The comédie en vaudevilles (French: [kɔmedi ɑ̃ vodvil]) was a theatrical entertainment which began in Paris towards the end of the 17th century, in which comedy was enlivened through lyrics using the melody of popular vaudeville songs.[1]
Title page of Le Théâtre italien, a collection of works performed by the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris, published by Evaristo Gherardi in 1694. It includes early examples of comédies en vaudevilles.[1]
The annual fairs of Paris at St. Germain and St. Laurent had developed theatrical variety entertainments, with mixed plays, acrobatic displays, and pantomimes, typically featuring vaudevilles (see Théâtre de la foire). Gradually these features began to invade established theatres. The Querelle des Bouffons (War of the Clowns), a dispute amongst theatrical factions in Paris in the 1750s, in part reflects the rivalry of this form, as it evolved into opéra comique, with the Italian opera buffa. Comédie en vaudevilles also seems to have influenced the English ballad opera and the German Singspiel.[1]
Vaudeville final
One feature of the comédie en vaudevilles which later found its way into opera was the vaudeville final, a strophic finale in which the characters assemble at the end of the piece with each singing a short verse, often ending with a refrain which everyone would sing, and a final verse with the entire ensemble joining in. Typically the first verse provides the moral of the story, while the intervening verses comment on particular events in the plot, and the final verse appeals directly to audience for its indulgence.[2] Sometimes the verses were also interspersed with dances.[1]
comédie, vaudevilles, comédie, vaudevilles, french, kɔmedi, vodvil, theatrical, entertainment, which, began, paris, towards, 17th, century, which, comedy, enlivened, through, lyrics, using, melody, popular, vaudeville, songs, title, page, théâtre, italien, col. The comedie en vaudevilles French kɔmedi ɑ vodvil was a theatrical entertainment which began in Paris towards the end of the 17th century in which comedy was enlivened through lyrics using the melody of popular vaudeville songs 1 Title page of Le Theatre italien a collection of works performed by the Comedie Italienne at the Hotel de Bourgogne in Paris published by Evaristo Gherardi in 1694 It includes early examples of comedies en vaudevilles 1 Contents 1 Evolution 2 Vaudeville final 3 References 4 SourcesEvolution EditThe annual fairs of Paris at St Germain and St Laurent had developed theatrical variety entertainments with mixed plays acrobatic displays and pantomimes typically featuring vaudevilles see Theatre de la foire Gradually these features began to invade established theatres The Querelle des Bouffons War of the Clowns a dispute amongst theatrical factions in Paris in the 1750s in part reflects the rivalry of this form as it evolved into opera comique with the Italian opera buffa Comedie en vaudevilles also seems to have influenced the English ballad opera and the German Singspiel 1 Vaudeville final EditOne feature of the comedie en vaudevilles which later found its way into opera was the vaudeville final a strophic finale in which the characters assemble at the end of the piece with each singing a short verse often ending with a refrain which everyone would sing and a final verse with the entire ensemble joining in Typically the first verse provides the moral of the story while the intervening verses comment on particular events in the plot and the final verse appeals directly to audience for its indulgence 2 Sometimes the verses were also interspersed with dances 1 It became a common feature of the earlier operas comiques such as those written by Charles Simon Favart 2 or composed by Egidio Duni Pierre Alexandre Monsigny and Francois Andre Danican Philidor and began to frequently utilize new music although still labelled vaudeville 1 The vaudeville final was almost never used in works presented at the Comedie Francaise or the Academie Royale de Musique and the exceptions are comedies an example at the former being Pierre Beaumarchais s play Le mariage de Figaro 1784 which ends with a vaudeville and at the latter Jean Jacques Rousseau s Le devin du village 1752 which has a vaudeville final Although it fell out of style at the Comedie Italienne around the time of the French Revolution 2 the tradition was carried into the early 19th century at the popular theatres on the Boulevard du Temple and elsewhere in Paris in particular at the Theatre du Vaudeville 1 The style can be discerned in many operas although with newly composed music including Gluck s Orfeo ed Euridice 1762 2 Haydn s Orlando paladino 1782 citation needed and Mozart s Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail 1782 2 Der Schauspieldirektor 1786 3 and Don Giovanni 1788 1 as well as later works such as Rossini s Il barbiere di Siviglia 1816 2 Gilbert and Sullivan s Trial by Jury 1875 citation needed Verdi s Falstaff 1893 2 Ravel s L heure espagnole 1911 2 and Stravinsky s The Rake s Progress 1951 2 References Edit a b c d e f g Barnes 2001 a b c d e f g h i Bartlet 1992 Oxford Dictionary 1992 Sources EditBarnes Clifford Vaudeville in Grove s Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2001 Vaudeville in The Oxford Dictionary of Opera 1992 ISBN 978 0 19 869164 8 M Elizabeth C Bartlet Vaudeville final in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera 1992 ISBN 978 1 56159 228 9 Also at Oxford Music Online subscription required Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Comedie en vaudevilles amp oldid 1077587209, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
