Tragédie en musique
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Tragédie en musique (, ''musical tragedy''), also known as tragédie lyrique (, ''lyric tragedy''), is a genre of French opera introduced by Jean-Baptiste Lully and used by his followers until the second half of the eighteenth century. Operas in this genre are usually based on stories from
Classical mythology Classical mythology, Greco-Roman mythology, or Greek and Roman mythology is both the body of and the study of myths from the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans as they are used or transformed by cultural reception. Along with philosophy and poli ...
or the Italian romantic epics of
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and
Ariosto Ludovico Ariosto (; 8 September 1474 – 6 July 1533) was an Italian poet. He is best known as the author of the romance epic ''Orlando Furioso'' (1516). The poem, a continuation of Matteo Maria Boiardo's ''Orlando Innamorato'', describes the ...
. The stories may not necessarily have a tragic ending – in fact, most do not – but the works' atmospheres are suffused throughout with an affect of nobility and stateliness. The standard ''tragédie en musique'' has five acts. Earlier works in the genre were preceded by an allegorical prologue and, during the lifetime of
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, these generally celebrated the king's noble qualities and his prowess in war. Each of the five acts usually follows a basic pattern, opening with an aria in which one of the main characters expresses their feelings, followed by dialogue in recitative interspersed with short arias (''petits airs''), in which the main business of the plot occurs. Each act traditionally ends with a ''divertissement'', offering great opportunities for the chorus and the ballet troupe. Composers sometimes changed the order of these features in an act for dramatic reasons.


Notable examples of the genre

Apart from Lully, the most considerable writer of ''tragédies en musique'' is
Rameau Jean-Philippe Rameau (; – ) was a French composer and music theorist. Regarded as one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the 18th century, he replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and ...
, whose five works in the form are considered the culminating masterpieces of the genre. The ''Viking Opera Guide'' refers to
Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...
's ''tragédie'' '' Médée'' as "arguably the finest French opera of the seventeenth century". In the eighteenth century,
Jean-Marie Leclair Jean-Marie Leclair l'aîné (Jean-Marie Leclair the Elder) (10 May 1697 – 22 October 1764) was a French Baroque violinist and composer. He is considered to have founded the French violin school. His brothers, the lesser-known Jean-Marie L ...
's lone ''tragédie
Scylla et Glaucus ''Scylla et Glaucus'' (''Scylla and Glaucus'') is a tragédie en musique with a prologue and five acts, the only surviving full-length opera by Jean-Marie Leclair. The French-language libretto by d'Albaret is based on Ovid's ''Metamorphoses'', bo ...
'' has been similarly praised. Other highly esteemed exponents are André Campra (''
Tancrède ''Tancrède'' is a 1702 ''tragédie en musique'' (a French opera in the lyric tragedy tradition) in a prologue and five acts by composer André Campra and librettist Antoine Danchet, based on ''Gerusalemme liberata'' by Torquato Tasso. The opera ...
'', ''
Idoménée ''Idoménée'' (English: ''Idomeneus'') is an opera by the French composer André Campra. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts. ''Idoménée'' was first performed on 12 January 1712 by the Académie royale de ...
''),
Marin Marais Marin Marais (; 31 May 1656, in Paris – 15 August 1728, in Paris) was a French composer and viol player. He studied composition with Jean-Baptiste Lully, often conducting his operas, and with master of the bass viol Monsieur de Sainte-Colomb ...
('' Alcyone'', Sémélé) and Michel Pignolet de Montéclair ('' Jephté'').


List of works in this genre (Baroque era)


Jean-Baptiste Lully

*''
Cadmus et Hermione ''Cadmus et Hermione'' is a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts by Jean-Baptiste Lully. The French-language libretto is by Philippe Quinault, after Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. It was first performed on 27 April 1673 by the Paris O ...
'' (1673) *'' Alceste'' (1674) *''
Thésée ''Thésée'' (; ) is a ''tragédie en musique'', an early type of French opera, in a prologue and five acts with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and a libretto by Philippe Quinault based on Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. It was first performed on 11 ...
'' (1675) *'' Atys'' (1676) *''
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'' (1677) *''
Psyché Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" (ψυχή). Psyche may also refer to: Psychology * Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious * ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unconscious by Car ...
'' (1678) *'' Bellérophon'' (1679) *'' Proserpine'' (1680) *''
Persée ''Persée'' (''Perseus'') is a tragédie lyrique with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and a libretto by Philippe Quinault, first performed on 18 April 1682 by the Opéra at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris. Roles Synopsis ACT I: The Pal ...
'' (1682) *'' Phaëthon'' (1683) *'' Amadis'' (1684) *'' Roland'' (1685) *'' Armide'' (1686) *''
Achille et Polyxène ''Achille et Polyxène'' (''Achilles and Polyxena'') is a tragédie lyrique containing a prologue and five acts based on Virgil's ''Aeneid'' with a French libretto by Jean Galbert de Campistron. The opera's overture and first act were composed by ...
'' (1687, completed by Pascal Collasse)


Works by Lully's sons

*'' Orphée'' (1690) (by Louis and Jean-Baptiste the Younger) *'' Alcide'' (by Louis Lully and Marin Marais)


Paolo Lorenzani

*'' Oronthée'' (1688)


Pascal Collasse

*'' Thétis et Pélée'' (1689) *'' Énée et Lavinie'' (1691) *'' Astrée'' (1691) *'' Jason, ou La toison d'or'' (1696) *'' Canente'' (1700) *'' Polyxène et Pirrhus'' (1706)


Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...

*'' David et Jonathas'' (1688) *''Celse martyr'' (1687, lost) *''Philomèle'' (lost) *''Artaxerse'' (lost) *'' Médée'' (1693)


Henri Desmarets

*'' Didon'' (1693) *'' Circé'' (1694) *''
Théagène et Chariclée ''Théagène et Chariclée'', originally spelt ''Théagène et Cariclée'' (''Theagenes and Chariclea''), is an opera by the French composer Henri Desmarets, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opera) on 12 April 1695. I ...
'' (1695) *'' Vénus et Adonis'' (1697) *'' Iphigénie en Tauride'' (1704, completed by Campra) *'' Renaud ou la suite d'Armide'' (1722)


Marin Marais Marin Marais (; 31 May 1656, in Paris – 15 August 1728, in Paris) was a French composer and viol player. He studied composition with Jean-Baptiste Lully, often conducting his operas, and with master of the bass viol Monsieur de Sainte-Colomb ...

*'' Alcide'' (1693) (with Lully's son, Louis) *'' Ariane et Bacchus'' (1696) *'' Alcyone'' (1706) *''
Sémélé is an opera by Marin Marais with a libretto by Antoine Houdar de la Motte first performed on 9 April 1709, by the Paris Opera at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal. The opera is in the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' with a prologue and five acts ...
'' (1709)


Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre

*'' Céphale et Procris'' (1694)


Charles-Hubert Gervais

*'' Méduse'' (1697) *'' Hypermnestre'' (1716)


André Cardinal Destouches André Cardinal Destouches (sometimes called des Touches) (baptised 6 April 1672  – 7 February 1749) was a French composer best known for the ''opéra-ballet'' ''Les élémens''. Biography Born in Paris, the son of Étienne Cardinal, a ...

*''
Amadis de Grèce ''Amadis de Grèce'' (''Amadis of Greece'') is an opera by the French composer André Cardinal Destouches, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opera) on 26 March 1699. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a ...
'' (1699) * '' Marthésie, reine des Amazones'' (1699) *''
Omphale In Greek mythology, Omphale (; Ancient Greek: Ὀμφάλη) was queen of the kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor. Diodorus Siculus provides the first appearance of the Omphale theme in literature, though Aeschylus was aware of the episode. The Gree ...
'' (1701) *'' Callirhoé'' (1712) *'' Télémaque'' (or ''Télémaque et Calypso'') (1714) *'' Sémiramis'' (1718)


André Campra

*'' Hésione'' (1700) *''
Tancrède ''Tancrède'' is a 1702 ''tragédie en musique'' (a French opera in the lyric tragedy tradition) in a prologue and five acts by composer André Campra and librettist Antoine Danchet, based on ''Gerusalemme liberata'' by Torquato Tasso. The opera ...
'' (1702) *'' Télémaque'' (1704) *'' Alcine'' (1705) *'' Hippodamie'' (1708) *''
Idoménée ''Idoménée'' (English: ''Idomeneus'') is an opera by the French composer André Campra. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts. ''Idoménée'' was first performed on 12 January 1712 by the Académie royale de ...
'' (1712) *'' Télèphe'' (1713) *'' Camille, reine des volsques'' (1717) *'' Achille et Déidamie'' (1735)


Theobaldo di Gatti Theobaldo di Gatti (c.1650-1727) was a composer and musician, born in Florence. He moved from Italy to France after hearing the music of Jean-Baptiste Lully. King Louis XIV made him a naturalised French subject in 1675. In France he was simply known ...

*'' Scylla'' (1701)


Jean-Féry Rebel Jean-Féry Rebel (18 April 1666 – 2 January 1747) was an innovative French Baroque composer and violinist. Biography Rebel, a child violin prodigy, was the most famous offspring of Jean Rebel, a tenor in Louis XIV's private chapel. He late ...

*'' Ulysse'' (1703)


François Bouvard

*'' Médus, roi des Mèdes'' (1702)


Louis Lacoste Louis Lacoste (April 3, 1798 – November 26, 1878) was a Quebec notary and political figure. He was a Conservative member of the Senate of Canada from 1867 to 1878. He was born in Boucherville in 1798. He studied law and became a notary, ...

*'' Philomèle'' (1705) *''
Bradamante Bradamante (occasionally spelled Bradamant) is a fictional knight heroine in two epic poems of the Renaissance: ''Orlando Innamorato'' by Matteo Maria Boiardo and ''Orlando Furioso'' by Ludovico Ariosto. Since the poems exerted a wide influence ...
'' (1707) *'' Créuse l'athénienne'' (1712) *'' Télégone'' (1725) *'' Orion'' (1728) *''
Biblis Biblis is a municipality in the Bergstraße district in southern Hessen, Germany. Geography Location The municipality lies in the Rhine rift west of the Odenwald between Darmstadt to the north and Mannheim to the south; it also lies north of ...
'' (1732)


Toussaint Bertin de la Doué Toussaint Bertin de la Doué (or Thomas Bertin de la Doué) (1680 – 6 February 1743) was a French composer of the Baroque era. He worked as an organist for the Theatines, as a musician for the Duc d'Orléans and as a violinist and harpsichordi ...

*'' Cassandre'' (1706) (with François Bouvard) *'' Diomède'' (1710) *''
Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Gree ...
'' (1712)


Jean-Baptiste Stuck Jean-Baptiste Stuck (also known by the single moniker "Baptistin," "Batistin" or "Battistin") (6 May 16808 December 1755) was an Italian-French composer and cellist of the Baroque era. Little is known of Stuck's early years. He was born at Livorno ...

*'' Méléagre'' (1709) *'' Manto la fée'' (1711) *'' Polydore'' (1720)


Joseph François Salomon Joseph François Salomon (April 1649 – 5 March 1732) was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born in Toulon, he learnt to play the bass viol and the harpsichord, and went to Paris to work as a musician for the royal family. He was 52 when he c ...

*'' Médée et Jason'' (1713) *'' Théonoé'' (1715)


Jean-Baptiste Matho

*'' Arion'' (1714)


Jean-Joseph Mouret Jean-Joseph Mouret (11 April 1682 in Avignon – 22 December 1738 in Charenton-le-Pont) was a French composer whose dramatic works made him one of the leading exponents of Baroque music in his country. Even though most of his works are rarely per ...

*'' Ariane'' (1717) *'' Pirithoüs'' (1723)


François Francoeur and

François Rebel François Rebel (19 June 17017 November 1775) was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born in Paris, the son of the leading composer Jean-Féry Rebel, he was a child prodigy who became a violinist The following lists of violinists are availab ...

*'' Pirame et Thisbé'' (1726) *'' Tarsis et Zélie'' (1728) *''
Scanderberg ''Scanderberg'' is an opera by the French composers François Francoeur and François Rebel, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opera) on 27 October 1735. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue an ...
'' (1735)


Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer

*'' Pyrrhus'' (1730)


Michel Pignolet de Montéclair

*'' Jephté'' (1732)


Jean-Philippe Rameau

*'' Hippolyte et Aricie'' (1733) *'' Castor et Pollux'' (1737) *'' Dardanus'' (1739) *''
Zoroastre ''Zoroastre'' (''Zoroaster'') is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 5 December 1749 by the Opéra in the first Salle du Palais-Royal in Paris. The libretto is by Louis de Cahusac. ''Zoroastre'' was the fourth of Rameau's '' tra ...
'' (1749) *'' Les Boréades'' (1764)


Charles-Louis Mion Charles-Louis Mion (17 December 1699 – 12 September 1775) was a French composer of the Baroque era. He was the grand-nephew of Michel Richard Delalande who also taught him music. Between 1710 and 1718 he was a choirboy at the Sainte-Chapelle du P ...

*''
Nitétis ''Nitétis'' is an opera by the French composer Charles-Louis Mion, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opera) on 11 April 1741. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts. The libretto, by ...
'' (1741)


François Colin de Blamont François Colin de Blamont (22 November 1690 – 14 February 1760) was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born at Versailles as François Colin, he served as a royal musician and was eventually ennobled in 1750, his surname becoming ''Colin de ...

*'' Jupiter vainqueur des Titans'' (1745) (with Bernard de Bury)


Jean-Marie Leclair Jean-Marie Leclair l'aîné (Jean-Marie Leclair the Elder) (10 May 1697 – 22 October 1764) was a French Baroque violinist and composer. He is considered to have founded the French violin school. His brothers, the lesser-known Jean-Marie L ...

*''
Scylla et Glaucus ''Scylla et Glaucus'' (''Scylla and Glaucus'') is a tragédie en musique with a prologue and five acts, the only surviving full-length opera by Jean-Marie Leclair. The French-language libretto by d'Albaret is based on Ovid's ''Metamorphoses'', bo ...
'' (1746)


Marquis de Brassac

*'' Léandre et Héro'' (1750)


Antoine Dauvergne

*'' Énée et Lavinie'' (1758) *'' Canente'' (1760) *'' Hercule mourant'' (1761) *'' Polixène'' (1763)


Jean-Benjamin de La Borde

*'' Ismène et Isménias'' (1763)


Jean-Joseph de Mondonville Jean-Joseph de Mondonville (, 25 December 1711 (baptised) – 8 October 1772), also known as Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, was a French violinist and composer. He was a younger contemporary of Jean-Philippe Rameau and enjoyed great succes ...

*''
Thésée ''Thésée'' (; ) is a ''tragédie en musique'', an early type of French opera, in a prologue and five acts with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and a libretto by Philippe Quinault based on Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. It was first performed on 11 ...
'' (1765)


Johann Christian Bach

* Amadis de Gaule (J. C. Bach) (1779)


References

*Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', 782 pages,


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tragedie en musique Opera genres Opera terminology *