LA BELLE HELENE

Jacques Offenbach (1819 Cologne - 1880 Paris)

The inside story, somehow overlooked by Homer, of how, with the help of that capriciously relentless goddess of love, Venus, Prince Paris of Troy succeeded in seducing beautiful Helen.

DATE	TIME	VENUE
Feb 21, Sat.	2:00 PM	Julia Morgan Theater
March 1, Sun.	2:00 PM	Legion of Honor
March 8, Sun.	2:00 PM	Legion of Honor
March 15, Sun.	2:00 PM	Napa Valley Opera House

Role	Voice
Agamemnon, King of Mycenae	baritone
Menelas, King of Sparta	tenor
Paris, son of King Priam of Troy	tenor
Calchas, high priest of Jupiter	bass
Achille, King of Phthiotis	tenor
Oreste, son of Agamemnon	mezzo-soprano or tenor
Ajax I, King of Salamis	tenor
Second Ajax, King of the Locrians	tenor
Philocome, Calchas' attendant	spoken
Euthycles, a blacksmith	spoken
Helene, Queen of Sparta	soprano
Parthenis, a courtesan	soprano
Loena, a courtesan	mezzo-soprano
Bacchis, Helene's attendant	soprano
Princes, guards, people, slaves etc.


Megan Stetson ROLE: Helene	Rose Frazier ROLE: Oreste	Nicolas Aliaga ROLE: Director, Calchas

Poor Helen! Queen of Sparta, wife of King Menelaus, the most beautiful woman in the world, nonetheless she has had her share of problems. Venus, goddess of love, once more is giving her a hard time. When the goddess commands, what can one do but obey? Yes, time and time again, Helen has been a helpless pawn in the hands of the capricious but relentless goddess.

One blushes to recall the excesses of her youth, the hours of rapture, the nights of ecstasy --- and all of it entirely against her will.

But enough is enough. She is resolved that it will not happen again. After all, she is now a respectable married woman, or at least making a valiant effort to be so. But when handsome prince Paris of Troy comes into the scene, one soon begins to sense that Helen is fighting a losing battle . . . . The true story, curiously overlooked by Homer.

Offenbach in peak form! A story that is funny yet somehow touching, lightly floating on an irresistible flow of intoxicating melody.