L'école de la jeunesse ou Le Barnevelt françois (The School of Youth or The French Barnwell) is an opéra comique (specifically a comédie mêlée d'ariettes) in three acts by the composer Egidio Duni. The libretto, by Louis Anseaume, is based on George Lillo's play The London Merchant or The History of George Barnwell (1731). The opera was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 24 January 1765.
Main roles +CastVoice typePremiere cast,According to the original libretto. 24 January 1765CléontenorJean-François LejeuneM. Oronte, Cléon's unclebaritoneCaillot, the first performer, was endowed with a very wide compass which enabled him to sing as a basse taille, but also to reach up to the haute-contre tones (Jean Gourret, Histoire de l'Opéra-Comique, Paris, Les publications universitaires, 1978, p. 43). According to Rodolfo Celletti "he was a baritenor and a bass at the same time": Grétry and Monsigny used to notate his parts in the bass clef, but to set them in high-baritone tessiture (Voce di tenore, Milan, Idealibri, 1989, p. 59, ).Joseph CaillotSophie, bethrothed to CléonsopranoMarie-Thérèse Laruette, 'Madame Laruette'Dubois, a valet of M. OrontetenorNotated in the tenor clef in the original score.Hortense, a young widowsopranoPétronille-Rosalie BeaupréFinette, an attendant of HortensesopranoEulalie Desgland(s)Mondor, a friend of Hortensehaute-contreDamistenorRobert DesbrossesJavard, a creditor of Cléonbasse-taille (bass-baritone)Notated in the bass clef in the original score.M. RenaudA Gascon knighthaute-contreAntoine TrialA baronbasse-taille (bass-baritone)not reportedA singertenorThe role of 'Le chanteur' is assessed as a tenor part by Elisabeth Cook. It is notated in the tenor clef in the original score.M. LobreauA millinerspokenRosalie LafondA bailiffA pedlarspokenGabiel-Éléonor-Hervé Dubus Champville, 'Soli'A valetspokennot reported
References Notes
Sources Original libretto: L'École de la jeunesse, ou Le Barnevelt français, Comédie. En trois Actes et en vers, mêlée d'ariettes, Paris. Duchesne, 1775 Original score: L'École de la jeunesse, ou Le Barnevelt françois, Comédie. En trois Actes et en vers, Paris, Chez l'Auteur & Lyon, Chez Castaud, s.d. via Gallica
Cook, Elisabeth (1992), "Ecole de la jeunesse, L'" in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London)