Mademoiselle Petitpas
{{Short description|French opera singer (1710–1739)}}
Mademoiselle Petitpas (last name pronounced {{IPA link|[pətiːpɑ]}}; c. 1710 - 24 October 1739) was a French comedian and operatic soprano.{{Cite Grove|date=2002|author=Philip Weller|title=Petitpas, Mlle|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O006602}} {{subscription}}
Early life
Petitpas was born circa 1710 to a Parisian father (a locksmith) and an unknown mother.{{cite encyclopedia|entry=Mademoiselle Petitpas|encyclopedia=Les Comédiennes, De La Vie au dix-huitième siècle|volume=4|location=Paris|publisher=Éditions Marcel Seheur|year=1930|editor=Henri Lyonnet|access-date=31 January 2025|language=fr|entry-url=https://siefar.org/dictionnaire/fr/Mademoiselle_Petitpas/Henri_Lyonnet|via={{ill|Société internationale pour l'étude des femmes de l'Ancien Régime|fr}} (SIEFAR)}}
Career
She debuted as a comedian in 1723 at the Saint-Germain fair, and soon after that at the Saint-Laurent fair's Comic Opera. In 1732, she met a known financier, Joseph Bonnier de la Mosson, who was the general treasurer of Languedoc provinces and had the title of "Maréchal général des logis des camps et armées du roi" (translated as "Marshal General of the King's camps and armies", and later referred as "Marshal General of France").{{cite journal |title=Les Bonnier, une dynastie montpéllieraine |journal=Art de Vivre – Montpellier Notre Ville |date=October 2005 |issue=295 |pages=40–41 |url=https://www.montpellier.fr/uploads/Externe/c0/3_448_a4-PUB_CHEMIN_FICHIER_9_1128965012.pdf}} She first moved into Bonnier's {{ill|Hotel de Lude|fr|Cabinet de curiosités de Joseph Bonnier de La Mosson}}, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, and then later on in his castle in Montpellier, where many lavish parties were organised, despite the shock of the bishop of Montpellier Charles Colbert. After a brief stint as a performer in France, Petitpas left for England. When she came back in April 1734, Petitpas was both acclaimed for her talents and the object of conversations due to her affair with Bonnier. In 1735, Colbert wrote to Bonnier that everyone knows that he and Petitpas are living similarly to a married couple without being married. He continued by saying that no one can avoid Bonnier and Petitpas' sinful way of living. Finally, Colbert asked him to evict Petitpas – which Bonnier firmly refused. However, because of the growing scandals and talks about their relationship, Bonnier and Petitpas left Montpellier for Paris. Bonnier's family opposed to the affair, but he was decided to marry Petitpas nonetheless. He prepared in her honour a lavish feast in {{ill|Plaine Saint-Denis|fr|La Plaine Saint-Denis}}, where a ballet was to be performed. Unfortunately, Petitpas was not able to join.
Death
Aged 30, she died of phthisis in Paris on 24 October 1739 and was buried in Saint-Eustache.
Roles
References
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