The Witty Female Composers: *La cabine téléphonique* and *Irma la douce*

When one thinks of comic musical theatre, one immediately thinks of *The Merry Widow* or *The Merry Wives of Windsor*. Yet whilst women have been appearing on stage as comic characters for centuries, it is little known that female composers themselves have created equally original, witty and humorous musical theatre. The Berlin series ‘The Merry Composers: Women in Comic Musical Theatre around 1960’ is dedicated to this hitherto little-noticed aspect of music history.

Over four evenings in December, Jazz am Helmholtzplatz e.V. will present works by Claude Arrieu, Marguerite Monnot and Madeleine Dring at the Institut français / Maison de France and the Brotfabrik. The programme spans a wide range, from French ‘opéra bouffe’ through chanson, jazz and musicals to British cabaret songs. The programme features rarely performed works, new arrangements and German premieres.

One of the highlights is “La cabine téléphonique” (1958) by Claude Arrieu, an “opéra bouffe” which will be performed for the first time in Germany. Arrieu, whose real name was Louise-Marie Simon, deliberately used a pseudonym: The gender-neutral first name ‘Claude’ was intended to prevent her work from being undermined by prejudices against female composers. She wrote numerous ‘opéras bouffes’, of which only a few are known today. ‘La cabine téléphonique’ was composed at around the same time as Francis Poulenc’s ‘La voix humaine’, based on Jean Cocteau’s play. Whilst this famous work explores the dramatic and downright destructive side of a telephone romance, Arrieu examines the pitfalls of telephone communication with a lighter touch and comedic wit (libretto: Michel Vaucaire). Both works demonstrate how differently the stories of human relationships can unfold through the same technical medium.

Another rediscovery is Marguerite Monnot, a highly gifted classical pianist who studied at the Paris Conservatoire under, amongst others, Olivier Messiaen. She later turned to the chanson and wrote numerous hits for Édith Piaf, including the world-famous “Hymne à l’amour”. Monnot and Piaf were linked not only by a close artistic collaboration but also by a personal friendship that lasted until Monnot’s death in 1961. Piaf died shortly afterwards.

Yet Monnot was far more than just the musical partner of a great chansonnière. She also composed “Irma la Douce”, originally for voice and piano. The jazz pianist, composer (for France Gall, amongst others) and arranger André Popp adapted this into a stage version, which became a huge success at the Théâtre Gramont in Paris and was subsequently celebrated in London as well. The subsequent film adaptation by Billy Wilder, starring Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon, brought the story to international attention. André Previn, whose name is today frequently associated with film music, took on the role of musical director, whilst Monnot’s original compositional achievement has largely faded from public consciousness. She died two years before the film was made – the circumstances under which Hollywood secured the rights to the material remain unknown.

To this day, her life and work have been inadequately documented; a comprehensive biography is lacking. The varying accounts of the circumstances surrounding her early death also raise questions. The rediscovery of her music is therefore also an invitation to take a fresh look at the story of an exceptionally successful composer.

The fact that Monnot’s name is often pushed into the background in accounts of the film, whilst Previn is perceived as the musical creator, is symptomatic of the lack of visibility of female composers in music history. It is therefore not merely a matter of rediscovering a forgotten artist, but also of correctly acknowledging her achievements and restoring her to the place in music history that she rightfully deserves.

With Madeleine Dring, our attention turns to the UK. A trained oboist and composer, she was one of the most versatile musicians of her generation. Her ‘Cabaret Songs’ are a magnificent contribution to a form of light-hearted yet musically sophisticated comic musical theatre. Behind the comic situations often lie more serious questions: about love and self-assertion, about women’s social status and their opportunities in professional life. Dring’s works, too, are rarely heard today.

The series ‘The Witty Female Composers’ highlights just how much of the history of musical discovery remains to be written. It brings together three distinct artistic perspectives whilst also asking why the works of successful female composers so often disappear from the repertoire. With wit, musical diversity and a critical eye on music history, the project invites us to make forgotten voices heard once more.

• A project by Jazz am Helmholtzplatz e.V..
• Concept and production: Regina Câmara.

Dates and performers

4 December 2026, 7.30 pm

Institut français / Maison de France, Salle Boris Vian

La cabine téléphonique – opéra bouffe by Claude Arrieu (German premiere)

- Constance Grandperrin – La jeune fille (soprano)

- Sarah Papadopoulou – La dame sentimentale (soprano)

- Sarah van der Kemp – The Old Maiden (mezzo-soprano)

- Thomas Guilbert – The Fat Gentleman (baritone)

- Hartmut Schröder – The Autograph Expert (tenor)

- Berthold Schindler – The Shy Young Man (tenor)

Conductor: Aurélien Bello

Director and set designer: Jasmin Solfaghari

Irma la Douce – Marguerite Monnot

The Occasional Trio, conducted by Simon-Mary Vincent

- Ricarda Ulm – Irma

- Rolando Guy – Nestor

11 December 2026, 7.30 pm

Institut français / Maison de France, Salle Boris Vian

La cabine téléphonique – opéra bouffe by Claude Arrieu

Cabaret Songs – Madeleine Dring

- Amanda Becker – soprano

- Yvonne Gesler – piano

18 December 2026, 8.00 pm

Brotfabrik

Irma la Douce – Marguerite Monnot

Cabaret Songs – Madeleine Dring

19 December 2026, 8 pm

Brotfabrik

The Cheerful Women Composers Quartet

- Allan Praskin – saxophone

- Uli Bartel – violin

- Lars Gühlcke – bass

- Jan Leipnitz – drums

Admission: 15/10 euros

Supported by the Capital City Culture Fund