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Napoleon: Les Cent Jours By Sean Richarz Synopsis This musical is centered on the period of Napoleonic history known as the “100 Days”. This was from March 1815, when Napoleon left his exile on the island of Elba, through June 18th, 1815, when he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. The show itself actually begins in April of 1814, when Napoleon was forced to abdicate his throne. It opens with Napoleon giving his famous farewell speech to his “Old Guard” at Fountainebleau Palace. Next we see the Emperor and his entourage in exile on Elba, and follow their lives as they adjust to the new environs. We watch as they try to replicate their former Imperial lifestyle, and see the human side of Napoleon when he hears the news of his beloved former wife Josephine’s death. After she visits him in a dream, the Emperor’s plan of escape begins to hatch. Slipping away from Elba, we see how this man, through his will and force of personality, retakes France without firing a shot. The first act comes to a close with the dramatic scene of Napoleon’s former soldiers, sent to capture him, enthusiastically returning to the side of their Emperor. The 2nd Act begins at the Congress of Vienna, where the victorious crowned heads of Europe had gathered to carve up the continent amongst themselves. At a lavish ball we meet Maurice Tallyrand, the Duke of Wellington and others, where the news of Napoleon’s stunning return to France interrupts their celebration. Back in Paris, Napoleon works to organize his new government and makes his plans of how best to counter the inevitable attack the Allies will bring against him. In an introspective moment, he reflects on his life, accomplishments and what his place in history will be. Napoleon and his army leave Paris for Belgium, where the final reckoning with the British and Prussians is about to take place. Through the use of sound, lights and music, we witness the twin battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras, and then we hear from the ordinary soldiers of both sides in a song entitled “Waterloo Prelude”. The Battle of Waterloo will be depicted through music and sound effects as vignettes from the battle are played out on stage. After his defeat, we find Napoleon on the Island of St. Helena, where he has been sent by the British to live out his life as an exiled prisoner. He again looks back as his life comes to an end. Moving forward nineteen years, the show ends with the glorious return of his body to Paris, with throngs of people braving the cold to pay final tribute to their beloved Emperor.