Jules Massenet, born on May 12, 1842, is arguably the chameleon of all opera composers, his style evolving to suit the text rather than imposing a specific musical style to every work.<\/p>\n
This ability makes him, for many, the greatest French composer of opera to ever live.<\/p>\n
He studied under Ambroise Thomas in his youth, won the country\u2019s top musical prize in composition and then went on to put together a prolific career as an opera composer with dozens of operas to his name.<\/p>\n
In sum, he left a handful of works that were lost to posterity, but many of the ones that remain are cornerstones of the repertoire and widely considered operatic masterpieces.<\/p>\n
In 1866, he wrote and completed his first opera, \u201cLa Coupe du Roi de Thul\u00e9,\u201d though it was never performed (his previous effort \u201cEsm\u00e9ralda\u201d was left unfinished). His subsequent effort, \u201cLa Grand\u2019tante\u201d was completed and performed on April 3, 1867.<\/p>\n
Massenet\u2019s final opera was \u201cAmadis,\u201d which he composed in 1895 and had its world premiere on April 1, 1922.<\/p>\n
Major Work<\/strong><\/p>\n There are two operas in Massenet\u2019s oeuvre that are locks in the standard repertoire, and for good reason. The first and best known of these is \u201cManon,\u201d based on the famed work by Abb\u00e9 Pr\u00e9vost. The work features a treacherous role for the leading lady, challenging her vocally and dramatically as she develops opera\u2019s most spoiled brat. The character development for Manon is incisive, if frustrating, but certainly complex in Massenet\u2019s portrayal.<\/p>\n \u201cWerther,\u201d his other masterpiece, also features a character that can be challenging to completely empathize with. After all, the titular role wants to end a marriage for his own sake, never really considering the hearts he might break in trying to cure his own obsessive nature. And yet, the work has incredible depth of passion, the titular role given some of opera\u2019s most fascinating vocal challenges.<\/p>\n These operas are lush with melodies and intensity that identifies them as works of their composer; and yet, their styles aren\u2019t always so similar and there is a marked uniqueness about each one.<\/p>\n Also well-known, though not on the level of these other two works are \u201cTha\u00efs,\u201d \u201cDon Quichotte,\u201d and \u201cCendrillon.\u201d Listen to those other three works and you get a sense that they are by the same composer and yet worlds apart.<\/p>\n Read More on Massenet<\/strong><\/p>\n