Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis Cover Image

Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score

$25.00 USD
$25.00 USD
Skip to product information
Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis Cover Image
Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score

Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score

By Ambroise Thomas/ Libretto by Michel Carré and Jules Barbier

Item: 36-A884901
$25.00
Shipped

One moment…

Related Items

Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score & Parts

$60.00
View

Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Condensed Score

$5.00
View

Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Condensed Score

$5.00
View
Description
Hamlet was written by French composer Ambroise Thomas (1811-1896) in 1868, two years after the completion of his other well-known opera, Mignon. Michel Carré and Jules Barbier based their libretto on the French adaptation of Shakespeare's play by Alexandre Dumas, père, and there are significant plot departures made from the original to satisfy the French dramatic sensibilities of the time, including having Hamlet survive and be crowned king at the end. That the adaptation happened at all was driven by an obsession in Paris for the character Ophelia that began in 1827, and as such, her character, called Ophélie in the French, features more heavily in the opera. Arguably Ophélie most well-known part of the opera is the "Mad Scene" (Act 4) where, unable to account for Hamlet's rejection of her, her mind breaks, and she eventually drowns herself in the lake among the reeds. The scene and aria here includes: Recitative - A vos jeux, mes amis permettez-moi de grâce de prendre part! / "My friends, please allow me to join in your games!"; Andante - Un doux serment nous lie / "A tender promise binds us to each other"; Waltz - Partegez-vous mes fleurs / "Share my flowers"; Ballade - Et maintenant écoutez ma chanson. Pâle et blonde, dort sous l'eau profonde / "And now listen to my song. Pale and fair, sleeping under the deep water." This publication includes a full score in the original French, but both a French and an Italian/English piano conductor score are also available separately. Instrumentation: 2.2(1st dEH).1.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2): Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set).

Hamlet: Mad Scene (Scene and Aria): A vos jeux, mes amis: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

No sample pages found.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Opera Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 8-88-852781-8
ISBN13: 979-8-88-852781-8
UPC: 659359917639
SKU: 36-A884901
Instrumentation: 2.2(1st dEH).1.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2): Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Ambroise Thomas

Ambroise Thomas (1811-1896) was a French operatic composer whose gift for melody and dramatic storytelling made him one of the most performed opera composers of the nineteenth century. Though his works have cycled in and out of the standard repertoire, his two most celebrated operas, Mignon and Hamlet, remain touchstones for singers and conductors seeking French Romantic opera with genuine vocal and orchestral substance.

Why we love this

This Mad Scene endures because it sits at the intersection of vocal virtuosity and genuine psychological drama. Thomas crafts four distinct musical forms (recitative, andante, waltz, and ballade) that map Ophélie's fractured mental state, giving conductors and singers a sophisticated vehicle for exploring the character's humanity beyond theatrical spectacle.

What to expect

The score moves restlessly between intimate recitative confession, lyrical tenderness, waltz-tinged delusion, and a deeply tragic ballad about drowning and oblivion. Thomas's orchestration alternates between transparency and lushness, mirroring Ophélie's oscillation between lucidity and dissolution.

Who it's for

Conductors leading opera performances, concert opera productions, or specialty vocal recital programs will find this a rewarding score. Professional and advanced amateur orchestras with access to a soprano capable of handling the vocal and dramatic demands will discover a scene that remains both musically and theatrically commanding.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the soprano's exposed passages carefully in the recitative and ballade sections; the orchestra should support but never overwhelm the narrative line that drives her emotional arc.
  • Shape the waltz with calculated lightness even as it reveals her instability; the juxtaposition of dance form and deteriorating mind creates the scene's dramatic power.
  • Coordinate the ensemble carefully during transitions between sections; clarity of ensemble rhythms will support the soloist's interpretive choices across shifting tempos and emotional states.
  • Set a sustainable tempo in the Andante that allows both the soloist and string section room to breathe and sustain phrases without forcing.

How to use it

This scene works powerfully as a centerpiece in an opera-focused concert, paired with other soprano showpieces or other scenes from Hamlet. It also serves as an exceptional standalone dramatic vehicle when programming vocal recitals that require orchestral forces and legitimacy.

Skills your students will build

  • Conducting transitions between multiple contrasting formal sections (recitative, andante, waltz, ballade) without losing dramatic continuity
  • Balancing solo voice and full orchestra across varying orchestral textures and densities
  • Interpreting French Romantic operatic style and phrasing conventions
  • Coordinating ensemble entries and exits with precision while supporting ongoing vocal narrative

You May Also Like