From French Literature to Music

From French Literature to Music

Outline • Introduction • Part I. French Literature and Opera • A. The Marriage of Figaro • B. Carmen • C. Rigoletto • Part II. French Literature and Musical • A. The Phantom of the Opera • B. Notre Dame de Paris • C. Le Petit Prince • Conclusion • References Dr. Montoneri

Introduction • French literature is considered one of the richest and most varied national literatures • French stories has been influential since the Middle Ages • A large number of opera libretti is based on French plays and novels • French novels have found a way to become even more famous in the 20th century as many musicals were based on French novels • Here are some of the most famous operas and musicals inspired by French literature Dr. Montoneri

Part I. French Literature and Opera • As defined in the dictionary, an opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music • Opera clearly resembles theater; however, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung rather than spoken • Male singers are classified as bass, bass-baritone, baritone, tenor and countertenor. Female singers are classified, as contralto, mezzo-soprano and soprano • The word opera means simply "works" in Latin; The earliest work considered an opera in the sense the work is usually understood dates from around 1597 • The golden age of opera: 17-19 centuries; Even if Italian libretti were the norm, many operas were based on a French story Dr. Montoneri

A. The Marriage of Figaro • Opera composed by Mozart(1756-1791) • Libretto written by Lorenzo da Ponte (original title Le Nozze di Figaro)Four acts • First performance in Vienna in May 1786 • The story is a continuation of The Barber of Seville (Rossini composed an opera in 1816) • Novel written by Beaumarchais (1732-1799) • Le Mariage de Figaro (1784), part II of a trilogy dedicated to the life of Figaro • The story set in Count Almaviva's castle in Seville; The Count has married Rosine and Figaro is about to marry Suzanne (Rosine's maid) Dr. Montoneri

A. The Marriage of Figaro • Lorenzo da Ponte took this popular play, removed "political" content that would have offended the Viennese imperial censors (the French Revolution was only a few years away), and faithfully translated the rest into Italian Dr. Montoneri

B. Carmen • Opera composed by Georges Bizet(1838-1875) • Libretto written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy • Four acts; 1874 • First performance in Paris in March 1875 • Influenced by Giuseppe Verdi, he composed the title role in Carmen for a mezzo-soprano. • Novel written by Prosper Mérimée (1803-1870) • Carmen (1846), story of an unfaithful gypsy girl who is killed by the soldier who loves her • Mérimée met and befriended the Countess of Montijo in Spain in 1830. When her daughter became the Empress Eugenie of France in 1853 he was made a senator Dr. Montoneri

B. Carmen • During its time, Carmen was considered a failure, denounced as “immoral” and “superficial.” Today it is often seen as the greatest romantic opera of the era and one of the most popular works in operatic history. Dr. Montoneri

C. Rigoletto • Opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi(1813-1901) • Libretto written by Francesco Maria Piave • Three acts;March 1851 • The jester of the prince (Triboulet in Hugo’s work) became Rigoletto (from French rigolo = funny). The name of the work too was changed (it was first called The Malediction). • Victor Hugo’s "Le Roi s’amuse" • Five acts; 1832; Paris • The Renaissance; Francis I represented as an odious character • Rigoletto was not staged in Paris, due to objections from Victor Hugo himself • It took 6 years to convince him to listen to the music • When he finally was persuaded to watch a performance of the opera, Hugo found himself extremely enthusiastic Dr. Montoneri

C. Rigoletto • The play tells the story of a libertine king. When the opera was written, northern Italy was under the domination of Austria. Verdi had to compromise with the Austrian censors; the French King became a fictitious Duke of Mantua. Dr. Montoneri

Part II. French Literature and Musical • Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue • Related to opera, frequently being distinguished by the use of popular music • The musical developed from opera and operetta at the end of the 19th century • Since the beginning of the 20th century, a large number of musicals produced on Broadway in New York and London's West End • The 1980s and 1990s saw the influence of European "mega-musicals" or "pop operas with English and French hits such as Les Misérables, Miss Saigon and The Phantom of the Opera Dr. Montoneri

A. The Phantom of the Opera • Gaston Leroux (1868-1927) wrote Le Fantôme de l'opérain 1910 • 19th century Paris at the Opera Garnier • The young diva Christine Daaé achieves sudden prominence on the opera stage when she replaces the current prima donna Carlotta • Christine is loved by the handsome Raoul, but also by a ghost that haunts the opera house • Andrew Lloyd Webber; musical in 1986 • His second wife was the soprano who plays Christine in the musical: Sarah Brightman. They were married in 1984 and divorced in 1990. • 2004, a movie based on the musical was released • The screenplay was written in the south of France in 1989 by Joel Schumacher and Andrew Lloyd Webber Dr. Montoneri

A. The Phantom of the Opera Dr. Montoneri

B. Notre Dame de Paris • Victor Hugo’s novel 1831 • Enormous popularity; Gothic revival • Social justice, the gothic cathedral; mistreatment of the ugly Quasimodo • The human drama revolves around the gypsy Esmeralda, and which of several suitors she will choose: Frollo the priest, Phoebus the captain or Quasimodo the bell-ringer • Musical composed by Richard Cocciante and Luc Plamandon • In 1997 performed "The Pagan Ave Maria" from Notre Dame de Paris before Pope John Paul II at the Vatican • Hugo himself wrote a libretto for an opera version in 1835, four years after the novel was originally published Dr. Montoneri

B. Notre Dame de Paris • According to the Guinness Book of Records, the Franco-Canadian musical "Notre Dame de Paris" enjoyed the most successful first year of any musical ever Dr. Montoneri

C. Le Petit Prince • Saint-Exupéry’s novel, 1943; written near New York in 1942 • Profound and idealistic points about life and lovein time of war • The writer imagines himself lost in the Sahara desert after a plane crash • He meets a young extra-terrestrial prince • In 1944,Saint-Exupéry’s plane crashed again and disappeared • Musical composed by Richard Cocciante; 2002 • Daniel Lavoie, singing Frollo in Notre Dame, is Saint-Exupéry • It is a great success as it respects the text and the spirit of the novel • Jeff, the singer who pays the Little Prince is 13 years old; from Lyon • Costumes designed by Castelbajac, a famous Paris designer Dr. Montoneri

C. Le Petit Prince Dr. Montoneri

Conclusion • Because of its long and illustrious history and its influence on other literatures, French literature occupies a central position since the Middle Ages • French plays and novels have not only influenced opera and musical, but also cinema • A successful French story has a great chance to become a successful opera, musical and (or) movie; there are also many examples of French stories first despised that became worldwide hits (Carmen or Le roi s’amuse) • Among the most appreciated French novels are romantic stories (Cyrano de Bergerac), fairy tales (Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella), adventure (Dumas) and science fiction (Jules Verne) Dr. Montoneri

References • http://www.naxos.com • http://en.wikipedia.org • http://encarta.msn.com/artcenter_/browse.html • http://encarta.msn.com/artcenter_/browse.html • http://www.operacolorado.org/images/Rigoletto%20COMPILED.pdf Dr. Montoneri

Merci et à bientôt

From French Literature to Music