Met 2009-10

Complete season here, HD broadcasts there.

Evidently, I'm hugely disappointed Riccardo Muti's Attila (new Pierre Audi production) won't be part of the HD season next year, because it means a trip to NY if I really want to see it (Feb.23 to March 15 with Muti, March 19 to 27 with Armiliato conducting). The cast includes Ramón Vargas, Violetta Urmana, Carlos Alvarez and Ildar Abdrazakov.

La Fille du Régiment will be back with Laurent Pelly's successful production (Vienna 2006, London 2007, NY 2008). Juan Diego Flórez will be paired this time with Diana Damrau (Feb.6 to 22, 2010). Amazingly enough, if I could catch the premiere of Attila, I could also attend the last performance of La Fille.

Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet is also appealing, with Natalie Dessay and Simon Keenlyside (March 16 to April 9), conducted by Louis Langrée. The production comes from Geneva.

Frittoli, Gheorghiu, Alagna, Kwiecien will sing Bizet's Carmen conducted by that intriguing Yannick Nézet-Séguin (premiere on New Year's Eve).

Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman will be performed from Dec.3 to Jan.2, with Rolando Villazón, Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča and René Pape, under the baton of James Levine.

Robert Lepage’s production of Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust will also be back (Oct.23 to Nov.17).

So if some French fellow like myself want to see XIXth century French operas with great casts, the only reasonable option at this point is to move to NYC. Other bloggers commenting the 2009-10 Met season:

• An unamplified voice
• Mostly opera
• SarahB
• Maldito Candelabro (in Spanish)

Also:

• "After Cutting to Make Ends Meet, Met Plans Eight New Productions", Daniel J.Wakin for the NY Times

Anna Jaho

Anna Bolena 

Gaetano Donizetti

Tragedia lirica in due atti, 1830

Libretto Felice Romani

Opéra de Lyon

November 20, 2008 Concert version

Next performance in Paris (Théâtre des Champs Elysées) on Nov. 23

Anna Bolena – Ermonela Jaho

Giovanna Seymour – Sonia Ganassi Enrico VIII – Marco Vinco

Lord Percy – Dario Schmunck

Smeton – Manuela Custer

Lord Rochefort – Shadi Torbey

Hervey – Stefano Ferrari

Evelino Pidó conducting the orchestra and chorus of the Opéra de Lyon

 

The orchestra and the conduction

I still remember how excited I was a couple of months ago, after hearing the great execution of the orchestra under new principal conductor Kasushi Ono. I then was pretty certain the era of unfocused musicians and approximate unison was past us. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Their execution during the first act yesterday was a total disaster, one of those unbearable moments that ruin an entire performance, no matter how good the conductor, the singers and the chorus. The violins started on that dreadful path from the very first bars of the overture and afterwards, the contagion pretty much extended to almost every section of the orchestra (most notably the altos and the horns). Every time I was beginning to relax and focus on the singers, a huge mistake would occur, one of those you would only expect from non-professional orchestras.

Evidently Pidó must have clearly voiced his concerns during the intermission, because the second act was much better executed – finally allowing the conductor's view on the score to fully emerge.

After that performance, I must admit I have a renewed appreciation of Evelino Pidó who, despite numerous efforts during act I couldn't prevent the catastrophe but didn't give up and managed to turn things around; I didn't even care that much for his grand gestures (although he constantly reinvents the concept and adds almost comic elements to it) for that matter.





The cast

An announcement before the start of the evening informed us that Ermonela Jaho was a bit ill but would sing anyway. She did massacre early on a high note and had slight problems with her breath in the first scene of act I and on several occasions after that. But the performance she delivered was clearly the huge highlight of the night.
If this is what she can do in those conditions, I can't wait to see her again in June, when she'll perform her alleged favorite role, Violetta, in the revival of Grüber's La Traviata [1]. I might even attend several performances, as a matter of fact.

The character of Anna Bolena was not just a role to her, as she completely embraced her and simply was her (both physically and vocally – the physical part being the biggest challenge of all in a concert version). She gave life to all the emotions the libretto unveils: deception, incredulity, aggressiveness, rage, despair, apathy, folly, derangement.

Her technique was pretty good as well, especially her sense of nuances and her ability to project her voice (no wonder she can sing in big houses such as Covent Garden or the Met).
Her absolute highlight, to me, was not so much the last scene of the opera but her "Sei t'abhorre / Ah! Per pieta del mio spavento" aria in the third scene of act I when I simply could not prevent my eyes to be filled with tears, something that doesn't happen to me very often at the Opéra de Lyon.

Truth be told, it's been an awful long time since I last felt so enthusiastic about a singer I had never heard before (probably since Rolando Villazón in 2001).




Jaho was also the driving force of the performance, as she clearly inspired Sonia Ganassi to be more expressive as Giovanna in their duet of the first scene of act II, an involvement Ganassi kept until the end. In the first act (especially the first scene) though, she had big issues with her breath (the unforgivable weakness with a bel canto piece); that part improved drastically during the performance. She couldn't obsviously compete with Jaho but was the second best element of the cast.


Manuela Custer as Smeton also had slight problems with her breath at the beginning, but ended up delivering a good performance overall, as well as both Stefano Ferrari and Shadi Torbey.

Both Dario Schmunck and Marco Vinco were unable to give life to their character and their singing was painfully inexpressive and emotionless. At least Vinco was pretty good on the technical side (though I didn't like his timbre); Schmunck's high notes on the other hand were bad at best, dreadful most of the time. That's the second opera I've heard him sing in (technically the third performance), and I'm pretty sure those recurrent weaknesses won't ever be conquered. So can someone please stop inviting him to perform in Lyon? I sure would appreciate that.

 
Conclusion [2]


Ermonela Jaho
Ermonela Jaho
Ermonela Jaho


 
[1] Grüber died last June at 67
[2] homage to the late Tim Russert

Ciofi role debut in Maria Stuarda

Maria Stuarda
Gaetano Donizetti

Maria Stuarda - Patrizia Ciofi
Elisabetta - Marianna Pizzolato
Leicester - Danilo Formaggia
Talbot - Federico Sacchi
Lord Cecil - Mario Cassi

Conductor - Luciano Acocella
Opéra Royal de Wallonie, Liège, Belgium
Radio broadcast of the May 3 2008 performance

Patrizia Ciofi as Maria Stuarda

Quick review for the impatient Polish fan community of Patrizia Ciofi;

- poor performance of Danilo Pizzolato as Leicester; the problems are too numerous to list here, but the main thing is he has no voice whatsoever
- vibrant performance from Marianna Pizzolato as Elisabetta, average one from Mario Cassi as Cecil
- big problems of unison in the orchestra, in the chorus and between each other
- interesting conduction of Luciano Acocella, the word coming to mind is "primesautière", one of those words there is no proper English translation for

Since Patrizia Ciofi was not at ease from the beginning, I wasn't expecting anything in the 2nd and 3rd acts. I was right, though she did manage to step things up by Act 3 (the version played in Liège is the one in 3 acts). She sounded tired (exhausted at times), and her voice was weak, metallic and not at all representative of her usual talent.
A series of performances to forget I would say, glad that I am I didn't make the trip to Belgium.

2e Fille

A few notes after hearing yesterday's broadcast from the Met of La Fille du Régiment (previous review of the premiere here and of JDF's encore there). I basically concur with my previous impressions about both the conduction of Marco Armiliato, the speaking parts and the performances of Palmer and Corbelli. I thought JDF was lacking unison with the music at times (nothing serious, just a small tiny shift of nanoseconds) and almost missed a note at some point, but these critics are just picky because he is really magnificent and unique. Dessay's voice had some issues on this Saturday matinee, and I am indeed worried as well. For the French audience that stayed home last night and listened to the performance via the radio (France Musique), Natalie Dessay was kind enough to do an interview from her dressing room at intermission time, in which she sounded a bit upset and admitted she mixed up the lines in "Salut à la France", repeating the first verse in place of the third one (something I hadn't notice, to be honest).

"Salut à la France", not so much in French though

Overall, this run of La Fille du Régiment is a bit disappointing.

It took me a while to realize why, because Juan Diego Flórez was as wonderful and exquisite as always, Natalie Dessay doing what she's best at: acting in a comic opera* is a joy to watch.
Felicity Palmer and Alessandro Corbelli were irreproachable and, having previously seen the broadcast from last year's run at Covent Garden, I already knew I liked the work of Laurent Pelly on this one (despite the usual ugly set of Chantal Thomas - one has to understand Pelly always works with the same team and Chantal Thomas is the set designer on this overall pretty good team).

The first issue of this run is Marian Seldes, who filled in last minute for Zoe Cadwell. She doesn't obviously have the comic talent of Dawn French and Agathe Mélinand, who adapts the librettos of Pelly's productions (probably the best element of that team), was well aware of the situation, as she added some replicas, in a desperate attempt to compensate for the lack of comic presence of Seldes.
Most noticeably, whereas Dawn French was only justifying the absence of Duke Scipio (to be married with Marie) by "olympic obligations" (in English dans le texte), Marian Seldes also adds "Bobsleigh team" (also in English).
The other problem with Seldes is her French diction, or her lack of rather. For a native French like myself, this was truly unbearable.
Furthermore, the notary (Jack Wetherall) was also disastrous (Covent Garden had the intelligence to cast a French actor, Jean-Pierre Blanchard); these two ruined the first scenes of Act II (despite the efforts of Felicity Palmer).

"Tous les trois réunis", scene 10 of Act II
Covent Garden 2007

Yet those points can seem picky to anyone who does not understand French (i.e. the vast majority of the Met's audience). And they can only partially explain my relative disappointment. Nor could the (also) very poor diction of the chorus or its stiffness (once again, chapeau bas to Covent Garden for the excellence of its chorus - both singing and acting).

The "ironing scene", "Au bruit de la guerre", scene 3 of Act I
Ken Howard for the Metropolitan Opera, April 21, 2008

fin de l'air "Au bruit de la guerre", scene 3 of Act I
Covent Garden 2007

My real discontent is the conduction of Marco Armiliato.
Or more accurately, the instinctive comparison I made with Bruno Campanella, who brought fuzz and lightness to this piece in London. In perspective, although far from mediocre, Armiliato does not play in the same league as Campanella. I won't say his reading of that piece is rigid or heavy, but it's undoubtedly the main reason for my relative upset.

"Salut à la France", scene 7 of Act II
Sara Krulwich for the New York Times, Met April 21, 2008

Relative because, all and all, nobody can come close to the combination Dessay/JDF in that particular piece.

scene 7 of Act II
Covent Garden 2007

Met Photo Gallery of La Fille here.

* It must be said that Dessay didn't get all the credit she deserved on opening night. After the arias of bravery of JDF (including the perfect 18 high Cs), her "Il faut partir" was sensational and brought tears to my eyes.
But then again, JDF was also sensational in his emotional aria, "Pour me rapprocher de Marie" (surprisingly full of sensitivity and honesty).

A well-orchestrated encore

La Fille du Régiment
Met premiere, April 21

Sara Krulwich for the NY Times
See the piece published in the NYT about that encore.

Flórez singing as brilliantly as he does, it was obviously a delight to hear him again in "Pour mon âme/Ah mes amis!" (Act I) on the opening night of La Fille du Régiment.

What was frustrating however, is how set up this encore was; and how naive the audience was, to think they had anything to do with it (one would think New Yorkers are not that naive).
Sure, JDF received a well-deserved ovation after his first run of "Pour mon âme". Yet, as I deeply agree with Maury d'Annato that the public response is to be judged upon its volume rather than its length, the ovation at the Met was not that impressive. I've heard much more fervent responses in Europe - none of which ever rewarded by an encore by the way.
As Maury also sharply noticed, M.Armiliato was indeed pretty quick to turn back the pages of the score when people were anarchically cheering.

Peter Gelb, the Met's GM, is undoubtedly the guilty part in that faked spontaneous highlight. JDF conquered Europe last year in that role, from London to Vienna and of course Milan, where his encore made headlines all over the world (ending the century-long ban set by Arturo Toscanini himself).

It was only right that he should equally perform and bis in New York as well.
For NYC image's shake.

Opéra de Lyon 2008-09

Nice cover for the new program, wouldn't you say?

One could give credit to Lyon Opera director Serge Dorny for his consistency. I won't.


The role of a GM should not be to ostensibly build a season exclusively based on his personal taste. Yet once again for the 2008-09 season, the schedule will be filled with Mozart (La Clemenza di Tito directed by Jérémie Röhrer in a new production by Georges Lavaudant, Oct.2008), Russian composers (Prokofiev's The Gambler, Jan/Feb.2009) and 20th century operas (a mere 5 out of 10 this time). I'll admit in that context, I was flabbergasted to see he did find some room to schedule La Traviata (as unoriginal and redundant as this choice may be).


The other problem with Dorny is how unbalanced the 2008-09 season will be.

On one hand, he chose operas that are either rarely performed anywhere (Franck Martin's oratorio Le vin herbé from 1940 in the 2007 production of Willy Decker already seen during the Ruhr Triennale -reviews in German here and there with many pictures -; In The Penal Colony by Philip Glass after F.Kafka, Jan/Feb.2009) or specifically in Lyon (Berg's Lulu in yet another Peter Stein production in April 2009, Britten's Death in Venice in May, Prokofiev's The Gambler); on the other hand alas, these previous selections seem to have exhausted all of his neurons, and he ends up filling the rest of the schedule with unimaginative choices that ultimately savage any chance of having a coherent season (although of course he claims otherwise and is presumptuous enough to entitle this season "Lost heros").
In this unattractive patchwork theme, Lyon will see again Chabrier's Le Roi Malgré Lui (revival of the 2005 production directed by Laurent Pelly, Feb/April 2009), Strauss' Die Fledermaus (that has been played with consistency once a decade for the past 30 years here: 1979-80, 87-88 and 95-96) and Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito (already played in 1982-83 and 94-95, another "once a decade" tradition Dorny perpetuates).

Le vin herbé, Willy Decker's production, 2007
Paul Leclaire

About Serge Dorny and the way he spoke tonight (can someone please take the time to teach him how to speak French properly? He has been living here for some time now, yet he still can't finish a sentence without something wrong in it - either grammar or vocabulary).

As usual, he managed to make me leave early (and to prevent me from attending the Giselle ballet, which just shows how talented he is on the accessibility part -see below-). When he started his speech by stating very demagogically that the Opéra de Lyon is internationally famous ("de renommée internationale"), I almost chocked there. Seriously? Can anyone please wake him up?

Also, I wanted to point out another quote so typical of him (don't you dare say I'm blinded by my feelings, Dorny is the one encouraging my dispair): "Il faut que l'opéra soit accessible à tout le monde. Dans le choix des répertoires, c'est aussi extrêmement important. Il faut quand même que je vous fasse plaisir, que JE me fasse plaisir" (strong emphasis on the "je"), which can be translated as "Opera has to be accessible to everyone. It's particularly important to keep that in mind when choosing the repertoire. I have to entertain you, I have to entertain myself". [I'm so not dreaming when I focus on his self-centered side].
He also added later on, that, to him, the score of Strauss's Die Fledermaus was one of the most beautiful ones in classical music (seriously?), showing, once again, his taste is the only one that matters when it comes to building the new seasons.
Excuse me while I go and vomit.



All in all, the highlights of the season will be:

• Anna Caterina Antonacci's concert (Jan.18 2009)
  
• the end of Donizetti's queens cycle with Anna Bolena (concert version) once again conducted by Evelino Pido (as always, coproduced with the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris), Nov.20 2008
• Ermonela Jaho in both Anna Bolena and La Traviata (she made quite an impression as Violetta a few months ago in Covent Garden), June/July 2009
  

Full brochure available for download here (pdf).

2008-09 at the Met

The 125th season at the Met will open on Sept.22, 2008 with a gala performance from Renée Fleming (extracts from Massenet's Manon, La Traviata and Strauss' Capriccio) and will feature 6 new productions (including the Met premiere of John Adams' Doctor Atomic).

Amongst the new productions, Berlioz's La damnation de Faust is an interesting attempt to make this opera available to everyone. This Robert Lepage's production was first created for the Saito Kinen Festival in Matsumoto (Japan) in september 1999 and already traveled to Paris (Opéra Bastille in 2001 and 2004) and Bruxelles (Théâtre de la Monnaie, 2002).


Massenet's Thaïs should be a great opportunity for Renée Fleming to shine.

Another new production will be Puccini's La Rondine, by future Paris Opera director Nicolas Joël, with Duane Schuler as lightning designer (a very recurrent artist here in Lyon). Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna are supposed to share the stage. I hope Peter Gelb has already thought of alternative names for when they cancel (say, three days before the premiere).

David McVicar's new production of Il Trovatore should have New Yorkers all excited, although the cast seems a little weak (except for Dmitri Hvorostovsky of course).

Finally, last but not least, a new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula will feature the well-known couple Natalie Dessay/Evelino Pidó (who performed this piece in Lyon in Nov.2006, my reviews in French here and there, with a recording by Virgin Classics) with the notable addition of Juan Diego Flórez, in the Ricordi edition recently rediscovered.



The oldies are back with Zeffirelli's production of La Bohème and Cavalleria Rusticana (Roberto Alagna and José Cura will share the role of Turiddu, with Andrea Gruber as Santuzza, a much better cast than last year's performers) and Pagliacci (Alagna/Cura as well as Canio), and finally with La Traviata (enough with Zeffirelli already).

Interesting cast in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore (Gheorghiu, Villazón/Calleja, Terfel), Eugene Onegin (Mattila, Hampson).

Finally, I want to point out the return of fantastic Ewa Podles as La Cieca in Poncielli's La Gioconda (dream cast indeed with Deborah Voigt as Gioconda, Aquiles Machado as Enzo and Olga Borodina as Laura).

Lucia revelation

My love story with Gaetano Donizetti is still young and in the makings.
Already it has developed to a level I had never forecast.

Up until last year, my experiences with that composer were limited to Lucia (a bunch of different versions hadn't convinced me that much), L'elisir d'amore (Lyon 1999 with Alagna and Gheorghiu, Pidò conducting, which was fun but not mind-blowing), a few extracts of Don Pasquale and La Fille du Régiment (then again, experiences not great enough to be memorable) and Roberto Devereux (Lyon 2005 concert version, boring).

As I had learn the Opéra de Lyon was planning a concert version of Maria Stuarda with Patrizia Ciofi for September 07, I embarked on the discovery of this opera. And came upon the 2003 Liceu concert version (with Juan Diego Florez and Olga Borodina, broadcast available on Operashare, extracts on YouTube) which was indeed my first mind-blowing experience with Donizetti.


Yesterday I had my first Lucia moment.
I'd never empathized with the character before (no Dessay, Scotto, Tebaldi, Sutherland or even Callas had the key to unlock my emotions). The 2006 Orange performance of Patrizia Ciofi had similar non-results.

This Saturday, Arte broadcast the 2002 Lyon performances of Lucie de Lammermoor with Ciofi*. To be perfectly honest, the first thing that drawn me in was the great performance of French baritone Ludovic Tézier (as a matter of fact the first time I hear something worth noticing from him).
Ciofi was not really a factor at the beginning, but she managed to turn a slow start into a fantastic performance. How she did that I have no idea and don't really want to know.





But for the first time I felt the emotions Lucia is going through in this opera and the road to madness she portrayed was one I could understand and relate to, as well as the madness itself.
There's something in her intensity that is truly overwhelming and totally shadows her strange looking face when she sings.
Her madness is jerky, convulsive, on the edge whereas others portray flat or totally eccentric. The journey that leads to it is full of contradictions, back and forth, maybes, improbable possibilities. It is just full of life, really.

That's the reason why I was blown away I think.
She is so alive in that performance.







* In 2002, the Opéra de Lyon scheduled Lucie de Lammermoor, the 1839 French version approved by Donizetti with a top-class cast: Roberto Alagna as Edgar, Ludovic Tézier as Ashton, Natalie Dessay as Lucie and Evelino Pidò conducting.

Alas, the vocal problems of Dessay (forcing an operation on her vocal chords) prevented her from singing in all the dates and a backup had to be found.
Patrizia Ciofi, a young singer who was the only one knowing the role (as she was the one to sing the modern recreation of this version in 1997 for the Festival della Valle d'Itria - Martina Franca, conducted by Maurizio Benini, CD live available) was hired and ended up performing on the day the DVD was recorded.





Overall cast performance

Edgar - Roberto Alagna : A
Henri Ashton - Ludovic Tézier : A
Sir Arthur - Marc Laho : C+
Raymond - Nicolas Cavallier : B+
Gilbert - Yves Saelens : D





YouTube extracts:

• Maria Stuarda, 2003 Liceu, JDF, Borodina: 1, 2, 3, 4
  
• Lucie de Lammermoor, Lyon 2002: none available, can you believe that? plenty of Dessay though (1, 2, 3)
  

Lucie de Lammermoor

Part of today's event Tous à l'opéra!, the TV channel ARTE (one of the great products of German/French collaboration) has cleared all of its schedule to make room for opera (with a live broadcast tonight from Paris Garnier's Opera House of Gluck's Orphée et Eurydice in a Pina Bausch's choreography).

A few minutes ago, they played some extracts of the 2002 Lyon performances of Lucie de Lammermoor (French version) with Natalie Dessay and Ludovic Tézier (Evelino Pido conducting), alongside an interview from that time of Dessay.

In that interview, she speaks about the catharsis of playing Lucie (or Lucia, depending on the version) which is, according to me, the reason why she's so inspired in that role.

After the triumphant opening night at the MET in September, her Lucia will be radio broadcast live on March 8 (1:30pm ET, 6:30pm London time, 7:30pm Paris time), part of the MET's Saturday Matinee Broadcasts (on BBC3).

I Should Be So Lucky Lucky Lucky Lucky

[Incredible news do indeed call for inept pop song references]

Natalie Dessay, Act I, La Fille du Régiment, Covent Garden 2007

Remember when I said yesterday the best way to get tickets is to plan way ahead?
Well, that's true, for sure. To a certain extend.

"Never underestimate the power of luck" is my new motto today. And what a beautiful Sunday it has been. Full of passion, emotions and luck.
Especially full of luck.

This afternoon, I was watching, in total despair, the magnificent Covent Garden's La Fille du Régiment I also talked about yesterday. I was contemplating, with greater desolation, the fact that it will only come back in Paris in 4 years (2012). Who knows what can happen, in 4 years, to the voice of Dessay or JDF. I was therefore envying these lucky New Yorkers who will enjoy this production in April / May.

I went to check the dates of the performances, in order to schedule the day of the broadcast. But then again, and I never say that, this production is going to lack so much with the sound only.
And that's when the lightning struck.
Not only were there still few seats available for the premiere on April 21, but I am indeed on vacation on this very week.

So, ladies and gentlemen, with overwhelming emotion, I will see this fantastic production of Donizetti's La Fille du Régiment live, in a few months. How great is that seriously?



Cast

Conductor: Marco Armiliato
Marie: Natalie Dessay
Marquise of Berkenfeld: Felicity Palmer
Tonio: Juan Diego Flórez
Sulpice: Alessandro Corbelli
Duchess of Krakenthorp: Zoe Caldwell

Production: Laurent Pelly
Set Designer: Chantal Thomas
Costume Designer: Laurent Pelly
Lighting Designer: Joël Adam
Choreographer: Laura Scozzi
Associate Director/Dialogue: Agathe Mélinand (whose name is wrongly spelled on the MET's website - no luck for her there).

YouTube extracts of this production
[London / Vienna performances]

• "Chacun le dit, chacun le sait", Natalie Dessay, Act 1
  
• "Ah mes amis!", JDF, Act 1
• Begining of act 2, Dawn French
• "Le jour naissait dans le bocage", Dessay, Act 2
  
• "Pour me rapprocher de Marie", JDF, Act 2
  
• "Salut à la France", Dessay, Act 2
• Channel 4 report on the production
  

Oh and by the way, I love the weak dollar against the euro too. €450 for plane tickets from Lyon to New York, that's what I call a bargain!

Eugène Scribe

Every Parisian has heard of "la rue Scribe", a street in the 9th arrondissement with the Garnier Opera just on the corner, in this busy "Grand Magasins" part of Paris. But who does it stand for?

Augustin-Eugène Scribe was born on December 24, 1791. The son of a silk-merchant located on the street Saint-Denis in Paris (nowadays known as the "Sex shops street"), "Le Chat Noir", referring to two black cats sculptures, his father died as he was still in his craddle, as Eugène de Mirecourt mentions: "Scribe était encore au berceau que son père mourut". The house (picture left) was later transformed into a candy store and eventually destroyed in 1913.

He was a good student, and met during that time the brothers Delavigne, Casimir and Germain, who would remain friends and collaborators throughout the years.
"Il fit de bonnes et intelligentes études au collège Sainte Barbe (...) Eugène Scribe suivait les cours du lycée Napoléon (Henri IV), et il s'y lia d'une étroite amitié avec les frères Delavigne".
Sainte-Beuve, Portraits contemporains, 1840

"Monsieur Scribe" was a writer in every way you can think of: vaudevilles, more serious plays, novels, fiction books, and opera libretti (all in all more than 350 plays and libretti).
As a matter of fact, he's probably the most prolific librettist of the XIXth century.



His plays, first performed at the Théâtre du Gymnase, were then allocated to the Théâtre Français, before being part of the prestigious Comédie Française (after 1840). He was elected to the Académie Française on November 27 1834 and attributed the seat 13. He was also commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur, one of the highest distinctions in France.

The "Parisian from Paris" as he liked to be called died in Paris (rue Pigalle) on Feb.20, 1861 while working on the libretto of Meyerbeer's L'Africaine, and is buried in the Père Lachaise cimetery in Paris.

• Daniel François-Esprit AUBER
• Vincenzo BELLINI
  
• Gaetano DONIZETTI
• Charles GOUNOD
• Jacques HALEVY
• Saverio MERCADANTE
  
• Giacomo MEYERBEER
• Jacques OFFENBACH
  
• Gioacchino ROSSINI
  
• Giuseppe VERDI
• Ambroise THOMAS
  

Seems like a list of all French and Italian opera composers between 1820 and 1860?
Well, it's also the composers would had one or several librettos written by Eugene Scribe.

So, let's look closer at Scribe's prolefic career.

Paris Town Hall

The style of Scribe, both in plays and libretti, is characterized by Sainte-Beuve as unique and with a great dramatic twist.
"M. Scribe possède à la fois la fertilité dramatique et une forme qui n'est qu'à lui. Il a donc rang parmi nos poètes à aussi bon droit, je pense que s'il avait composé dans sa vie une couple de pièces en alexandrins."
Sainte-Beuve, Portraits contemporains, 1840.

Sainte-Beuve also emphasizes the great structure of the dramatic events in Scribe's work, especially his ability to have no more than 3 or 4 characters and yet still be able to avoid boredom at all time, although his frame consists of 4 or 5 situations for his entire work.
"La vraie nouveauté dramatique de M. Scribe me paraît consister dans la combinaison et l'agencement des scènes; là est sa forme originale, le ressort vraiment distingué de son succès, là il a mis de l'art, de l'étude, une habilité singulière, et son invention porte surtout là-dessus. Il a su nouer avec 3 ou 4 personnages des comédies qui ne languissent pas un seul instant. (...) Son théâtre, à le bien analyser, se réduirait probablement à 4 ou 5 situations fondamentales, auxquelles il a mis toutes sortes de paravents et de toilettes diverses."
Sainte-Beuve, Portraits contemporains, 1840.

Of course not everybody agreed with that analysis.
In L'Artiste, a newspaper about Arts and Literature, one can find this review of Scribe's lattest libretto, Le Lac des Fées (music by Auber, 1839): "Le nouveau livret de M. Eugène Scribe n'est pas meilleur que les autres livrets innombrables que nous avons du même auteur; n'était la crainte de paraître y attacher la moindre importance, nous dirions même qu'il est pire".

My translation: "The lattest libretto of M. Eugène Scribe is no better than the numerous ones he already has written. Had we not been stopped by the fact we don't want to appear to care about it, we would even say it is worse."

Scribe's libretti;

• Adolphe-Charles ADAM

Several librettos including Cagliostro and Giralda are available for free download here.

- L'oncle d'Amérique, livret de Scribe en société avec* E.-J.-E. Mazères, créé au théâtre du Gymnase le 14 mars 1826
- Le mal du pays ou La batelière de Brientz, opéra comique en 1 acte, créé au au théâtre du Gymnase à Paris le 28 décembre 1827
- Le chalet, opéra comique en un acte, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, 1834 d'après Jery und Bätely de Goethe, qui atteindra les 1000 représentations à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris en 1873
- Le fidèle berger, livret de Scribe et J.-H. Vernoy de Saint-Georges, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Bourse), 6 janvier 1838
- Régine ou Les deux nuits, opéra comique, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Bourse), 17 janvier 1839
- La reine d’un jour, livret de Scribe et Saint-Georges, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Bourse), 19 septembre 1839
- La main de fer ou Le mariage secret, livret de Scribe et de Leuven, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Favart), 26 octobre 1841
- Lambert Simnel (opéra commencé par H. Monpou), livret de Scribe et Mélesville, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Favart), 14 septembre 1843
- Cagliostro (livret de Scribe et Saint-Georges), créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Favart), 10 février 1844
- Giralda ou la Nouvelle Psyché, opéra comique en 3 actes, (prévu pour Auber) créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Favart), le 20 juillet 1850

• Giulio Eugenio Adramo ALARY

- La beauté du diable, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Emile de Najac, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 28 mai 1861

• Daniel François-Esprit AUBER

-La neige ou Le nouvel Eginhard, opéra comique en 4 actes, livret de Scribe et Germain Delavigne, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 9 octobre 1823
- Leicester ou le chateau de Kenilworth, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, d'après Kenilworth de W. Scott, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 25 janvier 1823
- Le concert à la cour ou La débutante, opéra comique, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 5 mai 1824
- Léocadie, drame lyrique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Mélesville d'après La fuerza de la sangre de M. de Cervantes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 4 novembre 1824
- Les trois genres, prologue, livret de Scribe, Dupaty et M. Pichat, créé au théâtre de l'Odéon à Paris, le 27 avril 1824 [avec la collaboration de Boieldieu]
- Le maçon, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Germain Delavigne, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 3 mai 1825
- Fiorella, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 28 novembre 1826
- Le timide ou Le nouveau séducteur, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Xavier Boniface Saintine, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 2 juin 1826
- La muette de Portici, opéra en 5 actes, livret de Scribe et Germain Delavigne, créé à Opéra de Paris le 29 février 1828
- La fiancée, opéra comique en 3 actes, d'après Les contes de l’atelier de M. Mason et R. Brucker, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 10 janvier 1829
- Fra Diavolo ou L’hôtellerie de Terracine, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 28 janvier 1830
- Le Dieu et la Bayadère ou La courtisane amoureuse, opéra ballet en 2 actes, créé à Opéra de Paris le 13 octobre 1830
- Le philtre, opéra en 2 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 15 juin 1831
- Le serment ou Les faux monnayeurs, opéra en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et E.-J.-E. Mazères, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 1 octobre 1832
- Gustave III ou le bal masqué, opéra historique en 5 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 27 février 1833
- Lestocq L’Intrigue et l’Amour, opéra comique en 4 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 24 mai 1834
- Le Cheval de Bronze, opéra-féérie en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 28 mars 1835 [révisé en opéra-ballet, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 21 septembre 1857]
- Actéon, opéra comique, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 23 janvier 1836
- L’ambassadrice, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Saint-Georges, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 21 décembre 1836
- Les chaperons blancs, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 26 mars 1836
- La fête de Versailles, intermède en deux parties, créé à Versailles le 10 juin 1837
- Le domino noir, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 2 décembre 1837
- Le lac des fées, opéra en 5 actes, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 1er avril 1839
- Zanetta ou Jouer avec le feu, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et J.-H. Vernoy de Saint-Georges, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 18 mai 1840
- Les diamants de la couronne, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Saint-Georges, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 6 mars 1841
- Le duc d’Olonne, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Saintine, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 4 février 1842
- La part du diable, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 16 janvier 1843
- La sirène, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 26 mars 1844
- La barcarole ou L’Amour et la Musique, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 22 avril 1845
- Haydée ou Le secret, opéra comique en 3 actes, d'après Six et Quatre de P. Mérimée, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 28 décembre 1847
- L’enfant prodigue, opéra en 5 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 6 décembre 1850
- Zerline ou La corbeille d’oranges, opéra en 3 actes, créé à l' Opéra de Paris le 16 mai 1851
- Jenny Bell, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 2 juin 1855
- Manon Lescaut, opéra comique en 3 actes, d'après A.-F. Prévost, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 23 février 1856
- Marco Spada, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Delavigne, d'après La confession du bandit de H. Vernet , créé à l'Opéra Comique le 21 décembre 1852 [révisé comme Marco Spada ou Le bandit, ballet en 3 actes, argument de J. Mazilier, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 1er avril 1857
- La Circassienne, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 2 février 1861
- La fiancée du Roi de Garbe, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Saint-Georges, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 11 janvier 1864

• Michael William BALFE

- Le puits d'amour, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 20 avril 1843; créé au Princess's de Londres le 14 Août 1843 sous le titre Geraldine or the lover's well
- Les Quatre Fils Aymon, opéra en 3 actes,
créé à l'Opéra Comique le 15 Juillet 1844; créé au Princess's de Londres le 20 novembre 1844 sous le titre The Castle of Aymon or The Four Brothers

• François BAZIN

- L'ours et le Pacha, opéra bouffe en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Joseph Xavier Boniface Saintine, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 21 février 1870

• Vincenzo BELLINI

- La Sonnambula, opéra en 2 actes, livret de Felice Romani, d'après La Somnambule, pièce de Scribe et Germain Delavigne, créé au Teatro Carcano di Milano le 6 mars 1831

• Louise BERTIN

- Le loup-garou, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Edouard-Joseph Mazères, créé à Paris en 1927

• François-Adrien BOIELDIEU

- Les trois genres, scène lyrique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe, Dupaty & M. Picha, créé au théâtre de l'Odéon (Paris) le 27 avril 1824 [collaboration avec Auber]
- La Dame Blanche, opéra comique en 3 actes, d'après W. Scott, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris le 10 décembre 1825
- Les deux nuits, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe & J.-N. Bouilly, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris le 20 mai 1829
- Marguerite, opéra comique en 3 actes, la maladie stoppera la composition de l'opéra (achevé en 1838 par son fils, Louis Boieldieu), créé à l'Opéra Comique le 18 juin 1838

• Louis BOIELDIEU

- L'opéra à la cour, opéra comique en 4 actes, livret de Scribe et Saint-Georges, créé à l'Opéra Comique (salle Favart) le 16 juillet 1840 [collaboration avec Grisar]

• Dominique-François-Xavier BOISSELOT

- Ne touchez pas à la Reine, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et G.Vaëz, créé le 16 Janvier 1847 à l' Opéra-Comique
- Mosquita la sorcière, opéra en 3 actes, créé le 27 Sept. 1851 au Théâtre Lyrique

• Luigi BORDESE

- Le sultan saladin, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Jean-Henri Dupin, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 8 février 1847

• Ernest BOULANGER

- Le Diable à l'école, légende en 1 acte, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 17 janvier 1842

• Michele CARAFA DE COLOBRAO
  

- Le Valet de chambre, opéra comique en 1 Acte, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, créé le 16 Septembre 1823 à l'Opéra Comique
- La prison d'Edimbourg, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Planard, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 20 juillet 1833

• Francesco CILEA

- Adriena Lecouvreur, livret d'Arturo Collauti d'après la pièce de Scribe et d'Ernest Legouvré (1849) Adrienne Lecouvreur, créé au Teatro Lirico di Milano le 6 novembre 1902

• Antoine-Louis CLAPISSON

- La Figurante ou L'Amour et la danse, opéra comique en 5 actes, livret de Scribe et Jean-Henri Dupin, créé le 24 Aôut 1838 à l'Opéra-comique
- Le Code noir, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé le 9 Juin 1842 à l'Opéra-comique
- Jeanne la folle, grand opéra en 5 actes, créé le 5 Nov. 1848 à l'Opéra de Paris
- La Statue équestre, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé en 1850 à l'Opéra-comique
- Les mystères d'Udolphe, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Germain Delavigne, créé le 4 Nov. 1852 à l'Opéra-comique
- Les Trois Nicolas, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret Scribe, Bernard Lopez et Gabriel de Lurieu), créé le 16 Décembre 1858 à l'Opéra Comique
- Madame Grégoire ou La Nuit du mardi-gras, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Henri Boisseau, créé le 8 Février 1861 à l'Opéra Comique

• José Melchior Gomis COLOMER

- Le Portefaix, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à Paris en 1834

• Pierre-Louis DEFFES

- Broskovano, opéra comique en 2 actes, livret de Scribe et Henri Boisseaux, créé au Théâtre Lyrique le 29 septembre 1858
- Les petits violons du roi, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et H. Boisseaux, créé au Théâtre Lyrique le 30 septembre 1859

• Gaetano DONIZETTI

- L'Elisir d'Amore, mélodrame en 2 actes, livret de Felice Romani, d'après la pièce de Scribe Le Philtre, créé au Teatro della Canobbiana, Milano le 12 mai 1832
- Les Martyrs (version française de Poliuto), grand opéra en 4 actes, livret d'après la pièce de Corneille Poyeucte, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 10 avril 1840 avec Gilbert Duprez dans le rôle de Polyeucte
- La Favorite, opéra en 4 actes, livret de Scribe, Royer et Vaëz, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 2 décembre 1840
- Dom Sébastien de Portugal, grand opéra en 5 actes, livret de Scribe et Paul Henri Fouchers (composé par Donizetti en 1843 à Vienne et Paris), créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 13 Novembre 1843; créé en allemand au Kärntnertortheater de Vienne le 6 février 1845 sous le titre Dom Sebastian
- Le duc d'Albe, grand opéra en 4 actes, livret de Scribe et Charles Duveyrier, opéra composé en 1839, créé le 22 mars 1882 au Teatro Apollo de Rome en italien (Il Duca d'Alba)

• Gilbert-Louis DUPREZ

- La lettre au bon Dieu, opéra comique en 2 actes, livret de Scribe et F. de Courey, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 28 avril 1853

• Alphone de FELTRE

- Le fils du prince, opéra comique en 2 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 28 août 1834

• François-Joseph FETIS

- La Vieille, opéra comique en un acte, livret de Scribe et Germain Delavigne, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 14 mars 1826

• Manuel del Pópolo Vicente GARCIA

- La meunière, opéra comique, 1823

• Charles GOUNOD

- La nonne sanglante, opéra en 5 actes, livret de Scribe et Germain Delavigne, créé le 18 octobre 1854 à l'opéra de Paris

• GUENEE

- La chambre à coucher ou Une demi-heure de Richelieu, opéra comique en 1 acte, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 29 avril 1813
[NB. 1er livret de Scribe]

• Jacques HALEVY

- Manon Lescaut, ballet en 3 actes, argument de Scribe & J. Aumer d'après Prévost, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 3 mai 1830
- La Juive, opéra en 5 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 23 février 1835
- Guido et Ginevra, ou La peste de Florence, opéra en 5 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le le 5 mars 1838 [révision en 4 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le , 23 octobre 1840]
- Les treize, (opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe & Duport, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Salle de la Bourse) le 15 April 1839
- Le shérif, opéra comique, livret e, 3 actes, d'après Honoré de Balzac, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Salle de la Bourse) le 2 septembre 1839
- Le drapier, opéra en 3 actes, livret de Scribe, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 6 janvier 1840
- Le guitarrero, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Salle Favart), le 21 janvier 1841
- La fée aux roses, opéra-comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe & Saint-Georges, créé l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Salle Favart) le 1 ^er octobre 1849
- La dame de pique, opéra-comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Salle Favart) le 28 décembre 1850
- Le tempestà, opéra italien en 3 actes, livret de Giannone & Scribe, d'après William Shakespeare, créé à Londres au «Her Majesty’s Theater» le 8 juin 1850
- Le Juif errant, opéra en 5 actes, livret de Scribe & Saint-Georges d'après Eugène Sue, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le , 23 avril 1852
- Le nabab, opéra-comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe & Saint-Georges, créé l'Opéra-Comique de Paris (Salle Favart) le 1er septembre 1853

• Ferdinand HEROLD

- La Somnambule ou L'Arrivée d'un nouveau seigneur, ballet pantomime en 3 actes, argument de Scribe et Aumer, créé le 19 Septembre 1827 à l'Opéra de Paris
- La Belle au bois dormant, ballet pantomime en 4 actes, argument de Scribe et Aumer, créé le 27 Avril 1829 à l'Opéra de Paris
- La marquise de Brinvilliers, drame lyrique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Casil-Blaze, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 31 Octobre 1831 [collaboration avec Auber, Désiré Alexandre Batton, Berton, Giuseppe Marco Maria Blangini, Boieldieu, Carafa, Cherubini et Paer]
- La Médecine sans médecin, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Jean François Alfred Bayard, créé le 15 Octobre 1832 à l'Opéra-Comique

• Aristide Jean Louis HIGNARD

- Le nouveau Pourceaugnac, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Charles-Gaspard Delestre Poirson, créé au Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens le 14 janvier 1860

• Charles-Frédéric KREUBE

- La Redingote et la perruque, opéra en 3 actes, créé le 25 Janvier 1815 [collaboration avec Rodolphe Kreutzer]
- Le Paradis de Mahomet ou La Pluralité des femmes , opéra en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, créé le 23 mars 1822 [collaboration avec R. Kreutzer]
- La Lettre posthume, livret de Scribe et Mélesville d'après Walter Scott, opéra en 1 acte créé le 24 Avril 1827

• Théodore François Joseph LABARRE

- Le ménestier ou Les deux duchesses, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 9 août 1845

• Armand Marie Ghislain (baron de) LIMNANDER (de Nieuwenhove)

- Yvonne, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 29 novembre 1859

• Marco Aurelio MARLIANI

- La Xacarilla, opéra en 1 acte, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 28 octobre 1839

• Victor MASSE

- La chanteuse voilée, opéra comique en 1 acte, 1850
- La Fiancée du diable, opéra en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Hippolyte Romand, 1854

• Jacques-Féréol MAZAS

- Le Kiosque, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Paul Eugène Duport, créé à l'Opéra Comique (salle Favart) le 3 novembre 1842

• Saverio MERCANDATE

- Il reggente, livret de Salvatore Commarano, d'après le livret de Scribe Gustave III ou Le Bal Masqué (écrit pour Auber), créé au Teatro Regio di Torino le 2 février 1843

• Giacomo MEYERBEER

- Robert le Diable, opéra en 5 actes, 1831
- Les Huguenots, opéra en 5 actes, livret de Scribe et Emile Deschamps, 1836
- Le Prophète, opéra en 5 actes, 1849
- L'Etoile du Nord, opéra comique en 3 actes, 1854
- L'Africaine, grand opéra en 5 actes, livret achevé par François-Joseph Fétis après la mort de Scribe en 1861, 1865

• Alexandre MONTFORT

- Polichinelle, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Ch. Duveyrier, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 14 juin 1839
- La charbonnière, opéra comique en 3 actes, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 13 octobre 1845

• Alexandre PICCINI
  

- La petite lampe merveilleuse, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Mélesville, créé au théâtre du Gymnase le 29 juillet 1822

• Jacques OFFENBACH

- La chatte métamorphosée en femme, pièce de vaudeville écrite par Scribe en 1827, retravaillée en livret 1858
- Barkouf, opéra bouffe en 3 actes, livret de SCribe et H.Boisseaux, créé au théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens le 24 décembre 1860

• Melle Loïsa PUGET

- Le mauvais oeil, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et Gustave Lemoine (mari de L.Puget), créé à l'Opéra Comique le 1er octobre 1836

• Napoleon Henri REBER

- La nuit de Noël ou L'anniversaire, opéra comique en 3 actes, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 9 février 1848

• Giacchino ROSSINI

- Le Comte Ory, opéra comique en 2 actes, livret de Scribe et Charles-Gaspard Delestre-Poirson, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 20 Août 1828

• Alphonse THYS

- Oreste et Pylade, opéra comique en 1 acte, livret de Scribe et H.Dupin, créé à l'Opéra Comique le 28 février 1844
[NB. A.Thys est un des crateurs de la SACEM en 1851]

• Giuseppe VERDI

- Les vêpres siciliennes, opéra en 5 actes, livret de Scribe et Charles Duveyrier, créé à l'Opéra de Paris 13 juin 1855
- Un Ballo in Maschera, opéra en trois actes sur un livret d'Antonio Somma d'après le livret de Scribe Gustave III ou le Bal Masqué (écrit pour Auber), créé au théâtre de l'Apollo à Rome le 17 février 1859

• Ambroise THOMAS

- Le Comte de Carmagnola, opéra en 2 actes, créé à l'Opéra de Paris le 19 Avril 1841





Scribe's quotes:

- "Les petits cadeaux entretiennent l'amitié. Le premier qui a dit cela voulait se faire donner quelque chose."
- "Le plus riche est celui qui a le moins de désirs.", Les Indépendants


Scribe, by Ernest Legouvé
From his autobiography, Soixante ans de souvenirs, chapter 11, here


Bibliography:

Adolphe Adam, Daniel Auber, François Boieldieu, Jacques Halévy, oeuvres d'Eugène Scribe, Ferdinand Herold, Operone.

* : selon la formule de l'époque