List of operas by Massenet

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This is a complete list of operas by the French composer Jules Massenet (1842–1912). Several of Massenet's operas were premiered by the Opéra-Comique in Paris, first at the second Salle Favart (Favart 2), followed by the Théâtre Lyrique on the Place du Châtelet (Lyrique), and then the third Salle Favart (Favart 3).

Jules Massenet 19th and 20th-century French composer

Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are Manon (1884) and Werther (1892). He also composed oratorios, ballets, orchestral works, incidental music, piano pieces, songs and other music.

Opéra-Comique opera company in Paris

The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the Théâtre-Italien up to about 1793, when it again became most commonly known as the Opéra-Comique. Today the company's official name is Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique, and its theatre, with a capacity of around 1,248 seats, sometimes referred to as the Salle Favart, is located in Place Boïeldieu, in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, not far from the Palais Garnier, one of the theatres of the Paris Opéra. The musicians and others associated with the Opéra-Comique have made important contributions to operatic history and tradition in France, and to French opera. Its current mission is to reconnect with its history, and discover its unique repertoire, to ensure production and dissemination of operas for the wider public. Mainstays of the repertory at the Opéra-Comique during its history have included the following works which have each been performed more than 1,000 times by the company: Cavalleria Rusticana, Le chalet, La dame blanche, Le domino noir, La fille du régiment, Lakmé, Manon, Mignon, Les noces de Jeannette, Le pré aux clercs, Tosca, La bohème, Werther and Carmen, the last having been performed more than 2,500 times.

Théâtre de la Ville theater building in Paris on the Place du Châtelet

The Théâtre de la Ville is one of the two theatres built in the 19th century by Baron Haussmann at Place du Châtelet, Paris, the other being the Théâtre du Châtelet. It is located at 2, place du Châtelet in the 4th arrondissement.

List

TitleGenreSub­divisionsLibrettoPremière datePlace, theatre
Esméralda opéra
opéra3 acts
opéra comique 1 act Paris, Opéra-Comique (Favart 2)
Manfredopéra
Méduse3 acts
Don César de Bazan opéra comique3 actsParis, Opéra-Comique (Favart 2); revision Geneva
opérette 1 actParis, Cercle des Mirlitons
Bérangère et Anatole sainete 1 actParis, Cercle de l'Union artistique
opéra5 actsParis, Opéra Garnier
Robert de France drame lyrique
opéra
Hérodiade ; rev. as: Erodiadeopéra Brussels, Théâtre de la Monnaie, revision Paris, Théâtre Italien
Manon opéra comique5 actsParis, Opéra-Comique (Favart 2)
opéra4 actsParis, Opéra Garnier
Esclarmonde opéra romanesque4 actsParis, Opéra Comique (Lyrique)
opéra5 actsParis, Opéra Garnier
Werther drame lyrique4 acts Vienna, Hofopera; Paris, Opéra-Comique (Lyrique)
Thaïs opéra 3 actsParis, Opéra Garnier (and revised)
opéra comique1 actParis, Opéra-Comique (Lyrique)
2 acts London, Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Sapho pièce lyrique 5 actsParis, Opéra-Comique (Lyrique); revised Opéra-Comique (Favart 3);
Cendrillon conte de fées4 actsParis, Opéra-Comique (Favart 3)
Grisélidis conte lyrique Paris, Opéra-Comique (Favart 3)
miracle3 actsMonte Carlo, Opéra
Chérubin comédie chantée3 actsMonte Carlo, Opéra
Ariane opéra5 actsParis, Opéra Garnier
Thérèse drame musical2 actsMonte Carlo, Opéra
Bacchus opéra4 actsParis, Opéra Garnier
Don Quichotte comédie héroïque5 actsMonte Carlo, Opéra
Roma opéra tragique5 actsMonte Carlo, Opéra
Panurge haulte farce musical3 actsParis, Théâtre de la Gaîté
Cléopâtre opéra4 actsMonte Carlo, Opéra composed c. 1895
Amadis opéra légendaire4 acts Monte Carlo, Opéra

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References

    Sources

    The New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes.

    Stanley John Sadie was an influential and prolific British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980), which was published as the first edition of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

    International Standard Book Number Unique numeric book identifier

    The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a numeric commercial book identifier which is intended to be unique. Publishers purchase ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency.

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