Lucile (opera)


Lucile is an opéra comique, described as a comédie mêlée d'ariettes, in one act by the composer André Grétry, It was first performed at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris on 5 January 1769. The French text is by Jean-François Marmontel, and the characters in the opera, though not the actual story, were derived from "L'école des pères", one of Marmontel's Contes moraux. The melody from "Où peut-on être mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?" was later reused in Vieuxtemps' Violin Concerto No. 5, Op.37.

Performance history

Lucile was first performed at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris on 5 January 1769 and became Grétry's most popular opera during the following decade. By 1780 it had reached a total of 195 performances but it was less successful thereafter.

Roles

Synopsis

Lucile is enjoying a morning preparing for her wedding. She is joined by her fiancé young Dorval, her father Timante and Dorval's father. The celebrations are interrupted by the old peasant Blaise, who reveals that his wife has just confided a secret to him on her deathbed: she had been a wet nurse to Timante's child, but when the baby died she decided to hide the truth and exchange it for her own daughter to ensure a better future for the latter. The grown-up child is Lucile. Lucile's poor background means she can no longer marry the middle-class Dorval. However, Timante persuades Dorval's father to let the wedding go ahead regardless and the opera concludes with general rejoicing.

Recordings