The brilliant Jacques (né Jakob) Offenbach, one of the Jewish German masters of French opera, was born in Cologne 200 years ago today. The Aristophanic, Bacchic Offenbach, best of all the Bachs. For wit, tunefulness, and music that makes you smile (or even laugh), his works are hard to beat. Jupiter tries to seduce a … Continue reading Happy 200th birthday, M. Offenbach!
Category: French opera
141. Alceste (Gluck)
Gluck's reform opera: boring or beautiful?
140. Tom Jones (Philidor)
Tom Jones, the musical - by an 18th century chess master.
139. Le roi et le fermier (Monsigny)
Is this the first great French opera?
33. Orfeo ed Euridice / Orphée et Eurydice (Gluck)
In which Gluck reforms opera with a prehistoric sun-myth.
138. Les troqueurs (Dauvergne)
C'est quoi l'opéra comique?
137. Le Devin du village (Rousseau)
Yes, that Rousseau.
