of the bouquets and love-letters. The Baroness now arrives, followed by all of the duellists' exhausted seconds. They denounce the Countess, but she convinces them individually that each is still her favourite. The suitors tell the Countess that the Commander has been seriously wounded by the Chevalier. He enters, bandaged and dishevelled, and ashamed to have lost the duel for the Countess. Wishing to continue to live on the estate, he asks the Baroness for her hand. The Countess is alarmed - will she now be obliged to marry the Chevalier? She and the Commander leave and the Chevalier enters, commending the Commander as an honourable gentleman, and keen to exact revenge from the fickle Countess. The Baroness suggests that he might now find a more loving woman (she means a reformed Countess), but the Chevalier assumes that the Baroness is putting herself forward, and that she will marry him forthwith. He is delighted, and disappears to collect his luggage. When the Chevalier returns, he is astonished to see the Commander on his knees in front of the Baroness. As the suitors reappear, the Chevalier is about to challenge the Commander to another duel, but the Countess enters and offers her hand to the Chevalier. He refuses her and takes the Baroness's hand - he will marry her after he has killed the Commander! The Countess finally admits that she had meant to offer her hand to the Commander. He accepts with pleasure, as his position on the estate will now be secure. The twelve suitors are disappointed - they had hoped that the Countess would never marry so that they could always live in hope. The Countess implies that they may still hope, so long as they continue to adore her. The Baroness and the Chevalier look forward to future happiness. Note: the above synopsis is a précis of the one by Richard Langham-Smith in the booklet for the Opera Rara recording Recordings Thomas: La cour de Célimène, Philharmonia Orchestra, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir Conductor: Andrew Litton Soloists: Laura Claycomb (La Comtesse), Joan Rodgers (La Baronne), Alastair Miles (Le Commandeur), Sébastien Droy (Le Chevalier), Nicole Tibbels (Bretonne) Recording date: July 2007 Label: Opera Rara, ORC37 (2 CDs) References Operas by Ambroise Thomas French-language operas 1855 operas Operas Opera world premieres at the Opéra-Comique Operas set in Paris