L'Amant Anonyme
Opera
Writers:Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint George François-Georges 'Desfontaines' Fouques Deshayes
Overview
Synopsis
Valcour knows that he could never directly tell Leontine how he feels about her. After her husband died, leaving her independently wealthy, she swore never to entertain another relationship. This fact does not stop him from trying however, and for the past four years he has also played the role of an anonymous lover, sending her gifts and letters, but never revealing his identity. In fact, he has treated the whole situation with such an austere detachment, that Leontine could never suspect him.
However, playing this dual identity puts a great weight on Valcour, and he really feels that he can no longer love Leontine in secret. He creates a plan to reveal that he was the anonymous lover all along, and enlists the help of Ophemon, Leontine’s tutor, and two of her friends from the village, Jeannette and Colin, who are about to get married. Whether Leontine returns his affection or not, at least he will have an answer, and will no longer bear the weight of hiding.
L’Amant Anonyme is a beautiful romantic comedy from the classical period of opera, with musical numbers interspersed with dialogue based on Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis’s play Madame de Genlis. Despite being relatively unknown, and underperformed, it deserves to take its place in the operatic canon, as the only complete opera from Joseph Bolognue, Chevalier de Saint George that is known to have survived.
Show Information
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Madame de Genlis by Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1780
- Genres
- Romance, Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Rural France, 18th century
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Diverse Cast, Professional Opera, Small Cast, Includes Young Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Adult Characters
Context
Despite composing at least six other works, so far the only complete manuscript to have been found for any of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint George’s works for stage is this one: L’Amant Anonyme. It is thought to have been composed for the private theatre of Madame de Montesson, one of Chevalier’s patrons, in around 1780. It is based on the play Madame de Genlis, by French playwright Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis, and was adapted for the opera by François-Georges Fouques Deshayes, better
to read the context for L'Amant Anonyme and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
It seems like Valcour has been in love with Leontine forever. He sighs for her, and his heart burns for her, but she still does not return his affection. He is in so much pain, he fears that he might die (‘Depuis longtemps’). His reverie is interrupted by the arrival of Ophemon, who has been arranging things for them to carry out their plan. Valcour is rather worried, but Ophemon reassures him that everything is ready. Jeanette, the village girl, has
to read the plot for L'Amant Anonyme and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
Overture
Act 1
Scene 1
Scene 2
- Dialogue ‘Vous voici donc enfin’ - Valcour, Ophémon
- No. 2 Duet ‘Tant de constance, tant d’amour’ - Valcour, Ophémon
- Dialogue ‘Il n’est pas temps encore’ - Valcour, Ophémon
Scene 3
- Dialogue ‘Non, non, ce serait for mal fait’ - Léontine, Valcour, Dorothée
- No. 3 Arietta ‘Son amour, sa constance extréme’ - Léontine
- Dialogue ‘Se soins assurément ne me font nul plaisir’ - Léontine, Valcour, Dorothée
Scene 4
- No. 4 ‘Chantons, célébrons notre dame’ - Léontine, Valcour, Ophémon, Jeannette, Colin, Chorus
- No. 5 Ballet
- No. 6 Chanson ‘Jouissez de l’allegresse’ - Jeannette, Colin, Chorus
- No. 7 Dance
Scene 5
- Dialogue 'Jeannette un mont’ - Léontine, Valcour, Dorothée, Jeanette, Colin
Scene 6
- Dialogue ‘L’Anonyme a choisi deux charmants’ - Léontine, Valcour, Dorothée
- No. 8 Quintet ‘Que de maux, mon coeur ressent’ - Léontine, Valcour, Ophémon, Jeannette, Colin
- Dialogue ‘Ophemon, suivez-moi’ - Valcour, Ophémon
Act 2
Scene 1
- No. 9 Recitative ‘Enfin une foule importune’ - Léontine
- Dialogue ‘Que me veut Ophemon?’ - Léontine
Scene 2
- Dialogue ‘J’hesite…’ - Léontine, Ophémon
- No. 10 Duet ‘Ah! Finissez de grâce!' - Léontine, Ophémon
- Dialogue ‘La chose ne m’importe guère' - Léontine, Ophémon
- No. 11 Aria ‘Aimer sans pouvoir’ - Ophémon
- Dialogue ‘Qu’il est touchant!’ - Léontine, Ophémon
Scene 3
- Dialogue ‘C’en est donc fait’ - Léontine
- No. 12 Aria ‘Du tendre amour’ - Léontine
- Dialogue ‘Jentends quelqu’un’ - Léontine, Ophémon
Scene 4
- Dialogue ‘Vous avez tout le jour été triste et souffrante’ - Léontine, Valcour
- No. 13 Duet Dialogue ‘Non, je ne puis rien entendre’ - Léontine, Valcour
- Dialogue ‘Dans quel embarras’ - Léontine, Valcour
Scene 5
- No. 14 Trio ‘Ah! Quel trouble’ - Léontine, Valcour, Ophémon
- Dialogue ‘Courons à Dorothée’ - Léontine, Valcour, Ophémon
Scene 6
- No. 15 Ballet
- Dialogue ‘De quel bonheur’ - Jeannette, Colin, Chorus
Scene 7
- Dialogue ‘Quoi! C’est vous’ - Léontine, Valcour, Dorothée, Ophémon, Jeannette, Colin, Chorus
- No. 16 ‘Deux noces à la fois!’ - Chorus
- No. 17 Ballet
- No. 18 Quartet ‘Aimons-nous sans cesse’ - Léontine, Valcour, Jeannette, Colin
- No. 19 Contredanse Générale
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.