Piccini, Niccolò. (1728 - 1800) [Marmontel, Jean-François. (1723 - 1799)]
Didon. Tragédie-Lyrique en trois actes
Paris: P. de Lormel. 1783. First edition. Représentée à Fontainebleau devant leurs Majestés le 16 Octobre 1783 et pour la première fois sur le théatre de l'Académie Royale de Musique le 1er Décembre 1783.Libretto. 24 x 20 cm. 51 pp. Contemporary marble wrappers. Wrappers and edges somewhat creased, scattered browning throughout, final page lower margin clipped, else fine. Schatz 8088. Sonneck p. 379.
With Didon, Piccini demonstrated his ability to combine both Italian and French styles to create a compelling tragédie lyrique. The opera includes lyrical Italian melodies and a second-act finale, as well as French choruses and numbers that transition continuously without pauses. Didon was premiered at Fountainebleau on 16 October 1783, and it remained one of Piccini’s most popular French operas, with performances through the first part of the nineteenth century.
Piccini is considered "one of the central figures in Italian and French opera in the second half of the 18th century... In 1783 [he] reached his second peak with a highly successful revival of Atys and the introduction of Didon, which momentarily eclipsed the rising star of Sacchini. The triumph of Didon was partly due to the exceptional performance of Mme de Saint-Huberty in the title role." (Grove Online) (4722)
Libretto Opera