French Opera Beginnings
Early Opera in France and Roles of Louis XIV, Lully, and Rameau
May 24, 2008
The early operas in France date back to the reign of King Louis XIV. Lully's music, with stately choral and instrumental episodes, along with extended dances, provided great spectacles that reflected pageantry and the splendor of Versailles.
Opera Patron: Louis XIV
When Louis XIV ruled France from 1638 until 1715, he was known as the 'Sun King' because of the splendor of his court. France did not only become Europe's major political power but it achieved artistic dominance as Louis XIV spent lavishly and became patron of cultural figures that included writers Molière and Racine, and composer Lully.
Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)
Lully is regarded as the "father of French opera." Born on November 28, 1632 in Florence, Italy, Giovanni Battista Lulli was the son of a miller, though he later claimed that his father was a nobleman. Lully had a natural talent for dancing and playing the guitar but had little musical education. In 1646, at the age of fourteen, he was 'discovered' by the Duke of Guise, who took him to France. He got a job as a scullery boy. His employer, Mademoiselle de Montpensier, provided a teacher to cultivate his musical talents before he was dismissed.
The King's Court: Lully and Opera
By 1653, aged 21, Lully became a dancer at the court of Louis XIV. He also composed some ballet music and was appointed as the court orchestral composer. Lully became a French citizen at the age of 29. As the king became older and lost his enthusiasm for dancing, Lully turned to writing opera. He supervised all orchestral and choral rehearsals at court. In 1687, aged 55, Lully had a freak accident. During a rehearsal, he struck the pole he was using through his foot and died of the resultant gangrene.
Lully's Contribution to Opera
The most important contributions of Lully to the development of French opera were two-fold: his emphasis on the clear enunciation of words and the establishment of a standard French overture form. His works, referred to as tragédie-lyrique, were much set to music. The libretti or texts of his operas were based on classical French tragedy with their melodic lines following the rhythms and inflections of the French language. The arioso style, although developed in Italy, came to have more influence in France. ('Arioso' is a cross between a recitative and an aria, more melodic than a recitative accompagnato.)
Despite being an Italian, Jean Baptiste Lully established the hallmarks of French opera which differentiated it from the Italian style that had been dominant in Italy and elsewhere in Europe.
The Opera Overture
The first operas had no overture but were introduced by singers who summarized the action, to follow in a vocal prologue. Monteverdi's Orfeo had instrumental introduction. The idea of a standardized overture began with Lully. He devised a scheme which consisted of a slow introduction, followed by a lively movement in fugato style. The slow introduction was always repeated. The operatic French overture was often followed by a suite of dance tunes before the curtain finally rose.
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)
Jean-Philippe Rameau, a noted theorist, was a student of Lully. After Lully's death, Rameau followed his mentor's lead. He published works on composition and performance. His first opera, Hippolyte et Aricie, written only in 1733, was followed by Les Indes Galantes, and Castor et Pollux. Rameau felt that the works of Lully had placed too much emphasis on spectacle. His contribution was to strike a balance between the different elements of the opera. Later French composers, Berlioz and Debussy, admired Rameau's works.
Sources:
Opera. András Batta, Editor-in-Chief. Cologne: Könemann, 1999
Griffin, Clive. Opera. London: HarperCollins, 2007
