La chatte métamorphosée en femme

La chatte métamorphosée en femme (The cat transformed into a woman) is a one-act opéra comique of 1858 with words by Eugene Scribe and Mélesville, and music by Jacques Offenbach.

Dig-Dig claims to be from Kandahar in Kashmir and has visited France and Paris where he taught dancing, astronomy and conjuring, as well as the transmutation of souls.

Dig-Dig tells Guido that his cat contains the most beautiful and mischievous young girl, and he will transform the creature – using an amulet (which costs 200 florins).

After an invocation to Brahma, the curtain at the rear of the room opens to reveal Minette lying on the divan, as a beautiful girl dressed in white.

Marianne returns and announces that to buy food for dinner she has agreed the sale of the cat to the wife of the governor; she is astonished to see a woman in Guido's room.

Dig-Dig enters, but as he is also struck dumb, Guido goes to his box to find the amulet, but a white cat jumps out and runs off.

[2] Frederick Ashton created a short ballet solo for Merle Park in Vienna, 1985 using a pot-pourri of themes from the opera; orchestrated by Philip Gammon for its later presentation at Covent Garden.