Le jeune sage et le vieux fou
| Étienne Méhul |
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Operas
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Le jeune sage et le vieux fou (The Wise Young Man and the Old Fool) is an opera by the French composer Étienne Méhul with a libretto by François-Benoît Hoffman. It takes the form of a comédie mêlée de musique (a type of opéra comique) in one act. It was first performed at the Théâtre Favart on 28 March 1793. A revised version appeared in 1801.[1]
The opera was well received. A review in the Chronique de Paris of 1 April described the music as "by turns original, witty and romantic."[2] According to David Cairns, this marks the first reference to Romanticism in music.[3] The overture musically depicts the two main characters: unaccompanied flutes represent the wise young man and cellos, trombones and basses the old fool. Variations on these themes recur throughout the score.[4]
Recordings
The overture appears on: Méhul Overtures, Orchestre de Bretagne, conducted by Stefan Sanderling (ASV, 2002) Catalogue number CD DCA 1140.
References
Sources
- Adélaïde de Place Étienne Nicolas Méhul (Bleu Nuit Éditeur, 2005)
- Nicole Wild and David Charlton Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique, Paris: Repertoire 1762-1972 (Editions Mardaga, 2005)
- Booklet notes to the Sanderling recording by Ates Orga
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