Composer

:

Giacomo Meyerbeer

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1830

Average_duration

:

7:09

Giacomo Meyerbeer's "La mère grand" is a three-act opera comique that premiered on December 4, 1824, at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. The libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Charles-Gaspard Delestre-Poirson. The opera is set in a small village in the French countryside and tells the story of a young couple, Lise and Julien, who are in love but cannot marry because Lise's mother, La mère grand, disapproves of Julien. La mère grand is a wealthy and powerful woman who controls the village and its inhabitants. She is also a matchmaker and has arranged for Lise to marry a wealthy but elderly man, Monsieur de la Roche. The first act introduces the characters and their relationships. Lise and Julien express their love for each other, but La mère grand forbids them from seeing each other. Monsieur de la Roche arrives in the village, and La mère grand announces that he will marry Lise. The second act takes place on the day of the wedding. Lise is unhappy and does not want to marry Monsieur de la Roche. Julien tries to convince La mère grand to let him marry Lise instead, but she refuses. The wedding ceremony begins, but Lise faints before she can say "I do." In the third act, Lise is taken to her room, and La mère grand realizes that she cannot force her daughter to marry Monsieur de la Roche. She decides to let Lise marry Julien instead. The opera ends with a joyful duet between Lise and Julien. "La mère grand" is characterized by its light and humorous tone, as well as its catchy melodies and lively dance numbers. The opera comique genre allowed for spoken dialogue between musical numbers, which added to the comedic effect. The music is influenced by French folk songs and dances, and Meyerbeer's use of orchestration is particularly effective in creating a lively and festive atmosphere. Overall, "La mère grand" is a charming and entertaining opera that showcases Meyerbeer's talent for composing catchy melodies and creating a lively and engaging atmosphere.

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