Rip

About

This production of Robert Planquette’s Rip was staged at the Théâtre de Tours during the 1935–1936 season. An operetta in three acts and four tableaux, it is a classic of the French light-opera repertoire, inspired by the Rip Van Winkle legend. The production drew on all of the theatre’s in-house forces, including its orchestra, chorus, and ballet. Artistic leadership for this run was provided by music director Louis Le Straat, with choreography by M. Debry-Sébor. The staging followed a traditional casting model typical of mid-1930s provincial French theatres, highlighting the comic and fantastical elements of the libretto by Meilhac, Gille, and Farnie.