Le docteur Ox

Le docteur Ox is an opéra bouffe in three acts and six tableaux of 1877 with music by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was by Arnold Mortier and Philippe Gille, adapted from the 1872 short story Une fantaisie du docteur Ox by Jules Verne.

Offenbach had already set a libretto based closely on a work by Verne with the opéra-féerie Le voyage dans la lune in 1875. Verne had been a co-librettist for several operas presented at the Théâtre Lyrique, as well as for Monsieur de Chimpanze for the Bouffes-Parisiens between 1853 and 1855. For Le Docteur Ox the novelist collaborated more closely with Offenbach and his librettists, and attended several of the later rehearsals at the Variétés. A first read-through took place on 18 November 1876 and during the course of rehearsals the number of scenes was increased from four to six.

In changes to Verne's original story, romance was introduced in the form of Prascovia, a fiancée for Ox, and the liaison between Suzel and Frantz. Offenbach demanded many special effects such as syphons prepared to make the sound of gas being released, bells and a brass band for the kermesse, which caused strained relations with Bertrand, the theatre director. The work is dedicated to "Anna Judic".

The work appeared at a difficult period for Offenbach after his return from America, which coincided in early 1877 with virulent attacks in the press, led by the senator Lucien Arbel, around the time of the production of Le docteur Ox.

Le docteur Ox had 40 performances in its initial Paris run at the Théâtre des Variétés, but the piece faded after a brilliant start and was replaced by a revival of La Périchole. Judic, who was the definite star of the evening, was costumed for her entrance as in the 1870 painting Salomé by Henri Regnault.

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