Ballets at l’Académie Royale de musique 1726-179 Eight livrets, two annotated for later performances.

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Recueil of 8 libretti. Paris: 1726-1730, two used as a prompt book for later performances. Bound in one volume, quarto, contemporary calf, with table of contents written in 18th century hand. Prompt Book for Early Performance

1 Les Stratagêmes de l’amour. . Balet. Représenté pour la première fois par l'Académie Royale de musique, le jeudy 28 mars 1726. Paris: Ribou, 1726. Rare original edition. Lavalliere, 169, 170; Pitou II, 505-506; Lajarte I, 140-141. Opera ballet in three acts and prologue.

Pagination: Leaf of title verso blank; 1p. Al la Reine, verso blank; 2pp. Avertissement; 2pp. list of singers and dancers; 7pp. prologue; 1p. list of singers and dancers for the ballet; 47pp. text in verse with scene directions in prose; Approbation 22 Feb 1726 signed Massip; 1p. privilege.

Composed to celebrate the marriage of Louis XV, and was dedicated to the queen. Mounted only three times in March of 1726.

A stunning ballet, “one of the most noteworthy moments of the operatic year” (Pitou II, 505-6), which featured the king and queen descending from the sky. No modernist ballet, the librettist Roy writes in his preface that the public has decided that if this theater permits the comic, it may only be a noble type of comedy like the one that reflects the characters of antiquity (translated in Harris- Warrick, p. 300, with a commentary on the political forces that worked against the Italian comedians who were recently invited back to Paris) .

Annotation in ink indicating it was used as a promptbook for a reprise in the early 18th century. Title page corrected to add composer and librettist. Corrections on vi and cross out and corrections and additions on vii-viii; changes in ink to prologue x-xii including the addition of two dances; on xvi, changes to actors in ballet with addition of names and re-structuring of order of dances (many changes in ink). The ballet text shows scene changes or simplifications. Scene changes in ink on pp. 8, 15, 33, 36-41, 42, as well as minor cross outs, corrections, and additions on 19 pages.

Composers: Destouches, (André Cardinal) (1672-1749); de Lalande, Michel-Richard (1657-1726) (see Beauchamps III, 110); Librettist: Roy, Pierre-Charles (1683-1764). OCLC: BDF, GBV. 2. Pirame et Thisbé. Tragedie. [Pyrame et Thisbé] Représentée pour la première fois par l'Académie Royale de musique, le dix-sept octobre 1726, remise au théâtre le 26 janvier 1740. Lajarte I, 141-42; Pitou II, 452-453 (noting that this revival was performed all month). Lyric tragedy in five acts and a prologue.

Pagination: Leaf of title, verso blank; 2pp. list of chorus, singers, dancers; pp. 4-59 text of tragedie in verse, scene information in prose (list of actors for tragedy and divertissements, pp. 12-13); Approbation 16 Janvier 1740 signed De Moncrif p. 59; 1p. Privilege.

The revival on January 26, 1740, played until 1759. The music was beloved. One dance survived into the 19th century as “La Camargo.” Indeed a tragedy, the finale finds Pyrame and Thisé dead. Ninus commits suicide and Zoroastre is left alone in remorse. The important dancer Louis Dupré (1690- 1774) danced in this ballet. He had replaced Blondy as Ballet Master of the Opera in 1739.

Composers: Rebel, Monsieur (1701-1775); Francoeur, François (1698-1787); Librettist: La Serre, Jean-Louis-Ignace (1662-1756). OCLC: BDF, S5B; NOC, GVB.

Prompt Book Annotated and Corrected by a Single Hand for a Reprise in June 1737

3. Les Amours des dieux. Balet Heroique. L’Academie Royale de Musique Le Dimanche 14 Septembre 1727. Paris: Ribou, 1727. Original edition. Lavalliere, 171 (noting four further stagings through 1758); Pitou notes that the ballet was popular until 1757 (II, 35-6); Beauchamps III, 111. Opera ballet in four entrees and a prologue.

Pagination: Leaf of title, verso blank; 2pp. avertissement; 2pp. list of chorus, singers dancers; 5pp. prologue; 3pp. list of dancers including Mlle Camargo, M. Dumoulin, Blondy, Mme Prevost and Sallé; pp. 1-54 text in verse, scene information in prose, Aprobation p. 54 signed Housar de la Motte. Prompt book annotated and corrected by a single hand for a reprise in June 1737. Title page ink annotation indicates that it was revived between May 9 and June 16, 1737. Scene changes in ink in prologue pp. ix, x, xi, xiii; Also in text on p. 43. Text renumbered in ink; minor changes in ink to almost every page.

The great ballerina Marie Sallé made her official debut in 1727 in this ballet.Marie Sallé (1707- 1756), one of the most prominent dancers of her time, was a daughter of a tumbler. She became a student of Françoise Prevost at the Academie Royale in Paris. “The particular beauty of Sallé’s dancing lay in extraordinary grace, expressive gesture and vivid pantomime” (Moore, 30). Her great popularity led her to be compared to Marie Camargo. After 1734, Sallé appeared under the management of Georg Fredrich Händel where she danced in many of his operas, and these appearances, according to Lillian Moore, are said to have started the custom of introducing ballet divertissements in Italian opera.

Composer: Mouret, Jean-Joseph (1682-1738); Libretto: Fuzelier, Louis (1672?-1752) OCLC: BDF only. Rare.

4. Orion, tragedie, représentée pour la premiere fois, par l'Academie royale de musique, le dix- septiéme jour du mois de fevrier 1728. Paris: Ballard, 1728. Original edition. Pitou II, 399-400; Lajarte I, 144; Lavalliere, 171. Lyric tragedy with a prologue and five acts.

Pagination: Leaf of title, verso blank; 2pp. avertissement; 2pp. list of actors in prologue, the divertissement, and in the tragedy; 7pp. prologue in verse with scene description in prose; 3pp. list of actors in tragedy; pp. 1-56 text of tragedy, Approbation February 1728 signed Gallyot, who notes that the first performance was on February 19, 1728; 2pp. bookseller list of titles.

Orion, tragedie ran only two weeks from February 19, 1728. The plot is based on the Greek myth of Orion. The libretto was begun by Joseph de Lafont (1686-1725) and completed after his death by Simon-Joseph Pellegrin.

Composer: Lacoste, Louis (also given as De La Coste) (ca. 1675-ca. 1750); Librettist: Pellegrin, Simon-Joseph (1663-1745). OCLC: RCBF, BDF.

5. La Princesse d’Élide. Ballet Heroique. Représenté pour la première fois par l'Académie Royale de musique, le Mardy 20 juillet 1728. Paris: Ballard, 1728. Original edition. Pitou II, 447-448; Lajarate I, 144-145. Heroic ballet in five acts with prologue.

Pagination: Leaf of title, verso blank; list of actors, singers and dancers for the prologue, the divertissement and ballet including Mlle Camargo, Sallé; 7pp. prologue in verse with scene information in prose; 3pp. list of performers; pp. 15-52 text of ballet in verse with scene instructions in prose, approbation 24 Juin 1728 signed Gallyot on p. 52; 2pp. list of books printed by Montrparnasse; 1p. privilege.

La Princesse d’Élide’s only run lasted through August 13, 1728. In 1728, Blondy “replaced Guillaume-Louis Pecour as dance directory of the Paris Opera, a prestigious position he held until his death. His first ballet La Princesse d’Élide, opened on 20 July 1728 and received the compliments of Le Mercure which found ‘the new Director worthy of his appointment’” (Cohen I, 464).

This ballet was based on the “sumptuous” play of Molière given as part of the féte Les Plaisirs de l’Île Enchanté (1664) (Guibert, 450-63). Originally the music was by Lully. La Princesse d’Élide was originally even more popular that his Tartuffe. This ballet features a troupe of mime in “modern character” instead of ancient dress, quite unusual for the time (Harris-Warrick, 454). Ballet choreography by Michel Blondy (ca. 1675-1739). Composer: Villeneuve, André Jacques (1677- 1756?); Libretto: Pellegrin, Simon-Joseph (M. l'abbé) (1663-1745) OCLC: BDF, HHG, GBV.

6. Tarsis et Zélie. Tragedie. L’Academie Royale de Musique; Le Mardy dix-neuviéme jou d’Octobre 1728. Paris, Ballard, 1728. Original edition. Pitou II, 513-514; Lajarte I, 145. Lyric tragedy in five acts and prologue. Pagination leaf of title, verso blank; 2pp. list of actors, singers for prologue and divertissement of prologue, with list of operas of the year at bottom of p. 4; 5pp. prologue in verse with scene information in prose; 3pp. list of actors and dancers in tragedy and divertissements; 2pp. list of books offered by Mont-Parnasse; leaf of half title Tarsis et Zelie Tragedie, verso blank; pp. 17-61 text of tragedy in verse, scene information in prose. Aprobation dated 7 September 1729 signed Gallyot, p. 61; 1p. privilege.

Tarsis et Zélie was staged, with interruptions, until January 25, 1729 indicating that it was not very successful in spite of its glittering cast of singers and dancers and also its spectacular machinery that including lightning and a flood that inundates the temple in the last act. Composers: Rebel, Monsieur (1701-1775); Francoeur, François (1698-1787); Librettist: La Serre, Jean-Louis-Ignace (1662-1756) OCLC: BDF only. Rare.

7. Les Amours des déesses. Ballet Heroique L’Academie Royale de Musique, Le Mardy neuviéme jour d’Aoust 1729. Paris: Ballard, 1729. Original edition. Pitou II, 34-5. Heroic ballet in three acts and a prologue with L’Aurore et Cephale Entree Ajoûtée au Ballet added as a fourth act on August 25.

Pagination; leaf of title, verso blank; 2pp. Avertissement; 2pp. actors, singers and dancers of the prologue and divertissement; pp. 7-56 text of prologue and three entries of the ballet: Vénus et Adonis (pp. 13-30, with half titles and list of performers on pp. 13-14); Diane et Endimion (pp. 31- 46, with half title and list of performers on pp. 31-32); Melpomène et Linus (pp. 46-57, with half title and list of performers on pp. 46-47), approbation 7 August 1729 signed Gallyot; 1p. privilege; 2pp. list of books published by the publisher Mont-Parnasse; 1p. advertisement; 1p. half title for L’Aurore et Cephale Entree Ajoûtée au Ballet des Amoursdes Déesses, L’academie Royale de Musique Le Jeudy vingt-cinquiéme d’Aoust 1729; 1p. singers and dancers for the added entry; 13pp. text of L’Aurore et Cephale Entree in verse with scene information in prose; 2pp. Changements et Retranchements (errata) in Entrées, with imprint of Ballard, 1729 at bottom of p.(15).

Premiere August 9, 1729. A small ensemble for a pas de trois for Mlles Camargo, Sallé and Mariette at the end of this ballet was created by Blondi. The pas “does honor to the inventiveness of the Sieur Blondy and the talents of these skillful danseuses” (Mercure de France, August 1729, qtd. in Harris- Warrick, 405). Even with Mlles Camargo and La Sallé dancing, the ballet was dropped from the repertory at the end of its first run.

Composer: Quinault Jean-Baptiste-Maurice (1687-1745); Libretto: Fuzelier, Louis (1672?-1752) OCLC: BDF only. 8. Pirrhus (or Pyrrhus), Tragedie. L’Academie Royale de Musique. Le Jeudy 26 October 1729. Paris: Ballet, 1730. Original edition. Pitou II, 454; Lajarte I, 149; Lavalliere, 178. Lyric tragedy in five acts and prologue.

Pagination: 1p. printed title; 1p. Avertissement mentioning the birth of le Dauphin, Monseigneur le Duc D’Anjou; 2pp. list of singers in the prologue and the divertissement (with the ink addition of the singer Duval among the list of Côte de la Reine), with Aprobation of 12 March 1729 signed Gallyot at bottom of p. iv; 5pp. prologue in verse with scene information in prose; 3pp. list of actors in the tragedy and the divertissements; pp. 1-51 text of tragedy in verse with scene information in prose; 1p. privilege.

Mlle Camargo starred in the ballet. Pitou notes that the work is similar to Chimène ou le Cid (1784) (II, 454-55). Performed only seven times and never revived.

Composer: Royer, Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrase (1703-1755); Libretto: Fermelhuis, Jean (?-?) or an unidentified poet signed S.X.

OCLC: BDF only

Notes on Composers and Librettists .

Destouches, Philippe Néricault (1680-1754). Librettist. Known for his comedy texts for the Paris stage, he also did a cluster of works with music by Mouret and which were performed at Sceaux for the duchess du Maine. He had six other operas and ballets produced at the Royal Academy of Music between 1714 and 1735.

Francoeur, François, “le cadet” (1698-1787). Composer. The son of composer and violinist Joseph Francoeur. In 1723 he and François Rebel went to Vienna and Prague to study opera at those two centers of music. Their collaboration lasted 45 years with over 20 productions. Their music is virtually inseparable.

Fuzelier, Louis (1672?-1752). Librettist He was a comic dramatist sometimes collaborating with Lesage.

La Serre, Jean-Louis-Ignace de, sieur de l’Anglade (1662-1756). Librettist. He wrote poetry as well as plays and librettos for the Opéra. This celebrated author created the text for several operas from 1706, none of them successful. He then created several operas which were successful including Tarsis et Julie (1728), Pastorale héroïque (1730), and Scanderberg (1735).

Rebel, François (1701-1775). Composer. The son of musician Jean-Féry Rebel, at the age of 16 he received the right of succession to his father’s place in the 24 violins (Les Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi; 1621-1761). He and François Francoeur went to Vienna and Prague to study opera at those two centers of music. Their collaboration lasted 45 years with over 20 productions. Their music is virtually inseparable.

Roy, Pierre Charles (1689-1764). Librettist. By the age of 22 Roy had composed his first opera Philomèle and came to be known as a “prodigy of wit.” He wrote a number of librettos for operas at Paris and composed for the performances at Sceaux as well. His “contributions to the repertory of the Palais-Royal came to eclipse even those of Danchet, Bernard and Cahusac” (Pitou II, 307).

Royer, Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrase (1705-1755). Composer. He composed four operas between 1730- 1750. Royer became maître de musique des enfants de France, responsible for the musical education of the children of the king, Louis XV.

Villeneuve, André Jacques (Alexandre de) (1677-1756?). Composer. He was music master at the cathedral of Aix before coming to Paris. He also composed a cantata Thétis and also a methodology for singing. Grove also credits him with a composition: Les quatre saisons (1734) (lost).

References: Beauchamps, Recherches sur les Theatres de France (Paris: Prault, 1735); Cohen, International Encyclopedia of Dance (1998); Harris-Warrick, Dance and Drama in French Baroque Opera (2016); Harvey and Heseltine, The Oxford Companion to French Literature (1959); Lavallière, Ballets, Opera and autres ouvrages lyriques . . . (Paris: Bauche, 1750); Moore, Artists of the Dance (New York: Crowell, 1938); Piepape, A Princess of Strategy, Translated by Lewis May (London: Lane, 1911); Pitou, The Paris Opera: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets . . . (1983).

Quarto Contemporary mottled calf. Very good condition

Price for the recueil: $5,500.00