Marie-Françoise-Adélaïde Gavaudan, called Mlle Gavaudan cadette and nicknamed Spinette, (1767–1805) was a French operatic soprano.

Life

Gavaudan is the daughter of Denis Gavaudan and Catherine Calmen, a member of the Gavaudan family, which reigns at the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief rival, the Comédie-Italienn ...

; sister of , Jean-Baptiste-Sauveur and .Kutsch and Riemens. In 1780, she was hired with her sister Émilie, by Madame Donvilliers, of the Petits Comédiens de . She was a chorister in 1778, at the

Académie royale de musique The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

. She already sang important roles, such as that of Angélique in the revival of ''Roland'' by

Piccinni Piccinni is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Niccolò Piccinni (1728–1800), Italian composer **Teatro Piccinni, Italian theater in Bari, Apulia *Louis Alexandre Piccinni (1779–1850), Italian-French composer, grandso ...

in October 1782. On 8 July 1782, she made her debut at the

Comédie-Italienne Comédie-Italienne or Théâtre-Italien are French names which have been used to refer to Italian-language theatre and opera when performed in France. The earliest recorded visits by Italian players were commedia dell'arte companies employed b ...

, as Mme Saintclair, in ''La Fausse Magie'' by Gretry; then as Alix, in ''Les Trois fermiers de Dezède''; as Aline, in ''la Belle Arsène'', but she was not hired by this company. She was coryphée in 1784, at the

Académie Royale de Musique The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

. She became an assistant in 1786. She came to prominence in 1787 with the role of Spinette in ''Tarare'' by

Salieri Antonio Salieri (18 August 17507 May 1825) was an Italian classical composer, conductor, and teacher. He was born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, and spent his adult life and career as a subject of the Habsburg monarch ...

, she retained the sobriquet of "Spinette" During the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

, she fled Paris for Germany, then returned. In 1793, she remained at the

Opéra This is a glossary list of opera genres, giving alternative names. "Opera" is an Italian word (short for "opera in musica"); it was not at first ''commonly'' used in Italy (or in other countries) to refer to the genre of particular works. Most c ...

; as a singing artist, attached to this company at least until 1798. In 1796, she joined the troupe of the

Théâtre Feydeau The Théâtre Feydeau (), a former Parisian theatre company, was founded in 1789 with the patronage of Monsieur, Comte de Provence (later to become Louis XVIII), and was therefore initially named the Théâtre de Monsieur. It began performing in t ...

, where she created ''Ziméo'' (Martini, 1800). In 1802, when Feydeau's troupe was combined with that of the

, she retired from the stage and emigrated to

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...

Creations

;At the Académie royale de musique * 1781: ''Iphigénie en Tauride'',

tragédie lyrique This is a glossary list of opera genres, giving alternative names. "Opera" is an Italian word (short for "opera in musica"); it was not at first ''commonly'' used in Italy (or in other countries) to refer to the genre of particular works. Most c ...

Niccolò Piccinni Niccolò Piccinni (; 16 January 1728 – 7 May 1800) was an Italian composer of symphonies, sacred music, chamber music, and opera. Although he is somewhat obscure today, Piccinni was one of the most popular composers of opera—particularly th ...

, libretto by

Alphonse du Congé Dubreuil Alphonse du Congé (or ''Ducongé'') Dubreuil (19 June 1734 – 22 February 1801) was an 18th-century French poet and playwright. In 1777, he wrote an opera libretto on the theme of ''Iphigénie en Tauride'', which he proposed to Christoph Willi ...

, 23 January, as Elise. * 1782: ''L'embarras des richesses'', comédie lyrique in three acts, libretto by

Jean-Baptiste Lourdet de Santerre Jean-Baptiste is a male French name, originating with Saint John the Baptist, and sometimes shortened to Baptiste. The name may refer to any of the following: Persons * Charles XIV John of Sweden, born Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, was King o ...

, 26 November, as Phénice. * 1783: ''Didon'', tragédie lyrique in three acts by

, libretto by

Jean-François Marmontel Jean-François Marmontel (11 July 1723 – 31 December 1799) was a French historian, writer and a member of the Encyclopédistes movement. Biography He was born of poor parents at Bort, Limousin (today in Corrèze). After studying with the ...

, 1 December * 1784: ''

La caravane du Caire ''La Caravane du Caire'' is an opera or opéra-ballet in three acts by André Grétry, set to a libretto by Étienne Morel de Chédeville. Tradition has it that either the libretto was partially writtenCharlton. or the idea of it was allegedly sug ...

'',

opéra-ballet ''Opéra-ballet'' (; plural: ''opéras-ballets'') is a genre of French Baroque lyric theatre that was most popular during the 18th century, combining elements of opera and ballet, "that grew out of the '' ballets à entrées'' of the early sevent ...

in three acts by

André Grétry André Ernest Modeste Grétry (; baptised 11 February 1741; died 24 September 1813) was a composer from the Prince-Bishopric of Liège (present-day Belgium), who worked from 1767 onwards in France and took French nationality. He is most famous ...

, libretto by

Étienne Morel de Chédeville Étienne Morel de Chédeville (10 October 1751 in Paris - 13 July 1814 in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges) was a 19th-century French playwright and librettist. He wrote the librettos for the following operas: *1783 : '' La caravane du Caire'' by André ...

, 15 January * 1784: ''Diane et Endymion'', libretto by Jean-François Espic de Lirou, music by Piccini, 7 September, as l’Amour * 1784: '' Chimène'', tragédie lyrique française, by

Antonio Sacchini Antonio Maria Gasparo Gioacchino Sacchini (14 June 1730 – 6 October 1786) was an Italian composer, best known for his operas. Sacchini was born in Florence, but raised in Naples, where he received his musical education. He made a name for hi ...

, libretto by Guillard, as Elvire * 1785: ''Panurge dans L’Ile des Lanternes'', by Grétry, libretto by

, 25 January * 1785'': Pénélope'' , tragédie lyrique in 3 acts, libretto by

; music by Niccolo Piccinni, 9 December, as Minerve. * 1786: ''

Œdipe à Colone is an operatic tragédie lyrique by Antonio Sacchini first performed at Versailles on 4 January 1786 in the presence of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The libretto, by Nicolas-François Guillard, is based on the play ''Oedipus at Colonus'' ...

,'' by

, 4 January * 1786: ''

Phèdre ''Phèdre'' (; originally ''Phèdre et Hippolyte'') is a French dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677 at the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris. Composition and premiere Wi ...

'', opera by

Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (15 February 1704 – 1778) was a French sculptor of the 18th century who worked in both the rococo and neoclassical style. He made monumental statuary for the Gardens of Versailles but was best known for his expressive p ...

, libretto by

François-Benoît Hoffman François-Benoît Hoffman (11 July 1760 – 25 April 1828) was a French playwright and critic, best known today for his operatic librettos, including those set to music by Étienne Méhul and Luigi Cherubini (most notably Cherubini's '' Médée ...

, 26 October, as

Œnone In Greek mythology, Oenone (; Ancient Greek: Οἰνώνη ''Oinōnē''; "wine woman") was the first wife of Paris of Troy, whom he abandoned for Helen. Oenone was also the ancient name of an island, which was later named after Aegina, daugh ...

. * 1786: ''Les Horaces'', tragédie lyrique in 3 acts, libretto by Nicolas-François Guillard, music by

Antonio Salieri Antonio Salieri (18 August 17507 May 1825) was an Italian classical composer, conductor, and teacher. He was born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, and spent his adult life and career as a subject of the Habsburg monar ...

, 2 December * 1787: ''Alcindor'', opéra-féerie in 3 acts, libretto by Marc-Antoine-Jacques Rochon de Chabannes; music by

Nicolas Dezède Nicolas-Alexandre Dezède (c.1740 in Lyon – 11 September 1798, in Paris) was an 18th-century French composer born from unknown parents. Dezède presented a great many number of opéras comiques, of which several were popular, at the Théâtre ...

, 17 April * 1787: ''

Tarare Tarare is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. It lies on the Turdine river, 28 miles west-northwest of Lyon by rail. History The city was founded at the beginning of the 12th century, as the priory of Tarare by the Savi ...

'', opera, music by

, libretto by

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satiris ...

, 8 June, role of Spinette * 1789: ''Les Prétendus'' de Lemoyne, libretto by Marc-Antoine-Jacques Rochon de Chabannes, 2 June * 1790: ''Les Pommiers et le Moulin'', by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, 22 January ;At

* 1800: ''Ziméo'', opéra comique in three acts, by Jean-Baptiste Lourdet de Santerre, music by Martini, 16 October * 1801: ''Le locataire'', one act opéra comique by

Pierre Gaveaux Pierre Gaveaux (9 October 1761 – 5 February 1825) was a French operatic tenor and composer, notable for creating the role of Jason in Cherubini's ''Médée'' and for composing '' Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal'', the first operatic version of ...

, libretto by Charles-Augustin de Bassompierre, 17 September, as Apolline.

References

Sources

* Le Ménestrel, *: 1872: n°32, 7 July; n°33, 14 July; n°34, 21 July; n°35, 28 July; n°36, 4 Augus
Read online
*

Arthur Pougin Arthur Pougin ( 6 August 1834 – 8 August 1921) was a French musical and dramatic critic and writer. He was born at Châteauroux (Indre) and studied music at the Conservatoire de Paris under Alard (violin) and Reber (harmony). In 1855 he becam ...

, ''Figures d’Opéra-Comique : Mme Dugazon, Elleviou, la tribu des Gavaudan'', Paris, Tresse, 1875,
Archive
* . * *

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gavaudan, Adélaïde French operatic sopranos 1767 births 1805 deaths Place of birth missing