The opera takes place in Paris and on the Riviera in the 1860s, during the Second Empire.

ACT I: An elegant salon in Magda's house
Magda and Rambaldo are entertaining guests among whom is the poet Prunier who makes the startling announcement that romantic, sentimental love has returned to Paris. When Lisette, the maid, ridicules the idea, implying love is just physical, Prunier objects to her impudent ways. While others mock his ideas, Magda thinks he might be right. The poet goes on to say romantic love is an epidemic, playing havoc with the women of Paris, even Doretta. Doretta is the subject of his latest song. When pressed, he sings of the young girl who has a dream in which she is approached by the king who offers to make her rich. However she replies that gold cannot buy happiness. Prunier stops suddenly; he does not know how the song ends. He challenges them to think of an ending, and Magda sits at the piano and continues. A young student once kissed Doretta, and she immediately fell in love. Magda says it is a golden dream to have a love like Doretta's. All admire her beautiful song, even Rambaldo who has been cynical about the whole idea of romantic love. Prunier claims that proves his point; deep in every soul lurks a romantic demon. "No", cries Rambaldo: he has armed himself with holy water, and his demon is asleep. To prove it he takes from his pocket a pearl necklace he has been planning to give Madga. Even though she takes it, she insists it doesn't change what she feels about love.

Lisette enters to announce that a young man who has been trying to see Rambaldo is waiting outside. He has been there seven times! Rambaldo says to admit him, he is the son of a childhood friend. When Prunier asks how Madga can put up with Lisette, she replies that she is a ray of sunshine in her life. The other women are amazed that Magda should need this. She has a wonderful life with everything a woman could want, especially money. "Money" she says, still thinking of Doretta. Haven't they ever yearned to be like a simple grisette with her lover? She then tells him how, as a young girl, she managed to escape her house one evening and soon found herself at Bullier's. She danced with a young man and, when they were tired, they sat at a table, and he ordered two beers. He gave the waiter twenty sous and told him to keep the change, a grand gesture for a poor student. He asked her name and, when Magda wrote it on the table, he wrote his beside it. The others ask to hear the end of her story, but she says she can't remember; she just wishes she could relive the joy of that one hour.

When the girls tell Prunier about Magda's story, he says, according to his artistic criteria, a woman who attracts him must be elegant and refined, if a bit wayward, i.e. worthy of him like a Galatea, Bérénice, Francesca or Salome. How, they ask, can he identify such a woman. By reading her palm, he responds, and offers to read theirs. Magda is first, and Prunier tells her she will be like a swallow and migrate to a far place, to a land of dreams. The rest is a mystery.

Meanwhile, the young man, Ruggero has been shown in and has given Rambaldo a letter of introduction. It is the first time he has been to Paris, the city of his dreams. Rambaldo asks Prunier where the young man should go on his first evening in Paris, but the poet cynically says that the first night in Paris is a silly myth; Ruggero would be best off going to bed. Lisette disagrees; the first evening in Paris is like seeing the sea for the first time; it is grand and beautiful. Prunier again objects to her behavior, but Lisette asks the others to come up with suggestions. A number of places are mentioned, then Lisette says he must go to Bullier's; at Bullier's, amid the laughter, the lights and the flowers, love calls more ardently. They all agree, write the name on a paper for Ruggero, and send him on his way. Magda looks at her new necklace, remembering her earlier adventure, then throws it on the table. After the rest leave, Magda rings for Lisette, orders her carriage, and then changes her mind. She muses on the prophecy which compared her to a swallow, then sees the paper with Bullier's written on it, smiles and exits.

Lisette returns, and Prunier enters and kisses her, telling her he loves her. It really hurts him to disparage her in front of the others. People think a poet can only love rich women, but he loves her. As they prepare to leave together he criticizes her hat, and she leave to change it. The same happens with her coat. She returns, puts on some make-up, and they leave together. Magda comes in dressed as a grisette. Surely no one will recognize her! She leaves to recapture her dream at Bullier's.

ACT II: Bullier's
Groups of students, artists and grisettes are enjoying themselves eating, drinking, talking and dancing. Some of the grisettes notice Ruggero seated alone at a table, and they wonder why he looks so sad. They ask him his name, but he tries to ignore them. Magda appears, and some of the students immediately surround her. To escape their attention she implies she is there to meet someone and, assuming it is Ruggero, they lead her to his table. She apologizes for intruding but he insists she stay. He tells her she is like the girls at home in Montauban who are simple and modest, unlike the women at Bullier's, and he offers to teach her how they dance. She thinks how this adventure is like the one she remembers from her past, and the two enjoy their romantic dream of love.

Prunier and Lisette enter arguing about how he keeps trying to improve her. She likes him but doesn't like how he treats her. He says it is only to help her and they join the dancers. A tired and happy Magda and Ruggero return to their table, and he orders two beers. Reliving her dream she asks him to give the waiter twenty sous and tell him to keep the change. He toasts her health and she replies by toasting his loves. He objects, saying there will be only one woman in his life. He then asks her name and she writes 'Paulette' on the table. He writes his own name next to hers and says he feels she is the one he has been waiting for. They embrace. When Lisette sees them, Magda meets Prunier's eye and signals him to conceal her identity. He complies, convincing Lisette that she is mistaken. He then asks Ruggero to introduce him to his companion knowing full well she is Magda. Lisette comments on how much she resembles her mistress, if only she were more elegant. When Magda comments on Lisette's is elegant appearance, she confesses she is wearing her mistress's clothes. In an aside Magda asks Prunier if Lisette is Salome or Bérénice. In a quartet, the four drink a toast to love as the crowd comments. Suddenly Rambaldo appears and Magda begs Prunier to get Ruggero out of sight. He asks Ruggero to take Lisette away so she will not be seen by her master. In spite of Prunier's attempt to protect Magda, Rambaldo accosts her demanding to know what she is doing, and asking her to leave with him. However, she insists on staying; their relationship is over, and she now loves Ruggero. Hoping she will not regret her decision, Rambaldo leaves. Ruggero returns; it is dawn and most of the others have left. Madga cries that she loves him; it is her dream, but she is afraid because she is too happy.

ACT III: A summer house on the Cote'd'Azur
Magda and Ruggero express their happiness and recall how they fell in love. Then Ruggero tells her that he has written his father asking for money to help them in paying the bills they have accumulated, and asking him to consent to their marriage. Magda reacts in confusion; she has never told him about her past, and he still thinks she is a simple working girl. He asks her to go home with him, describing how happy they will be in his lovely house on a hill. After kissing her he leaves, and she wonders what she should do, how much should he tell him? If he finds out the truth it may destroy their dreams. As Magda goes into the house, Lisette and Prunier arrive looking for her. He had tried to turn her into a singer instead of a chambermaid but, while his intentions were good, her debut in Nice the previous evening was a disaster. She hopes to return to her former life and is tired of pretending to be someone she isn't; she hates him for interfering.

When Magda returns, Prunier asks if she is happy and says all Paris is talking about her. When he tells her that her present life is not for her, she replies that he hurts her by talking like that. He then asks her to take Lisette back, the maid has realized that her dream of a stage career is over. Magda should also realize her present dream is an illusion and return to her former life. Someone who cares for her is waiting for her in Paris and wants to save her. Prunier and Lisette pretend to say goodbye forever but, as he leaves, he whispers to her asking if they will meet that evening. She tells him yes, at ten o'clock, then goes to get her apron and starts to work.

Ruggero rushes in. He has received a letter from his mother saying she agrees to their marriage. He gives it to Magda to read and, as she does so, realizes she can never marry him because of her past. Both he and his mother think she is good and pure, but she isn't; she can be his lover but never his wife. In spite of his desperate pleas she resolves to leave him; she loves him too much to ruin him. Lisette reappears and the two women, giving up their dreams, set off together on their return to their old life. A heartbroken Ruggero is left alone.

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Revised October 2007
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