Rosalie Levasseur
Encyclopedia
Rosalie Levasseur or Le Vasseur (8 October 1749 – 6 May 1826) was a French soprano
. Known as 'Mlle Rosalie', she is best remembered for her work with the composer Christoph Willibald Gluck
.
Born in Valenciennes
in 1749, she first appeared at the Paris Opéra
in a revival of Campra
's L'Europe galante
. After an undistinguished beginning to her career, she appeared in the French première of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice
on 2 August 1774 (also the revival of his Iphigénie en Aulide
), after which she was asked to create the title roles in the tragédie
Alceste
on 23 April 1776, Armide
on 23 September 1777, and Iphigenie en Tauride
on 18 May 1779. She also appeared in operas by Gluck's rival Niccolò Piccinni
, as well as Johann Christian Bach
, André Grétry and Antonio Sacchini
.
Julian Rushton describes Levasseur as a "powerful rather than flexible singer, with a good stage presence if unattractive features."
She died in Neuwied am Rhein
in 1826.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. Known as 'Mlle Rosalie', she is best remembered for her work with the composer Christoph Willibald Gluck
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck was an opera composer of the early classical period. After many years at the Habsburg court at Vienna, Gluck brought about the practical reform of opera's dramaturgical practices that many intellectuals had been campaigning for over the years...
.
Born in Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
in 1749, she first appeared at the Paris Opéra
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...
in a revival of Campra
André Campra
André Campra was a French composer and conductor.Campra was one of the leading French opera composers in the period between Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau. He wrote several tragédies en musique, but his chief claim to fame is as the creator of a new genre, opéra-ballet...
's L'Europe galante
L'Europe galante
L'Europe galante is an opéra-ballet in a prologue and four entrées by André Campra, The French text was by Antoine Houdar de la Motte....
. After an undistinguished beginning to her career, she appeared in the French première of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice
Orfeo ed Euridice
Orfeo ed Euridice is an opera composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck based on the myth of Orpheus, set to a libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi. It belongs to the genre of the azione teatrale, meaning an opera on a mythological subject with choruses and dancing...
on 2 August 1774 (also the revival of his Iphigénie en Aulide
Iphigénie en Aulide
Iphigénie en Aulide is an opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck, the first work he wrote for the Paris stage. The libretto was written by Leblanc du Roullet and was based on Jean Racine's tragedy Iphigénie...
), after which she was asked to create the title roles in the tragédie
Tragédie
Tragédie is a French rap duo made up of Tizy Bone and Silk Shaï from Nantes. They had three singles that reached #1 in France.-Studio album:*2003: Tragédie*2004: À fleur de peau*2010: TBA-Singles:*2003: "Hey Oh"*2004: "Sexy pour Moi"...
Alceste
Alceste (Gluck)
Alceste is an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck from 1767. The libretto was written by Ranieri de' Calzabigi and based on the play Alcestis by Euripides. The premiere took place in Vienna.-Preface and reforms:...
on 23 April 1776, Armide
Armide (Gluck)
Armide is an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck, his fifth for the Parisian stage and the composer's own favourite among his works. It was first performed in Paris at the Académie Royale on 23 September 1777....
on 23 September 1777, and Iphigenie en Tauride
Iphigénie en Tauride
Iphigénie en Tauride is an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck in four acts. It was his fifth opera for the French stage. The libretto was written by Nicolas-François Guillard....
on 18 May 1779. She also appeared in operas by Gluck's rival Niccolò Piccinni
Niccolò Piccinni
Niccolò Piccinni was an Italian composer of symphonies, sacred music, chamber music, and opera. Although he is somewhat obscure, even to music lovers today, Piccinni was one of the most popular composers of opera—particularly the Neapolitan opera buffa—of his day...
, as well as Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
, André Grétry and Antonio Sacchini
Antonio Sacchini
Antonio Maria Gasparo Sacchini was an Italian opera composer.Sacchini was born in Florence, but was raised in Naples, where he received his musical education at the San Onofrio conservatory. He wrote his first operas in Naples, thereafter moving to Venice, then London and eventually Paris, where...
.
Julian Rushton describes Levasseur as a "powerful rather than flexible singer, with a good stage presence if unattractive features."
She died in Neuwied am Rhein
Neuwied
Neuwied is a town in the north of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, capital of the District of Neuwied. Neuwied lies on the right bank of the Rhine, 12 km northwest of Koblenz, on the railway from Frankfurt am Main to Cologne...
in 1826.
Other roles created
- 1777: the title role in Ernelinde, princesse de NorvègeErnelinde, princesse de NorvègeErnelinde, princesse de Norvège is a three-act operatic tragédie lyrique, by the French composer François-André Danican Philidor...
(3rd revision) by PhilidorFrançois-André Danican PhilidorFrançois-André Danican Philidor , often referred to as André Danican Philidor during his lifetime, was a French composer and chess player. He contributed to the early development of the opéra comique... - 1778: Angélique in RolandRoland (Piccinni)Roland is a tragédie lyrique in three acts by the composer Niccolò Piccinni. The opera was a new setting of a libretto written by Philippe Quinault for Jean-Baptiste Lully in 1685, specially adapted for Piccinni by Jean-François Marmontel...
by PiccinniNiccolò PiccinniNiccolò Piccinni was an Italian composer of symphonies, sacred music, chamber music, and opera. Although he is somewhat obscure, even to music lovers today, Piccinni was one of the most popular composers of opera—particularly the Neapolitan opera buffa—of his day... - 1779: Oriane in Amadis de GauleAmadis de Gaule (J.C. Bach)Amadis de Gaule or Amadis des Gaules is a French opera in three acts by the German composer Johann Christian Bach...
by J C BachJohann Christian BachJohann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital... - 1780: the title role in AndromaqueAndromaque (opera)Andromaque is an opera in three acts by the composer André Ernest Modeste Grétry. The French libretto is an adaptation of Jean Racine's play Andromaque by Louis-Guillaume Pitra . It was first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique, Paris on 6 June 1780...
by Grétry - 1783: Armide in RenaudRenaud (opera)Renaud is an opera by Antonio Sacchini, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique, Paris on 23 February 1783. It takes the form of a tragédie lyrique in three acts...
by SacchiniAntonio SacchiniAntonio Maria Gasparo Sacchini was an Italian opera composer.Sacchini was born in Florence, but was raised in Naples, where he received his musical education at the San Onofrio conservatory. He wrote his first operas in Naples, thereafter moving to Venice, then London and eventually Paris, where... - 1784: Antonio in Richard Coeur-de-lionRichard Coeur-de-lion (opera)Richard Coeur-de-lion is an opéra comique, described as a comédie mise en musique, by the Belgian composer André Grétry. was by Michel-Jean Sedaine. The work is generally recognised as Grétry's masterpiece and one of the most important French opéras comiques...
by Grétry