Which fairytale character was the subject of operas by both Rossini and Massenet?
"Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (; 29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as some sacred music, songs, chamber music, and piano pieces. He was a precocious composer of operas, and he made his debut at age 18 with ""La cambiale di matrimonio"". His best-known operas include the Italian comedies ""The Barber of Seville"" (""Il barbiere di Siviglia""), ""The Italian Girl in Algiers"" (""L'italiana in Algeri""), and ""Cinderella"" (""La Cenerentola""). He also wrote a string of serious operas in Italian, including works such as ""Tancredi"", ""Otello"", and ""Semiramide"". ""The Thieving"
"Grisélidis Grisélidis is an opera (described as a 'conte lyrique') in three acts and a prologue by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Armand Silvestre and Eugène Morand. It is based on the play by the same authors first performed at the Comédie-Française on 15 May 1891, which is drawn from the medieval tale of 'patient Grissil'. The story is set in 14th century Provence, and concerns the shepherdess, Grisélidis, and a number of attempts by the Devil to lure her into infidelity. Grisélidis' loyalty to her husband, The Marquis, is strong, however, and the devil is vanquished. Massenet"
"were popular in Venice at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. The pieces were intimate, with a cast of five to seven singers, always including a pair of lovers, at least two comic parts, and one or two other minor roles. The style called for much visual comedy improvised by the players. As compared to many genres of opera, acting and comedic talent is more important relative to the required singing ability. Rossini’s farces also have a significant sentimental element. Dormont is the teacher and guardian of the beautiful Giulia, and he is"
"Cendrillon Cendrillon (""Cinderella"") is an opera—described as a ""fairy tale""—in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Caïn based on Perrault's 1698 version of the Cinderella fairy tale. It was given its premiere performance on 24 May 1899 in Paris. The ""New Grove Dictionary of Opera"" notes that Massenet's sense of humour and wit is more evident in this work, and the use of recurrent motifs is more discreet, while the love music ""reminds us how well Massenet knew his Wagner"". Albert Carré (director of the Opéra-Comique and producer of the first staging) persuaded the composer"
"poem titled ""Levati sol che la luna è levata,"" is a soliloquy about a rapturous dream of a passionate encounter to which the dreamer longs to return, even though the dream is a lie. Another setting by Fauré of a poem by Bussine is ""Sérénade Toscane""; the poem is a fairly free version of a slightly sardonic Tuscan serenade. Bussine worked for many years as a voice teacher at the Paris Conservatory. A baritone, he occasionally gave recitals and performed in concerts in Paris; although he was not a prolific performer. He notably sang the role of the High Priest"
"Rosanella Rosanella is a French literary fairy tale by the Comte de Caylus (the original French title being ""Rosanie""). Andrew Lang included it in ""The Green Fairy Book"". The Queen of the Fairies having died, the fairies tried to elect a new one, but there were two candidates they could not choose between. They decided whoever did the greatest wonder would be queen. One, Surcantine, resolved to raise a prince whom nothing could make constant, and the other, Paridamie, a princess whom no one would see without falling in love. Nearby, King Bardondon and Queen Balanice had an infant daughter,"
"Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 184213 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are ""Manon"" (1884) and ""Werther"" (1892). He also composed oratorios, ballets, orchestral works, incidental music, piano pieces, songs and other music. While still a schoolboy, Massenet was admitted to France's principal music college, the Paris Conservatoire. There he studied under Ambroise Thomas, whom he greatly admired. After winning the country's top musical prize, the Prix de Rome, in 1863, he composed prolifically in"
"recorded in the verse saga, ""The Song of Roland"", or ""Le Chant de Roland"", and the legendary hero of the Orlando stories, such as ""Orlanda Furiosa"", retold, or re-imagined for children. Emanuele Luzzati Emanuele Luzzati (3 June 1921 – 26 January 2007) was an Italian painter, production designer, illustrator, film director and animator. He was nominated for Academy Awards for two of his short films, ""La gazza ladra"" (""The Thieving Magpie"") (1965) and ""Pulcinella"" (1973). He was born in Genoa and turned to drawing in 1938 when, as a son of a Jew (from the part of his father), his"
"falls on his own sword and is then brought to Cléopâtre. As she watches him die by her side, she pulls a poisonous snake from a basket of fruit and clutches it to her breast. Notes Cléopâtre Cléopâtre is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Louis Payen. It was first performed at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo on 23 February 1914, nearly two years after Massenet's death. ""Cléopâtre"" is one of three operas by Massenet to be premiered posthumously; the others are ""Panurge"" (1913) and ""Amadis"" (1922). The piece has seen limited revival since"
"""Cristoforo Sly"", ""Anima Allegra"" (based on the play ""El genio alegre"" by Serafín and Joaquín Álvarez Quintero), ""Two Little Wooden Shoes"" (""I due zoccoletti"") (a short story by Maria Louise Ramé, a.k.a. Ouida), the life of Marie Antoinette, Margherita da Cortona, and ""Conchita"" (based on the novel ""La Femme et le pantin"" – ""The Woman and the Puppet"", by Pierre Loüys). Some of these abandoned subjects were taken up and turned into operas by other composers. For example, Franco Vittadini made an opera of ""Anima Allegra"", Mascagni's opera ""Lodoletta"" is derived from ""Two Little Wooden Shoes"", and Riccardo Zandonai eventually"
"Jules Massenet's ""Manon"" and Olympia's ""Doll aria"" from Jacques Offenbach's ""The Tales of Hoffmann"". Born in Menton, France, Zeppilli was the daughter of Italian parents. She was a cousin (on her mother's side) of singer Luisa Villani (1884–1961). Alice's father Nicola Zeppilli was an orchestra conductor at the Théâtre du Casino in Monte Carlo. Her father sent her back to his native country of Italy to study opera in Milan with Elettra Callery-Viviani. Zepilli made her professional opera debut in Milan at the Teatro Lirico on 25 November 1901 at the age of 16 as Stella in the world premiere"
"He and his librettist, Ghislanzoni, had originally wanted to call the opera ""Masaniello"", after Eugène de Mirecourt's novel on which it is based. However, Auber's 1828, ""La muette de portici"" set in the same historical period, was already known in Italy by that name. Instead, Ghislanzoni made Salvator Rosa (a secondary character in de Mirecourt's novel) the chief protagonist. The central love affair between Isabella and Masaniello in the novel became one between Salvator Rosa and Isabella in the opera. Like many fictional works based on the life of Salvator Rosa, de Mirecourt's novel derived from an 1824 biography of"
"Puccini and Massenet) was one of the staples of the operatic repertoire – not only in France, but also in Germany. The role of the Marquis d'Herigny, written for the famous baritone, Jean-Baptiste Faure, also features several significant solos; but the tenor role of Des Grieux (given two major arias by Massenet and four by Puccini) lacks a major solo, although the character does participate in a series of fine duets, notably at the death of Manon near the end of the opera. One number in the score has retained its popularity with coloratura sopranos. This is Manon's solo, """","
"was the title of one of the poems in Aloysius Bertrand's collection ""Gaspard de la Nuit"" of 1842. This poem inspired the first movement of Maurice Ravel's 1908 piano suite ""Gaspard de la nuit"". The character of Mélisande from Maurice Maeterlinck's symbolist play ""Pelléas et Mélisande"" has been seen as an Undine figure. Debussy, Sibelius, Fauré, and Schoenberg all wrote music adaptions of the play. The 1939 play ""Ondine"" by French dramatist Jean Giradoux is also based upon Fouqué's novella, as is a ballet by composer Hans Werner Henze and choreographer Frederick Ashton with Margot Fonteyn as Undine. Austrian author"
"Bacchus (opera) Bacchus is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Catulle Mendès after Greek mythology. It was first performed at the Palais Garnier in Paris on 5 May 1909. The story is based on the mythology surrounding Bacchus and Ariadne (Ariane). The Gods, among them demi-god Bacchus, appear in human form in ancient India to attempt to persuade the people away from the pervading Buddhist influence. Ariane has followed them, convinced that Bacchus is in fact Theseus, her unrequited love. In the end, Ariane sacrifices herself to save humanity and in doing so,"
"to a cicada. Such generosity is the true revolution! La Fontaine's version of the fable was set by the following French composers: There were two comic operas that went under the title ""La cigale et la fourmi"" in the 19th century. The one by Ferdinand Poise was in one act and dated 1870. The one by Edmond Audran was in three acts and performed in Paris in 1886, in London in 1890 and in New York in 1891. This was shortly followed by the darker mood of Jules Massenet's ballet ""Cigale"", mentioned above. Later adaptations of the fable to ballet"
"Ariane (Massenet) Ariane is an opera in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Catulle Mendès after Greek mythology (the tale of Ariadne). It was first performed at the Palais Garnier in Paris on 31 October 1906, with Lucienne Bréval in the title role. Although not a proper sequel, as Ariane dies in both pieces, Massenet's later opera, ""Bacchus"" is a companion to ""Ariane"", containing a number of common characters and the same librettist. ""Ariane"" has never maintained popularity and belongs to Massenet's later works that were considered outmoded for their date of composition. The piece did,"
"German ""Ochs"" means ""ox,"" which describes the character of the Baron throughout the opera.) The opera has four main characters: the aristocratic Marschallin; her very young lover, Count Octavian Rofrano; her brutish cousin Baron Ochs; and Ochs' prospective fiancée, Sophie von Faninal, the daughter of a rich bourgeois. At the Marschallin's suggestion, Octavian acts as Ochs' ""Rosenkavalier"" by presenting a ceremonial silver rose to Sophie. However, the young people fall in love on the spot, and soon devise a comic intrigue to extricate Sophie from her engagement. They accomplish this with help from the Marschallin, who then yields Octavian to"
"by Uderzo and Goscinny. Tino Rossi Constantin ""Tino"" Rossi (29 April 1907 – 26 September 1983) was a French singer and film actor. Rossi, born in Ajaccio, Corsica, was gifted with a voice well suited for opera. He became a tenor in the French cabaret style. Later, he appeared in various movies. During his career he recorded hundreds of songs and he appeared in more than 25 films, the most notable of which was the 1954 production, ""Si Versailles m'était conté..."" directed by Sacha Guitry. His romantic ballads had especially women swooning and his art songs by Jules Massenet (1842–1912),"
"of Napoleon's Italian officers, and Giovanna née Grassini. She came from a musically gifted family, her maternal aunt Giuseppina Grassini (1773–1850) being a favourite opera singer both on the continent and in London. Her older sister, Giuditta and her cousin Carlotta were both artistes, the former as a singer and the latter as a ballet dancer. Giuditta was the creator of the pants role of Romeo in Bellini's ""I Capuleti e i Montecchi"". Grisi was trained for a musical career, making her stage debut as Emma in Rossini's ""Zelmira"" in Bologna in 1828. Rossini and Bellini both took an interest"
"Massenet's ""Grisélidis"". Camilla Pasini Camilla Pasini (6 November 1875 – 29 November 1935) was an Italian operatic soprano. Her sister Lina Pasini-Vitale was a well known Wagnerian soprano and her other sister, Enrica Pasini, had a short career as an operatic mezzo-soprano. Pasini studied at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and made her professional opera debut in that city at the Teatro Quirino as Inez in Meyerbeer's ""L'Africaine"". She most notably originated the role of Musetta in the original 1896 production of Puccini's ""La bohème"" at the Teatro Regio in Turin. She also sang that role at"
"her helped by talking animals, as in ""Katie Woodencloak"", ""Rushen Coatie"", ""Bawang Putih Bawang Merah"", ""The Story of Tam and Cam"", or ""The Sharp Grey Sheep""—these animals often having some connection with her dead mother; in ""The Golden Slipper"", a fish aids her after she puts it in water. In ""The Anklet"", it's a magical alabaster pot the girl purchased with her own money that brings her the gowns and the anklets she wears to the ball. Gioachino Rossini, having agreed to do an opera based on ""Cinderella"" if he could omit all magical elements, wrote ""La Cenerentola"", in which"
"Princess Rosette Princess Rosette is a French literary fairy tale written by Madame d'Aulnoy. Andrew Lang included it in ""The Red Fairy Book"". Italo Calvino included an orally collected tale, ""The King of the Peacocks"", in his ""Italian Folktales"", but observed in the notes that it was clearly a variant on ""Princess Rosette"". A king and queen, who had two sons, had a daughter as well. All the fairies came to the christening. When the queen pressed them to predict Rosette's future, they said that she might cause great misfortune to her brothers, and even their deaths. The king and"
"Alessandro Polonini Alessandro Polonini (1844, Crema – 1920, Crema) was an Italian bass-baritone. He created the roles of Benoît and Alcindoro in Puccini's opera ""La bohème"", as well as Geronte de Ravoir in his ""Manon Lescaut"". Polonini also created the role of the surgeon in Verdi's ""La forza del destino"". During his career Polonini sang throughout Italy, and also appeared in Barcelona (Gran Teatre del Liceu), Saint Petersburg (Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre), Buenos Aires (Teatro Colón) and Montevideo (Teatro Solis). In 1881, he sang at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome in the theatre's first performances of Rossini's ""The Barber of Seville"""
"Midi-Pyrénées 2010 : Manon by Jules Massenet, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden with Anna Netrebko 2010 : Don Quichotte by Jules Massenet, La Monnaie Bruxelles with José Van Dam 2011 : Jules César by Handel, Opéra Garnier 2012 : Manon by Jules Massenet, La Scala, Milan with Ermonela Jaho and Matthew Polenzani 2012 : L'enfant et les sortilèges by Ravel, Glyndebourne Opera 2013 : Les Contes d'Hoffmann, by Offenbach, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona and Opéra de Lyon 2013 : I Puritani by Bellini, Opéra Bastille, Paris 2014 : Le Comte Ory by Rossini, Opéra de Lyon and Teatro alla"
"the ballet. The music, recorded by conductor Richard Bonynge and available commercially, is astounding in its charm and vitality, if possibly outmoded for the date of composition. The ballet is rarely, if ever, revived and is not part of the standard ballet repertory. Cigale Cigale is a divertissement-ballet in two acts by Jules Massenet to a scenario by Henri Cain. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 4 February 1904. The story it's inspired by the fable The Grasshopper and the Ant, but it's totally different. In this case the grasshopper being a cicada and the ant"
"the Italian Renaissance, Morgan has been primarily featured in relation to the cycle of epic poems of Orlando (based on Roland of the historical Charlemagne). In Matteo Maria Boiardo's late-15th century ""Orlando Innamorato"", fata Morgana (initially as lady Fortune) is beautiful but wicked fairy enchantress, a sister of King Arthur and a pupil of Merlin. Morgana lives in her paradise-like garden in a crystal cavern under a lake, plotting to eventually destroy the entire world. There, she abducts her favourites until she is thwarted by Orlando who defeats, chases and captures Morgana, destroying her underwater prison and letting her keep"
"but ""Don César de Bazan"" and ""Panurge"" are less satisfying than ""the more delicately tuned operas such as ""Manon"", ""Le portrait de Manon"" and ""Le jongleur de Notre-Dame"", where comedy serves a more complex purpose."" According to Operabase, analysis of productions around the world in 2012–13 shows Massenet as the twentieth most popular of all opera composers, and the fourth most popular French one, after Bizet, Offenbach and Gounod. The most often performed of his operas in the period are shown as ""Werther"" (63 productions in all countries), followed by ""Manon"" (47), ""Don Quichotte"" (22), ""Thaïs"" (21), ""Cendrillon"" (17), ""La"
"Bacchus becomes a God. Although not a proper sequel, as Ariane dies in both pieces, ""Bacchus"" is a companion to Massenet's earlier opera, ""Ariane"". Of Massenet's twenty-five operas, ""Bacchus"" is probably the least known, without a modern performance history or single modern recording of even an excerpt. The story of this opera is also related to that of ""Ariadne auf Naxos"" from Richard Strauss. Bacchus (opera) Bacchus is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Catulle Mendès after Greek mythology. It was first performed at the Palais Garnier in Paris on 5 May 1909."
"Cigale Cigale is a divertissement-ballet in two acts by Jules Massenet to a scenario by Henri Cain. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 4 February 1904. The story it's inspired by the fable The Grasshopper and the Ant, but it's totally different. In this case the grasshopper being a cicada and the ant referred to only as ""La Pauvrette"" (the poor little one). La Pauvrette, after being taken in, fed and fêted by La Cigale, is rude and heartless when the situation is reversed. Cigale is left to die in the snow at the close of"
"dog, and followed it. He told the king, and they went to the hut and seized Rosette and the old man. The old man begged for mercy and told the story, and the king realized that this was his bride. He freed her brothers and married her. Princess Rosette Princess Rosette is a French literary fairy tale written by Madame d'Aulnoy. Andrew Lang included it in ""The Red Fairy Book"". Italo Calvino included an orally collected tale, ""The King of the Peacocks"", in his ""Italian Folktales"", but observed in the notes that it was clearly a variant on ""Princess Rosette""."
"Giasone Giasone (""Jason"") is an opera in three acts and a prologue with music by Francesco Cavalli and a libretto by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini. It was premiered at the Teatro San Cassiano, Venice on 5 January 1649, during carnival. ""Giasone"" was ""the single most popular opera of the 17th century"". The plot is loosely based on the story of Jason and the golden fleece, but the opera contains many comic elements too. Two mythological characters appear in the prologue: Sole (the sun, i.e. Apollo) and Amore (love, i.e. Cupid). Sole opens with an aria about the gloriousness of the day"
"as Charlotte in 2004, nevertheless pointed out that ""neither quite has the ideal subtlety of the best Massenet singers, such as Vallin and Thill on the classic, pre-war set, now on Naxos"". In addition, many of the greatest French and Italian singers of the past century or more have recorded individual arias from Massenet's masterwork. Notes Sources Werther Werther is an opera (""drame lyrique"") in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann (who used the pseudonym Henri Grémont). It is loosely based on the German epistolary novel ""The Sorrows of"