La colombe
Encyclopedia
La Colombe is an opéra comique
in two acts by Charles Gounod
with a libretto by Jules Barbier
and Michel Carré
based, like Philémon et Baucis
, on a poem of Jean de la Fontaine
, in this case Le Faucon. It premiered in Baden-Baden
(Théatre de Bade) on August 6, 1860.
Sylvie, jealous of a social rival's parrot, pays a visit to Horace in hopes of obtaining his prize dove. The love-stricken admirer has fallen on hard times and resolves to roast the bird in order to have something to put on the table. A happier ending for the bird than La Fontaine's is arranged. There is a dugazon
trouser role for the valet, Mazet, and Maitre Jean has a bass aria ("Le grand art de la cuisine") on the past glories of the kitchen that still turns up in recital occasionally.
Opéra comique
Opéra comique is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged out of the popular opéra comiques en vaudevilles of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent , which combined existing popular tunes with spoken sections...
in two acts by Charles Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
with a libretto by Jules Barbier
Jules Barbier
Paul Jules Barbier was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré...
and Michel Carré
Michel Carré
Michel Carré was a prolific French librettist.He went to Paris in 1840 intending to become a painter but took up writing instead. He wrote verse and plays before turning to writing libretti. His libretto for Mirette was never performed in France but was later performed in English adaptation in...
based, like Philémon et Baucis
Philémon et Baucis
Philémon et Baucis is an opera in three acts by Charles Gounod with a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. The opera is based on the tale of Baucis and Philemon as told by La Fontaine...
, on a poem of Jean de la Fontaine
Jean de La Fontaine
Jean de La Fontaine was the most famous French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his Fables, which provided a model for subsequent fabulists across Europe and numerous alternative versions in France, and in French regional...
, in this case Le Faucon. It premiered in Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
(Théatre de Bade) on August 6, 1860.
Sylvie, jealous of a social rival's parrot, pays a visit to Horace in hopes of obtaining his prize dove. The love-stricken admirer has fallen on hard times and resolves to roast the bird in order to have something to put on the table. A happier ending for the bird than La Fontaine's is arranged. There is a dugazon
Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre
Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre , also known as Madame Dugazon, was a French operatic mezzo-soprano, actress and dancer....
trouser role for the valet, Mazet, and Maitre Jean has a bass aria ("Le grand art de la cuisine") on the past glories of the kitchen that still turns up in recital occasionally.