About this edition
Donizetti's La fille du régiment occupies a singular place in the operatic canon: composed for the Paris Opéra-Comique and first performed there in 1840, it stands as one of the composer's few works written directly to a French libretto, blending opéra-comique's spoken dialogue with his unmistakable bel canto lyricism. The role of Tonio remains legendary for its aria "Ah! mes amis," whose string of nine high Cs has tested — and made the reputations of — generations of tenors, from Luciano Pavarotti's celebrated performances onward. Equal parts military comedy and tender romance, the opera's sparkling orchestration and irresistible melodic invention have kept it a beloved fixture of the repertoire for over 180 years.
This edition reproduces the full orchestral score published in Paris by C. Joubert in 1916, plate number C. J. 9480. Joubert was among the Parisian houses that issued performing and study editions of the standard French and Italian opera repertoire during the early twentieth century, at a time when full scores of works like this one were often difficult to obtain outside rental libraries. Editions from this period preserve the orchestration and performance conventions familiar to French houses of the era, making them valuable both for historical study and as a practical basis for performance.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score, complete in two acts
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Reproduced from a historical public domain source
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
Because this score belongs to the public domain, we're glad to make it freely available again in a clean, readable printed edition — putting a landmark of French opera back into the hands of the conductors, musicians, and scholars who bring it to life.
