La chatte métamorphosée en femme

• Minette, Guidos " cat " (soprano )
• Guido, the son of a merchant from Trieste ( Tenor)
• Marianne, whose governess (Alt )
• Dig- Dig, Indian Magician (baritone )

The transformed cat ( original title: " La chatte métamorphosée en femme" ) is a French operetta in one act by Jacques Offenbach to a libretto by Eugène Scribe and Mélèsville. The work was premiered on April 19, 1858 in Offenbach's private Théâtre des Bouffes in Paris.

The game is the minette for a virtuosic coloratura soprano.

Orchestra

Two flutes (2nd piccolo ), oboe, two clarinets, one bassoon, two horns, two cornets, a trombone, percussion and strings

Action

Guido has simply not managed with the rich inheritance left by his father to deal correctly. In money matters he was just always been a right dilettante. Now he lives a life of poverty. Earlier, he had many friends. But as it is just so: Shrinks the money disappear also to you. What remained to him only his old governess, Marianne, his cousin Minette and their kitten, that he turns all his love. Minette, however, is kindled in love with her ​​cousin and would prefer that if he gave her cat instead of his affection.

With the help of an Indian magician succeeds Minette to slip into the skin of Guido 's beloved kitten and so to show her cousin not only her purring, but also their claws. And as befits an operetta, can the success not long in coming. Guido discovered his love feelings to Minette, and at the end are both a couple.

Reception

This operetta was successful long. Around 1880 Josef Hellmesberger junior created an eponymous ballet in three acts based on texts by F. Zell and Carl Telle. Ignaz Franz Castelli has also translated this work under the title turned into a woman cat.