''Lucile'' is an

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular ''opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Théâtre de la foire, Fair Theatres of St Germain and S ...

, described as a '' comédie mêlée d'ariettes'', in one act by the composer

André Grétry André Ernest Modeste Grétry (; baptised 11 February 1741; died 24 September 1813) was a composer from the Prince-Bishopric of Liège (present-day Belgium), who worked from 1767 onwards in France and took French nationality. He is most famous ...

, It was first performed at the

Comédie-Italienne Comédie-Italienne () or Théâtre-Italien () are French names which have been used to refer to Italian-language theatre and opera when performed in France. The earliest recorded visits by Italian players were ''commedia dell'arte'' companies ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

on 5 January 1769. The French text is by

Jean-François Marmontel Jean-François Marmontel (; 11 July 1723 – 31 December 1799) was a French historian, writer and a member of the Encyclopédistes movement. Biography He was born of poor parents at Bort, Limousin (today in Corrèze). After studying wi ...

, and the characters in the opera, though not the actual story, were derived from "L'école des pères", one of Marmontel's ''Contes moraux'' ("Moral Tales"). The melody from "Où peut-on être mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?" was later reused in Vieuxtemps' Violin Concerto No. 5, Op.37.

Performance history

''Lucile'' was first performed at the

on 5 January 1769 and became Grétry's most popular opera during the following decade. By 1780 it had reached a total of 195 performances but it was less successful thereafter.Charlton, ''Grétry and the Growth of Opéra Comique'', p. 49

Roles

Synopsis

Lucile is enjoying a morning preparing for her wedding. She is joined by her fiancé young Dorval, her father Timante and Dorval's father. The celebrations are interrupted by the old peasant Blaise, who reveals that his wife has just confided a secret to him on her deathbed: she had been a wet nurse to Timante's child, but when the baby died she decided to hide the truth and exchange it for her own daughter to ensure a better future for the latter. The grown-up child is Lucile. Lucile's poor background means she can no longer marry the middle-class Dorval. However, Timante persuades Dorval's father to let the wedding go ahead regardless and the opera concludes with general rejoicing.

Adaptations

"Où peut-on être mieux qu'au sein de sa famille" was adapted as a Loyalist hymn after the Bourbon restoration. It is used in the 2nd movement of Vieuxtemp's 5th Violin Concerto The first movement of Michel Corrette's Concerto comique no. 24 is based on "On dit qu'à 15 ans on plaît"

Recordings

*''Lucile'', arias et quartet, DUCHESNE Solistes de Liege, conducted by Emmanuel Koch Cat: DD 8026 *''Lucile'', soloists, Choeurs et Orchestre de l'Opera de Wallonie, conducted Roger Rossel Cat: MBM 28

References

Sources

* Michel Brenet ''Grétry: sa vie et ses œuvres'' (F. Hayez, 1884) * David Charlton ''Grétry and the Growth of Opéra Comique'' (Cambridge University Press, 1986) * Ronald Lessens ''Grétry ou Le triomphe de l'Opéra-Comique'' (L'Harmattan, 2007) * ''Lucile'' by David Charlton, in 'The

New Grove Dictionary of Opera ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' is an encyclopedia of opera. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes. The dictionary was first published in 1992 by Macmillan Reference, L ...

', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) {{authority control Comédies mêlées d'ariettes Opéras comiques Operas by André Grétry French-language operas Operas 1769 operas One-act operas Libretti by Jean-François Marmontel