page_title: Le droit d'aînesse
section_title: Act 1
hierarchical_section_title: Le droit d'aînesse / Synopsis / Act 1
caption_attribution_description: English: 1882 caricature of Henry Brougham Farnie scanned from "Days With Celebrities (52)— H B Farnie." Moonshine, 17 June 1882, p. 277.
context_page_description: Le droit d'aînesse is an opéra bouffe, a form of operetta, in three acts by Francis Chassaigne with a French libretto by Eugène Leterrier and Albert Vanloo. It premiered in Paris in 1883. An English-language version titled Falka, with a libretto translated and adapted by Henry Brougham Farnie, was successfully premiered in London later that year followed by productions throughout the English-speaking world.
context_section_description: The Emperor of Hungary has promised Governor Folbach a patent of nobility providing that he can produce an heir.  Folbach is childless but has a niece and a nephew that he had previously sent away to school and a convent, respectively.   He summons his nephew, Tancred, the heir presumptive.  On his way to see his uncle, Tancred is captured by a band of gypsies (Tzigans).  Edwige, the chief's sister, promises to release him if he agrees to marry her.   Tancred agrees, but he escapes before the wedding can take place.  Edwige and her brother Boleslas pursue Tancred.  Although they had not seen his face in the darkness, they follow the sound of his voice.  Along the way, they learn that he is the nephew of the Governor.  They hide and wait for him.  Tancred learns of their scheme and does not appear before his uncle, writing a note that he is ill.
  Meanwhile, Falka, the Governor's niece, has eloped from the convent with Arthur, a rich farmer's son.  They also travel to the inn where the Governor is waiting for Tancred; they are followed by Brother Pelican, the door-keeper at the convent.   Falka manages to elude detection by dressing in Arthur's clothes.  Upon learning that her brother is expected at the inn, Falka impersonates him.  Brother Pelican finds Falka's clothing and assumes that Arthur is Falka disguised as a man - he promptly arrests Arthur; Arthur plays along with Falka's scheme and keeps quiet.  The gypsies witness the meeting of Falka and Folbach and believe they have found Tancred.  The Governor also believes that Falka is Tancred, and they go off to the castle for a wedding between "Tancred" and Alexina de Kelkirsch, the wealthy bride whom the Emperor has assigned to wed Folbach's heir.
caption: Caricature of Farnie
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