Le congrès des rois (The Congress of the Kings) was a 3-act French Revolutionaryopera of the genre comédie mêlée d'ariettes with a libretto by De Maillot, a stage name used by Antoine-François Ève early in his career, and music by a collaborative of twelve composers (see below). It was a satire directed against the "enemies of France". The libretto and most of the music (except for that by Henri-Montan Berton) has been lost.[2][3]
The composition of the opera was ordered by the Comité du Salut public (Committee of Public Safety) to be completed in two days. The opera was first performed on 26 February 1794 [8 vent II] by the Opéra-Comique in the first Salle Favart and was presented a total of 2 times. At the premiere, "the length of the work and its couplets' lack of charm tired the audience, which took out its bad feelings on the ballet. Sharp whistles grew louder still, and the authors were not acknowledged." When the second performance met a similar reception, the management ended its run.[4]
The opera tells the story of an imagined meeting of monarchs at the court of Prussia to discuss the partition of France. Participants include the kings of England, Spain, Sardinia, and Naples, the Austrian emperor, and the English minister Pitt. Catherine II of Russia has sent a representative and the pope has delegated Cagliostro to speak on his behalf. Madame Cagliostro engages six women, enemies of tyranny, to employ their charms to arouse the passions of these notables and have fun at their expense. Cagliostro is secretly a French patriot who plans to manipulate the others. He stages an elaborate show of ghosts who predict a revolution in which reason triumphs over error. The crowned heads are frightened, but one consoles the others: "Fortunately these are only ghosts." When the Congress finally meets, the assembly decides to partition France province by province. With a sudden burst of cannons, a group of French patriots arrive and force their way into the palace. The royals flee, return in disguise as sans-culottes crying "Vive La Republique!", and then escape. The French, having planted a liberty tree and made a bonfire of symbols of the Ancien Régime, dance and sing in praise of the awakening of the people and the downfall of tyranny.[5]
The opera was later denounced in the Conseil général of the Commune de Paris on the grounds that it espoused anti-revolutionary ideas. Its representation of Cagliostro as a virtuous republican was thought scandalous, and the presentation of "the immortal Marat" in the procession of ghosts was deemed disrespectful. Aristocrats had been seen applauding. A police report was ordered and it confirmed the charges. Further performances were banned on 17 March 1794.[6]
^The names of the characters, with the nicknames given by the artist, are shown as image annotations on the file on Wikimedia Commons.
Citations
^Claudette Hould (1989). "La propagande d'état par l'estampe durant la Terreur". Les images de la Révolution française. By Michel Vovelle. Vol. 21 of Histoire moderne. Publications de la Sorbonne. pp. 29ff. ISBN978-2-85944-161-6.
Pougin, Arthur (1891). L'Opéra-Comique pendant la Révolution de 1788 à 1801: d'après des documents inédits et les sources les plus authentiques. Paris: Albert Savine.
Wild, Nicole; Charlton, David (2005). Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique Paris: répertoire 1762–1972. Sprimont, Belgium: Editions Mardaga. ISBN978-2-87009-898-1.
congrès, rois, congress, kings, french, revolutionary, opera, genre, comédie, mêlée, ariettes, with, libretto, maillot, stage, name, used, antoine, françois, Ève, early, career, music, collaborative, twelve, composers, below, satire, directed, against, enemies. Le congres des rois The Congress of the Kings was a 3 act French Revolutionary opera of the genre comedie melee d ariettes with a libretto by De Maillot a stage name used by Antoine Francois Eve early in his career and music by a collaborative of twelve composers see below It was a satire directed against the enemies of France The libretto and most of the music except for that by Henri Montan Berton has been lost 2 3 Le congres des roisOpera comique by Antoine Francois EveDescriptionCongress of the Allied Kings or the Tyrants uncrowned print of Barnabe Augustin de Mailly 1794 1 a Native titleLe congres des roisTranslationCongress of the Allied KingsOther titleThe Tyrants uncrowned LibrettistHenri Montan BertonLanguageFrenchPremiere26 February 1794 1794 02 26 Opera Comique Paris FranceThe composition of the opera was ordered by the Comite du Salut public Committee of Public Safety to be completed in two days The opera was first performed on 26 February 1794 8 vent II by the Opera Comique in the first Salle Favart and was presented a total of 2 times At the premiere the length of the work and its couplets lack of charm tired the audience which took out its bad feelings on the ballet Sharp whistles grew louder still and the authors were not acknowledged When the second performance met a similar reception the management ended its run 4 The opera tells the story of an imagined meeting of monarchs at the court of Prussia to discuss the partition of France Participants include the kings of England Spain Sardinia and Naples the Austrian emperor and the English minister Pitt Catherine II of Russia has sent a representative and the pope has delegated Cagliostro to speak on his behalf Madame Cagliostro engages six women enemies of tyranny to employ their charms to arouse the passions of these notables and have fun at their expense Cagliostro is secretly a French patriot who plans to manipulate the others He stages an elaborate show of ghosts who predict a revolution in which reason triumphs over error The crowned heads are frightened but one consoles the others Fortunately these are only ghosts When the Congress finally meets the assembly decides to partition France province by province With a sudden burst of cannons a group of French patriots arrive and force their way into the palace The royals flee return in disguise as sans culottes crying Vive La Republique and then escape The French having planted a liberty tree and made a bonfire of symbols of the Ancien Regime dance and sing in praise of the awakening of the people and the downfall of tyranny 5 The opera was later denounced in the Conseil general of the Commune de Paris on the grounds that it espoused anti revolutionary ideas Its representation of Cagliostro as a virtuous republican was thought scandalous and the presentation of the immortal Marat in the procession of ghosts was deemed disrespectful Aristocrats had been seen applauding A police report was ordered and it confirmed the charges Further performances were banned on 17 March 1794 6 The libretto has not been found A piano vocal score in manuscript form of the music by Henri Montan Berton is located at the Bibliotheque nationale de France Departement de la Musique Ms 3649 2 Composers EditHenri Montan Berton Frederic Blasius Luigi Cherubini Nicolas Dalayrac Francois Devienne Prosper Didier Deshayes Andre Gretry Louis Emmanuel Jadin Rodolphe Kreutzer Etienne Mehul Jean Pierre Solie Armand Emmanuel Trial fr Trial fils References EditNotes The names of the characters with the nicknames given by the artist are shown as image annotations on the file on Wikimedia Commons Citations Claudette Hould 1989 La propagande d etat par l estampe durant la Terreur Les images de la Revolution francaise By Michel Vovelle Vol 21 of Histoire moderne Publications de la Sorbonne pp 29ff ISBN 978 2 85944 161 6 a b Wild and Charlton 2005 pp 56 200 Pougin 1891 p 107 Pougin 1891 p 108 Pougin 1891 pp 107 108 Pougin 1891 p 108n Sources Pougin Arthur 1891 L Opera Comique pendant la Revolution de 1788 a 1801 d apres des documents inedits et les sources les plus authentiques Paris Albert Savine Wild Nicole Charlton David 2005 Theatre de l Opera Comique Paris repertoire 1762 1972 Sprimont Belgium Editions Mardaga ISBN 978 2 87009 898 1 Portal nbsp Opera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Le congres des rois amp oldid 1165144104, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
