The Prince of Monaco is in despair. He has just discovered that the Bank
of Monte Carlo is broke. Consequently he cannot purchase certain
cherished specimens necessary to the completion of his Botanical Museum:
his particular fancy is his Botanical Museum. To meet this difficulty,
his suave and sardonic councillor, Lucifer Rabelais, the director of the
Casino, suggests that the Prince announce to the many wealthy suitors of
his only daughter -- the fascinating Princess of Monaco -- that he who
loses the largest fortune to the Bank in the course of the afternoon's
play will be the winner of her hand. There immediately ensues a mad rush
to lose as many wagers as possible. But try as they will, they cannot
lose. Each suitor wins positively every bet he makes. The situation for
the Bank is becoming more and more hopeless, and the suitors' despair is
increasing momentarily with their winnings -- when Donald Adair, an
American Soldier of Fortune, appears on the scene. He has just blown in
with his four companions, from various ports around the Seven Seas, and
happens to be in funds at the time. He place all of their fortune on one
wager, quite unconscious that a Princess is the stake. He loses. He is
amazed at being immediately hailed as the winner of the hand of the
Prince's daughter, but, declaring that he could never be happy with the
same Princess long, he leaves the astonished players, vowing to return to
his wandering life.
Now the Prince had arranged a Carnival for that evening, in honor of the
fortunate suitor, and it was known that the Princess was to appear
costumed as Pierrette. But having by chance seen Donald Adair that
afternoon, and fallen quite madly in love, she induces her cousin, Nadine,
to wear her costme, and she herself goes incognito. Don has waited only
long enough to bid farewell to his four companions who have forsaken Dame
Fortune for four fairer maids of far lands whom they have just met; he is
about to set sail alone when he is brought face to face with a lovely girl
in a lonely bower, with whom he falls fatally in love at sight. He
proposes an immediate flight and a blissful future, and they are about to
set forth, when the Prince with his retinue appears. Don learns that the
maid he has just won is a Princess who is already his, and he is hailed by
the masked and merry throng as the Crown Prince of Monaco.
Cover of program from January 10, 1912
performance of Pierrette (JPEG, 540x706, 143K)
Cover of
published musical score from Pierrette (St. Louis: George J.
Breaker, 1911) (JPEG, 364x504, 60K)