Fisch-Ton-Kan

The title is tongue-in-cheek, as Fisch-Ton-Kan is a phonetic rendition of French fiche ton camp, which may be translated as "clear off!".

Many of the situations recur in Chabrier's opéra bouffe of 1877, L'étoile: Goulgouly becomes Laoula, Fisch-Ton-Kan turns into Lazuli and Kakao is a precursor of Ouf Ier.

Le Sire de Fisch-Ton-Kan was a satirical 'chanson' (music by Antonin Louis, words by Paul Burani) which became very popular in Paris after the fall of Napoleon III and mocked the ex-emperor, his family and court.

When Kakao arrives on his palanquin he asks that boiling water be poured into a giant tea-pot in which Fisch-Ton-Kan is hiding, but Goulgouly manages to stop him.

Two numbers from Fisch-Ton-Kan were recorded in 2015 by counter-tenor Philippe Jaroussky as part of an extended recital of "Mélodies françaises sur des poèmes de Verlaine".

The young Paul Verlaine.
Plaque at the French Ministry of the Interior, where Chabrier was working when he composed Fisch-Ton-Kan .