's music is characterized by a light touch, but he could also adopt a more lyrical and elevated style than Offenbach and termed several of his operettas opéras comiques. His greatest popular triumph, La fille de Madame Angot, has remained a classic among operettas, and demonstrates Lecocq's abundant flow of pleasing melodies, his deft exploitation of rhythm for a lively theatrical effect, impressive building up of extended numbers, and typically French shaping of phrases." Andrew Lamb in Grove Music Online. (Inventory #: 28616)