Hamlet: Drinking Song (Chanson bacchique): O vin, dissipe le tristesse [2.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(

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 Carre and Jules Barbier based their libretto on the French adaptation of Shakespeare's play by Alexandre Dumas, pere, 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 Ophelie in the French, features more heavily in the opera. The lively drinking song "O vin, dissipe la tristesse" occurs in Act I during a festive court celebration, where Hamlet, outwardly joining in the revelry, masks his inner turmoil following the revelation of his father's murder. The aria contrasts bright, energetic music with the darker undercurrents of the drama. "O vin, dissipe la tristesse" remains one of the most frequently performed excerpts from Hamlet. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2-3): Hp: Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set): Men's Chorus. Reprint edition.