GRÉTRY, André 1741-1813

L'Épreuve villageoise, Opéra comique en deux actes, Paroles de Desforges ... Partition Piano et Chant conforme à la reprèsentation, arrangée par Vauthrot, accompagnatéur à l'Opera Comique Prix 7 f. net. [Piano-vocal score]

Paris: Colombier [PN C. 1638], [1853].

Large octavo. Half red calf with textured red paper, spine in gilt-ruled compartments, titling gilt. 1f. (recto title printed within decorative border, verso blank), 1f. (recto named cast list and contents, verso blank), 108 pp. Engraved.

Named cast includes Lefebvre, Ponchard, Bussine, and Révilly.

Binding slightly worn, rubbed, and bumped. Minor to moderate foxing; pencil annotation to free front endpaper; former owner's signature in pencil to upper margin of title partially erased; small publisher's facsimile signature handstamp to lower margin of title.

First performed, to a libretto by Desforge, in Paris at the Comédie-Italienne on 24 June 1784.

"[Grétry] made decisive contributions to the scope and style of the 18th-century opéra comique, and to technical aspects such as musical ‘local colour’ and the design of overtures. His opéras comiques and recitative comedies for the Paris Opéra enjoyed unparalleled success in the 20 years up to the French Revolution... It is hard to imagine the evolution of opéra comique, and Romantic opera in general, without the part played by his works... The apex of Grétry’s career saw L’épreuve villageoise and Richard Coeur-de-lion (both 1784), together with contemporary successes at the Opéra: La caravane du Caire (1783) and Panurge (1785)." M. Elizabeth C. Bartlet and David Charlton in Grove Music Online.

Item #29253

Price: $125.00  other currencies