L'heure espagnole

A clockmaker's shop is the pivotal hub of this turbulent romantic comedy, which centres on the seductive Concepción: After her husband has left for the city to deal with the maintenance of the public clocks, three lovers appear one after another, each of whom has his own merits. But only one of them will ultimately succeed in winning Concepción's heart.

Maurice Ravel's first stage work, the amusing one-act opera »L’Heure espagnole« (»The Spanish Hour«), was first performed on 19 May 1911 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. The composer's love of Spanish musical colouring which can be seen in works such as his famous »Bolero« or the »Rhapsodie espagnole« is also reflected in this opera, culminating in the fiery 'Habanera' of the closing quintet.

Programmheft L’HEURE ESPAGNOLE