Sgt. Belcore: from Plautus to Sondheim to... Joey??

We've seen how Dr. Dulcamara, the bogus traveling salesman of Donizetti's The Elixir of Love, is a stock character of comedy serving as a template for several similar 20th-century characters.

PLAUTUS

So much for "Dr. Bittersweet"; now consider "Sgt. Prettyheart", a.k.a Belcore. This is a character who becomes much more interesting the more you know about him.

His entrance cavatina "Come Paride vezzoso" is yet another example of the dangers of listening to opera on CD or radio with no idea of the dramatic situation or the words being sung. It's introduced by a snappy military march as the sergeant takes the stage with a few soldiers following in formation. The solo itself, on a first hearing, appears to be a bel canto  melody from central casting, as it were; nice enough without being particularly memorable. Apparently, just a vehicle for smoothly sonorous streams of baritonal splendor. A little stuffy.

Meh.

Many listeners, then, are surprised to learn that Prettyheart's solo is, in fact, a ludicrously comic moment. Moments before he begins crooning, he plants himself in the "personal space" of Adina (the prettiest female in town), shoves some flowers in her face and begins comparing himself to Paris, the figure of Greek mythology who, he reminds Adina, gave the golden apple to the most beautiful woman.

"However", he continues, "I am more glorious than that guy, and my reward is your heart."

Oh, is it, now? Adina is not impressed with baritonal splendor or the flowers, quickly recognizing him for the vain, self-loving jerk he is. The thought-balloon over her head clearly bears the words "As if!"

Those with a knowledge of theater, ancient and modern alike, will recognize Belcore in a larger context: he is, to be precise, an example of Miles Gloriosus. That's the title of a comedy that Plautus adapted from a now-lost Greek original; in translation from the Latin it means "Braggart Soldier" or "Vain Soldier". This is the military officer who thinks he looks spiffy in his uniform; tends to exaggerate his prowess in battle, and assumes that all women will throw themselves at him. (By the way, the character in Plautus is named Pyrgopolynices, which is definitely what I'm naming the next dog I adopt.)

Belcore not only hearkens back to ancient Rome; he also prophesies some characters you may already know. The best example is the braggart soldier in Stephen Sondheim's first great hit, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum (1962). This makes every kind of sense, since the premise of Forum is a modern-day version of Plautus. This time, however, the vain officer is actually named Miles Gloriosus!

My theory is that Sondheim was well-acquainted with Donizetti's comedy. My evidence is that Miles's entrance is a near-clone of Belcore's: a snappy military march followed by a solo ("Bring me my bride") in which, like Prettyheart, he asserts his irresistible charm to the opposite sex. Here's the scene in the original cast recording.

Now that you get the character, it's kind of fun to look through modern film and TV characters to spot reincarnations of Belcore/Miles. For example: remember the 90's sitcom Friends? I give you Joey Tribiani, played memorably by Matt Le Blanc. He had a particular catch-phrase when approaching attractive women: "How YOU doin'?", delivered with a smug smile and leering wink. This, I submit, is variation on the Plautus theme.

Suddenly, "Come Paride" doesn't seem quite so ordinary.