Pomone (Pomona) is a pastoral opera in a prologue and five acts by Robert Cambert with a libretto by Pierre Perrin. It has been described as "effectively the first French opera."[1] It was first performed in Paris at the Jeu de Paume de la Bouteille theatre belonging to Cambert and Perrin's Académie d'Opéra on 3 March 1671. The production had ballets choreographed by Des Brosses[2] and sets and machinery designed by Alexandre de Rieux, marquis de Sourdéac.[3] The novelty of the work drew large audiences and the opera enjoyed 146 performances over the eight months of its run.[4] The score of Pomone has only partially survived.[1]
Title page of the partial score of Pomone, published by Ballard in 1671First page of the score
Attempts had been made to introduce Italian opera to France in the mid-17th century but French audiences had disliked the genre, preferring their own form of stage music drama, the ballet de cour, a ballet containing sung elements. Nevertheless, some French composers began to experiment with developing opera which would better suit national tastes. On 28 June 1669, King Louis XIV had granted Perrin and his Académie d'Opéra the monopoly on performing operas on the Parisian stage. Pomone was the first production by the Académie.[5] It contained many of the features audience were used to in the ballet de cour: dance, spectacular stage effects and rich costumes. The innovations were the replacement of spoken dialogue by recitative and the use of more complicated vocal ensembles. The pastoral theme of the work was not new, for instance Cambert had already composed music for a stage work called the Pastorale d'Issy in 1659.[6] In spite of Pomone's success, Perrin soon ran into financial difficulties. The Académie staged another opera with music by Cambert, Les peines et les plaisirs de l'Amour, in early 1672, but the king then revoked Perrin's monopoly on opera production and transferred it to his favourite composer, Jean-Baptiste Lully, who would have more success in establishing a lasting French operatic tradition.[7] Cambert moved to London with his pupil Louis Grabu, where he staged a version of Pomone with additional music by Grabu.[1]
Faune (Faunus), god of villagers, in love with Pomone
basse-taille
Pierre Rossignol
Dieu des Jardins (God of gardens), in love with Pomone
Juturne, a nymph of Pomone
Venilie, a nymph of Pomone
Beroé, Pomone's nurse
Synopsisedit
Vertumne is in love with Pomone and Pomone's nurse Beroé is in love with Vertumne. Vertumne assumes various disguises in his attempts to seduce Pomone: a dragon, Pluto, Bacchus. He only succeeds when he disguises himself as Beroé, because Pomone cannot refuse her old nurse a kiss.[3]
^ abcSadler 2001, p.180. Bashford 1992, p. 697: "Considered by modern scholars to be the first true French opera..."
^Powell 1995, p. 179; Guest 2006, p. 7. The dances for Pomone have generally been attributed to Pierre Beauchamps, based on the 'Receuil de Tralage' (ca. 1697; MS 6544, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Paris), but an unnumbered manuscript in the archives of the Comédie-Française, discovered by John S. Powell, states that Beauchamps did not join the production until two months before the end of the run, and that Des Brosses had created all the dances before he relinquished his position. Apparently Des Brosses left Perrin's Académie in order to work on Jean Donneau de Visé's musical machine-play Le Mariage de Bacchus et d'Ariane, performed at the Théâtre du Marais in the winter of 1671–1672.
Brenac, Jean-Claude. Magazine de l'opéra baroque (in French).
Carter, Tim (1994). "The Seventeenth Century", pp. 1–46, in The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera, edited by Roger Parker. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN9780198162827.
Guest, Ivor (2006). The Paris Opéra Ballet. Alton, Hampshire: Dance Books. ISBN9781852731090.
Johnson, Victoria (2008). Backstage at the Revolution: How the Royal Paris Opera Survived the End of the Old Regime. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN9780226401959.
Powell, John S. (1995). "Pierre Beauchamps, Choreographer to Molière's Troupe de Roy", Music & Letters, vol. 76, no. 2 (May), pp. 168–186. JSTOR 737729.
Sadler, Graham (2001). "Robert Cambert", p. 150, in The New Penguin Opera Guide, edited by Amanda Holden. New York: Penguin Putnam. ISBN9780140514759.
Score of Pomone (Paris: Christophe Ballard, 1671) at BnF
December 18, 2023
pomone, opera, pomone, pomona, pastoral, opera, prologue, five, acts, robert, cambert, with, libretto, pierre, perrin, been, described, effectively, first, french, opera, first, performed, paris, paume, bouteille, theatre, belonging, cambert, perrin, académie,. Pomone Pomona is a pastoral opera in a prologue and five acts by Robert Cambert with a libretto by Pierre Perrin It has been described as effectively the first French opera 1 It was first performed in Paris at the Jeu de Paume de la Bouteille theatre belonging to Cambert and Perrin s Academie d Opera on 3 March 1671 The production had ballets choreographed by Des Brosses 2 and sets and machinery designed by Alexandre de Rieux marquis de Sourdeac 3 The novelty of the work drew large audiences and the opera enjoyed 146 performances over the eight months of its run 4 The score of Pomone has only partially survived 1 Title page of the partial score of Pomone published by Ballard in 1671First page of the score Contents 1 Background and performance history 2 Roles 3 Synopsis 4 Recording 5 References 6 External linksBackground and performance history editAttempts had been made to introduce Italian opera to France in the mid 17th century but French audiences had disliked the genre preferring their own form of stage music drama the ballet de cour a ballet containing sung elements Nevertheless some French composers began to experiment with developing opera which would better suit national tastes On 28 June 1669 King Louis XIV had granted Perrin and his Academie d Opera the monopoly on performing operas on the Parisian stage Pomone was the first production by the Academie 5 It contained many of the features audience were used to in the ballet de cour dance spectacular stage effects and rich costumes The innovations were the replacement of spoken dialogue by recitative and the use of more complicated vocal ensembles The pastoral theme of the work was not new for instance Cambert had already composed music for a stage work called the Pastorale d Issy in 1659 6 In spite of Pomone s success Perrin soon ran into financial difficulties The Academie staged another opera with music by Cambert Les peines et les plaisirs de l Amour in early 1672 but the king then revoked Perrin s monopoly on opera production and transferred it to his favourite composer Jean Baptiste Lully who would have more success in establishing a lasting French operatic tradition 7 Cambert moved to London with his pupil Louis Grabu where he staged a version of Pomone with additional music by Grabu 1 Roles editRole Voice type Premiere cast 3 March 1671 8 Pomone Pomona goddess of fruits soprano Marie Madeleine Jossier called Cartilly Flore Flora goddess of flowers Pomone s sister sopranoVertumne Vertumnus god of Lares in love with Pomone basse taille baritone Francois BeaumavielleFaune Faunus god of villagers in love with Pomone basse taille Pierre RossignolDieu des Jardins God of gardens in love with PomoneJuturne a nymph of PomoneVenilie a nymph of PomoneBeroe Pomone s nurseSynopsis editVertumne is in love with Pomone and Pomone s nurse Beroe is in love with Vertumne Vertumne assumes various disguises in his attempts to seduce Pomone a dragon Pluto Bacchus He only succeeds when he disguises himself as Beroe because Pomone cannot refuse her old nurse a kiss 3 Recording editThe surviving 30 minutes of music was recorded by Hugo Reyne conducting La Simphonie du Marais on a 2 disc CD set also containing Jean Baptiste Lully s Les fetes de l Amour et de Bacchus Accord 2004 References editNotes a b c Sadler 2001 p 180 Bashford 1992 p 697 Considered by modern scholars to be the first true French opera Powell 1995 p 179 Guest 2006 p 7 The dances for Pomone have generally been attributed to Pierre Beauchamps based on the Receuil de Tralage ca 1697 MS 6544 Bibliotheque de l Arsenal Paris but an unnumbered manuscript in the archives of the Comedie Francaise discovered by John S Powell states that Beauchamps did not join the production until two months before the end of the run and that Des Brosses had created all the dances before he relinquished his position Apparently Des Brosses left Perrin s Academie in order to work on Jean Donneau de Vise s musical machine play Le Mariage de Bacchus et d Ariane performed at the Theatre du Marais in the winter of 1671 1672 a b Jean Claude Brenac Johnson 2008 pp 100 102 Carter 1994 pp 33 36 Johnson 2008 p 102 Carter 1994 pp 35 36 Roles and performers taken from Jean Claude Brenac Sources Bashford Christina 1992 Cambert Robert pp 696 698 in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera 4 volumes edited by Stanley Sadie London Macmillan ISBN 9781561592289 Brenac Jean Claude Magazine de l opera baroque in French Carter Tim 1994 The Seventeenth Century pp 1 46 in The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera edited by Roger Parker Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 9780198162827 Guest Ivor 2006 The Paris Opera Ballet Alton Hampshire Dance Books ISBN 9781852731090 Johnson Victoria 2008 Backstage at the Revolution How the Royal Paris Opera Survived the End of the Old Regime Chicago University of Chicago Press ISBN 9780226401959 Powell John S 1995 Pierre Beauchamps Choreographer to Moliere s Troupe de Roy Music amp Letters vol 76 no 2 May pp 168 186 JSTOR 737729 Sadler Graham 2001 Robert Cambert p 150 in The New Penguin Opera Guide edited by Amanda Holden New York Penguin Putnam ISBN 9780140514759 External links editPomone Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Score of Pomone Paris Christophe Ballard 1671 at BnF Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pomone opera amp oldid 1188627249, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
