Puss in Boots

Opera in three acts for children by Cornel Trăilescu
Libretto by Tudor Muşatescu and Nina Stoiceva
(after the fairy tale of the same name by Charles Perrault)

The Adventures of CotoșMon

The story of the mischievous rascal who uses countless tricks to obtain power, wealth and the hand of a princess for his master, conquered over time not only theater and film directors, but also composers who, starting from Perrault's fairy tale, they wrote outstanding works of opera.

Such are, for example, those signed by names such as César Cui (1913), Xavier Montsalvatge (1948), but also Cornel Trăilescu, who composed, in 1961, "Motanul călțat" to a libretto by Tudor Mușatescu and Nina Stoiceva. Played for the first time at the Romanian Opera in Bucharest, in 1964, with the tenor Valentin Teodorian in the lead role, the show became one of the longest-lasting creations in the repertoire of the Bucharest National Opera.

After more than 40 years since its premiere, in 2006, "Motanul călțat" was staged again at the National Opera, this time by theater director Gelu Colceag, who made, through this show, debut in opera direction.

*The recommended age for this show is 4 years.

Synopsis

Act I

The story begins with the young Ionica (tenor), who laments his poor life, hopelessly. Suddenly, to his astonishment, his brother, Cotoşman (soprano), his only friend, begins to speak to him in a human voice, encouraging him with wise words. Suddenly, voices are heard nearby. They are the Emperor's servants, chasing a white rabbit. Ionica hides, and Motanul quickly climbs a tree and, after a few fierce meows, introduces himself to the servants as "The Cotoşman Knight" and threatens them that they will be severely punished for daring to violate the boundaries of his master's estate, "The Voivode Ionic of Carambas – Bambas – Strambas”. The servants, frightened, ask for mercy from the Motan. Happy to have escaped with their lives, they swear their allegiance to him, and Cotoşman orders them to inform their emperor that the "Ionian Voivode" will send a white rabbit as a gift for Domniţă, the Emperor's daughter.

After the servants leave, Ionică, puzzled, tries to find out Motan's plans, but just then two robbers who are arguing over a stolen bocce ball burst in. Seeing Motan, the thieves catch him, intending to sell him, but they get really scared when they hear Cotoşman talking humanly and they run away, forgetting about the loot. In the bocce, Motanul finds a cape, a collar and... a pair of boots! Dressed like this, he will look like a real knight.

Act II

Table 1
Sleep and laziness "reign" at the Emperor's court. Only the Grand Master (socks) works from the shadows aiming to occupy the throne of the country. Motanul and the "Ionian Voivode" arrive at the palace with the gift for Domniţă. The Great Steward asks the Emperor to agree to the increase of the taxes, but the Motan intervenes, on behalf of the people, to stop him, arguing that the people are too poor to be able to pay such high taxes. Convinced by the Great Governor that Motan is trying to dethrone him, the Emperor orders his servants to lock him up in the tower. Helped by the four servants he had once spared, Motanul jumps out of the window.

Table 2
We are now in the tower of the fortress. Here they find another unfortunate, a Rob (low) condemned to always wet the Emperor's crown with his tears. Motanul comes to escape his friends. At his urging, the Slave breaks his chains. They all run away, but the Motan hides to face the Great Steward. He is knocked down by the Motan who throws sneeze powder in his face.

Table 3
In the Lady's room, while the nanny sings a lullaby, the girl thinks about the handsome unknown boy she saw for a moment in the throne room. Tiptil, the Grand Steward approaches the sleeping Emperor whom he wants to kill, but Motan, the servants and the freed Slave appear in time to stop him. The great ruler is imprisoned in the tower. Following Cotoşman's invitation, the entire court sets out for the lands of the great Ionian Voivode.

Act III

Table 1
Motanul has a clever plan. He undresses Ionica and sends him to the river behind the hut. Then, he starts shouting complaining that his master was "robbed by robbers and thrown into the river!". The royal retinue arrives and, learning of the terrible "misfortune" that befell the great "Ionian Voivode", the Emperor orders that a row of new and shiny clothes be brought from the castle quickly. Dressed like this, Ionica impresses everyone present, but especially Domniţă, the Emperor's daughter.

Table 2
For Cotoşman, there is only one problem left to solve: the castle of the Ionian Voivode. In the distance you can see Căpcăunului Castle. "Here is my master's castle!" Motanul announces and the whole procession sets off there. While the giant sings an aria in his castle, Motanul arrives before everyone and brings him the great festive crown of the Emperor, carried by the four servants. When the Ogre brags about his power to transform into any animal, the Motan looks incredulous. To convince him, the Ogre first transforms into a lion, then into a mouse, which Motan quickly catches and swallows. They are all happy now that they got rid of the Ogre.

In Ionica's new palace, the young man's wedding with the beautiful Lady can begin. Domniţa and Ionica had a big wedding, like in the stories, where all the beings of the earth gathered. There also came Snow White and the seven dwarfs, and the Goat with three kids, and Little Red Riding Hood, lions, bears, wolves, bunnies and many other animals, and the Puss in Boots walked among the tables and cheered the wedding guests with all sorts of things of mischief.