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''Le devin du village'' ("The Village Soothsayer") is a one-act French
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*Pitou, Spire, ''The Paris Opéra. An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers – Rococo and Romantic, 1715-1815'', Greenwood Press, Westport/London, 1985 () *Robinson, Philip EJ (1992), 'Devin du Village. Le' in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', ed. Stanley Sadie (London)
Listening examples
of ''Le devin du village'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Devin du Village. Le French-language operas Operas One-act operas Intermezzi 1752 operas Operas by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
''Le devin du village'' ("The Village Soothsayer") is a one-act French opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
( intermède) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...
, who also wrote the libretto. It was the first work in the repertory of the Académie Royale de Musique
The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...
for which the text and music were by the same author.Pitou 1985, p. 158.
It was first performed on 18 October 1752 before the royal court at Fontainebleau, and for the public, on 1 March 1753 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal
The Théâtre du Palais-Royal () is a 750-seat Parisian theatre at 38 rue de Montpensier, located at the northwest corner of the Palais-Royal in the Galerie de Montpensier at its intersection with the Galerie de Beaujolais.
Brief history
...
in Paris. King Louis XV loved the piece so much that he offered Rousseau the great honor of a life pension. Rousseau refused the honor. However, the opera became one of the most popular of its day and brought him both wealth and fame. The opera was also performed at the wedding of the future Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
An English translation by Charles Burney, ''The Cunning Man'', was performed in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
in 1762. Rousseau's work was the object of a parody in the Singspiel '' Bastien und Bastienne'' by the twelve-year-old Mozart.
Roles
Synopsis
Colin and Colette love one another, yet they suspect each other of being unfaithful — in Colin's case, with the lady of the manor, and in Colette's with a courtier. They each seek the advice and support of the village soothsayer in order to reinforce their love. After a series of deceptions, Colin and Colette reconcile and are happily married.Recordings
* Janine Micheau as Colette, Nicolai Gedda as Colin,Michel Roux
Michel Roux, OBE (; 19 April 1941 – 11 March 2020), also known as Michel Roux Snr., was a French chef and restaurateur working in Britain. Along with his brother Albert, he opened Le Gavroche, later to become the first three Michelin starr ...
as the soothsayer, Louis de Froment
Louis de Froment (; 5 December 192119 August 1994) was a French conductor.
Froment was born into a French noble family in Toulouse, and started his musical studies at the city conservatory. He later attended the ''Conservatoire national supérieu ...
conductor. Recorded April 1956. cpo 999 559-2
*Gabriela Bürgler as Colette, Michael Feyfar as Colin, Dominik Wörner as the soothsayer, Andreas Reize conducting the Cantus Firmus Consort, on period instruments. Recorded live August 2006. cpo 777 260-2
References
Notes Sources * Parfaict, Claude (1767). ''Dictionnaire des théâtres de Paris''. Paris: Rozet.View
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césar
*Pitou, Spire, ''The Paris Opéra. An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers – Rococo and Romantic, 1715-1815'', Greenwood Press, Westport/London, 1985 () *Robinson, Philip EJ (1992), 'Devin du Village. Le' in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', ed. Stanley Sadie (London)
External links
*. (Originally at the ATHENA site.)Listening examples
of ''Le devin du village'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Devin du Village. Le French-language operas Operas One-act operas Intermezzi 1752 operas Operas by Jean-Jacques Rousseau