Les deux petits savoyards
Encyclopedia
Les deux petits savoyards (The Two Little Savoyards) is a comic opera
in one act by the French composer Nicolas Dalayrac
. It was first performed at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris
on January 14, 1789. The libretto
is by Benoît-Joseph Marsollier des Vivetières. The opera was a great success; according to the records of the Comédie-Italienne, 104,000 spectators had seen it by 1793. The theme of reconciliation between the social classes appealed to audiences at the beginning of the French Revolution
. Les deux petits savoyards received its British premiere at Sadler's Wells in June, 1789 and it first appeared in the United States in Philadelphia in 1797.
boys of the title (played by female sopranos) make a living by exhibiting their pet marmot
at country fairs. When they arrive at a fair near Lyon
s they catch the attention of the local landowner, Verseuil. Verseuil has spent much of his life making money in America but has returned to France in search of his brother. The two Savoyards happen to have a locket with a portrait of the brother who, it turns out, was their father. The delighted Verseuil decides to share his fortune with the boys and their mother.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in one act by the French composer Nicolas Dalayrac
Nicolas Dalayrac
Nicolas-Marie d'Alayrac, known as Nicolas Dalayrac , was a French composer, best known for his opéras-comiques.- Biography :...
. It was first performed at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on January 14, 1789. The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
is by Benoît-Joseph Marsollier des Vivetières. The opera was a great success; according to the records of the Comédie-Italienne, 104,000 spectators had seen it by 1793. The theme of reconciliation between the social classes appealed to audiences at the beginning of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. Les deux petits savoyards received its British premiere at Sadler's Wells in June, 1789 and it first appeared in the United States in Philadelphia in 1797.
Roles
| Cast | Voice type | Premiere, January 14, 1789 |
|---|---|---|
| Michel, a Savoyard boy | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Jeanne-Charlotte Saint-Aubin |
| Joset, his brother | soprano | Rose Renaud |
| Verseuil | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Jean-Pierre Solié Jean-Pierre Solié Jean-Pierre Solié was a French cellist and operatic singer. He began as a tenor, but switched and became well-known as a baritone. He sang most often at the Paris Opéra-Comique... |
| Bailli | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
|
Synopsis
The two little SavoyardSavoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
boys of the title (played by female sopranos) make a living by exhibiting their pet marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
at country fairs. When they arrive at a fair near Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
s they catch the attention of the local landowner, Verseuil. Verseuil has spent much of his life making money in America but has returned to France in search of his brother. The two Savoyards happen to have a locket with a portrait of the brother who, it turns out, was their father. The delighted Verseuil decides to share his fortune with the boys and their mother.
Sources
- The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
- Theatre, Opera, and Audiences in Revolutionary Paris: Analysis and Repertory (Contributions in Drama and Theatre Studies) Emmet Kennedy et al. (Greenwood Press, 1996)
- Amadeus Online (in Italian)