Raymond, ou Le secret de la reine
Raymond ou Le Secret de la reine is an Opéra-Comique in three acts on a libretto by Joseph-Bernard Rosier and Adolphe de Leuven,[1] librettists of A Midsummer Night's Dream, by Ambroise Thomas, inspired by Shakespeare and premiered on 5 June 1851 at the Théâtre des Nouveaux.
The opera revisits the myth of the iron mask. Raymond, a young peasant in love with an orphan (Stelle), is recognized as the twin brother of Louis XIV and persecuted so as not to hinder his reign.[2] At the end of the three acts, the hero and his beloved manage to flee thanks to the sacrifice of the Chevalier de Rosargues: brutal soldier, father of Stelle whose mother he raped and killed. He replaces Raymond behind his iron mask hoping for redemption.[2]
If the work seems to have had a certain public success, it is difficult to assess today as the press of the time shows hostility to Raymond, considered unworthy of an academician.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Fuld, James J. (2000-01-01). The Book of World-famous Music: Classical, Popular, and Folk. Courier Corporation. ISBN 978-0-486-41475-1.
- ^ a b c Systems, eZ; Base, Bru Zane Media. "Raymond ou Le Secret de la reine (Rosier & Leuven / Thomas)". Bru Zane Media Base (in French). Retrieved 2022-01-30.
External links
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