L'amant anonyme
{{Short description|1780 opera by Chevalier de Saint-Georges}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox opera
| name = L'amant anonyme
| composer = Chevalier de Saint-Georges
| image = Saint-George L'amant anonime 1780.png
| alt=Newspaper notice for opera L'amand anonyme
| image_upright = 0.8
| caption = Title page of manuscript, Paris 1780
| librettist = Desfontaines-Lavallée
| language = French
| based_on = A play by Madame de Genlis
| premiere_date = {{Start date|1780|03|18|df=y}}
| premiere_location = Private theater of Madame de Montesson
}}
L'amant anonyme (The Anonymous Lover) is a 1780 opéra comique in two acts with ballet by Chevalier de Saint-Georges to a libretto by Desfontaines-Lavallée based on a play by Madame de Genlis. L'amant is Saint-Georges' sole surviving opera.Opera, vol. 57, iss. 1–6, p. 678 (2006): "His successor, Eric Chevalier, is following in his footsteps: three of the five operas staged this season are rarities, including the Chevalier de Saint-Georges's L'amant anonyme of 1780 and Les Liaisons dangereuses ..."{{cite web|title=Joseph Bologne's L'amant anonyme|url=https://rism.info/new_publications/2020/12/07/joseph-bolognes-lamant-anonyme.html|author=George N. Gianopoulos |author2=Stephen Karr |author3=Leila Núñez-Fredell |author4=Mishkar Núñez-Fredell |date=7 December 2020 |publisher=Répertoire international des sources musicales (RISM)|access-date=March 11, 2023}}
A reproduction of the manuscript score of this opera was published in 1984.{{cite book| publisher = Pendragon Press | date = 1984 | title = L'amant anonyme }}
A critical edition of the score was published in 2020.{{cite web | access-date = 24 February 2024 | url = https://www.operaritrovata.org/edition | publisher = Opera Ritrovata | title = Critical Edition of L'amant anonyme}}
Plot
The story concerns a wealthy young widow, Leontine, who resists suggestions that she fall in love again after a cold marriage to her late husband. She has been receiving gifts and love letters from an anonymous admirer, who is in actuality her good friend Valcour. Valcour, however, is of lower birth and is afraid Leontine could never love him. So he hides his feelings and tells her that he also is closed to love. Still, he clumsily tries to reveal himself through mutual friends just as Leontine is trying to meet the Anonymous Lover herself. Eventually all is revealed and they give themselves to love.{{cite web|title=Synopsis, L'amant anonyme|url=https://www.laopera.org/performances/upcoming-digital-performances/the-anonymous-lover/|publisher=Los Angeles Opera|access-date=March 11, 2023}}
Roles
| class=wikitable
|+{{sronly|Roles, voice types, premiere cast}} !Role |
| Léontine, a young widow |
| Valcour, the anonymous lover |
| Ophémon, Léontine's tutor |
| Jeannette, bride and friend of Léontine
|soprano |
| Colin, groom and friend of Léontine
|tenor |
| Dorothée, Léontine’s close friend
|spoken role |
| colspan="2"|Wedding guests, chorus |
Recording
- Çedille Records: Joseph Bologne, Saint-Georges: L'amant anonyme "world premiere recording", with Nicole Cabell (Léontine), Geoffrey Agpalo (Valcour), David Govertsen (Ophémon), Erica Schuller (Jeannette), Michael St. Peter (Colin), Nathalie Colas (Dorothée), Haymarket Opera Company (Chicago), conducted by Craig Trompeter. Length: 2 hours, 49 minutes.{{cite web | access-date = 24 February 2024 | url = https://www.cedillerecords.org/albums/lamant-anonyme-the-anonymous-lover/ | title =L’amant anonyme (The Anonymous Lover)}}
References
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Category:French-language operas