SOURCE: http://www.enotes.com/music-encyclopedia/were-king
If I Were King (Si j'étais roi). Opera by ADOLPHE ADAM, 1852, first produced in Paris. The action unfolds in the Indian port of Goa in the 16th century, before its capture by Portugal. A fisherman saves a young girl from drowning, not realizing that she is a royal princess of Goa. When he recognizes her on the beach, he tells of his exploits to the king's nephew, who orders him never to mention it again under penalty of death. Aggrieved, the fisherman traces the words on the sand "Si j'étais roi" (If I were king) and falls asleep. The king, touched by this sight, orders the sleeping man transferred to the royal palace and lets him rule Goa for a day. The fisherman discovers that the king's nephew treacherously conducted negotiations with the Portuguese, preparing to surrender the city. The king expels the traitor, and the Portuguese are repelled. The fisherman marries the princess. The opera is melodious and its overture is often played at popular concerts. -- Frederick Noronha Goa,1556 :: http://goa1556.goa-india.org Photos :: http://photosfromgoa.notlong.com Forthcoming from Goa,1556: http://tiny.cc/peppercorns
