Le maître de chapelle, ou Le souper imprévu (The Chapelmaster, or The Unexpected Supper) is an opéra comique in two acts by the Italian composer Ferdinando Paer. The French libretto, by Sophie Gay, is based on Le souper imprévu, ou Le chanoine de Milan by Alexandre Duval (1796).
Le maître de chapelle was premiered by the Opéra-Comique at the Théâtre Feydeau in Paris on 29 March 1821 with the famous baritone Jean-Blaise Martin as Barnabé. By 1900 the work had been performed by the Opéra-Comique over 430 times.Wolff S. Un demi-siècle d'Opéra-Comique (1900-1950). André Bonne, Paris, 1953. It was given at the Royal Opera in London on 13 June 1845, and at the Théâtre d'Orléans, New Orleans on 21 November 1848.
It became Paer's most popular work, albeit usually performed in an abridged version of only the first act.
Roles CastVoice typePremiere cast, 29 March 1821Barnabébaritone Jean-Blaise Martin Gertrude, Barnabé's French chefsopranoMarie-Julie Halligner ('Mme Boulanger')Benetto, Barnabé's nephewtenor Louis FéréolCoelénie, Barnabé's pupilsoprano Antoinette-Eugénie RigautFirmin, Captain of Hussarstenor Sans Quartier, a hussarbass
Synopsis 1797, near Milan. The chapelmaster Barnabé has composed an opera entitled Cléopâtre which he hopes will be staged in Milan, however he is worried that someone in the invading French army will take it away from him.
Recordings Paer: Le maître de chapelle - ORTF Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Jean-Paul Kreder Principal singers: Jean-Christophe Benoît (Barnabé), Mady Mesplé (Coelénie), Isabel Garcisanz (Gertrude), Michel Sénéchal (Benetto), Pierre Pégaud (Firmin), Yves Bisson (Sans Quartier) Recording date: 1970 Label: Black Disc - Inedits ORTF - 995 004 (LP)
See also List of operas by Ferdinando Paer
References
Sources
Balthazar, Scott L (1992), 'Maître de chapelle, Le' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, 782 pages,