Pierre-Charles Roy (1683 — 23 October 1764) was a French poet and man of letters, noted for his collaborations with the composers

François Francoeur François Francœur (8 September 1698 – 5 August 1787) was a French composer and violinist. Biography François Francœur was born in Paris, the son of Joseph Francœur, a basse de violon player and member of the '' 24 violons du roy''. Franc� ...

and André Cardinal Destouches, to produce librettos for several opera-ballets, on classical subjects or pseudo-classical

pastiche A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking it ...

s, for seven tragedies, and for his rivalry with the young

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...

, who immortalised Roy with some disdainful public words. In an early letter of 1719 to

Jean-Baptiste Rousseau Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (6 April 1671 – 17 March 1741) was a French playwright and poet, particularly noted for his cynical epigrams. Biography Rousseau was born in Paris, the son of a shoemaker, and was well educated. As a young man, he gai ...

, Voltaire says, "I have been so unfortunate under the name of Arouet that I have taken another one especially to be confused no more with the poet Roy." Roy was born and died in Paris. His first opera libretto, ''Philomèle'', was performed at the Paris Opéra on 20 October 1705. By 1718 he had provided texts for seven ''tragédies en musique'' and was being hailed as a successor to

Quinault Quinault may refer to: * Quinault people, an Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast **Quinault Indian Nation, a federally recognized tribe **Quinault language, their language People * Quinault family of actors, including * Jean-Baptis ...

. His involvement with musicians was not always positive: He was involved in a public brawl with composer Rameau after penning a derogatory poem about the latter.Graham Sadler and Thomas Christensen. "Rameau, Jean-Philippe." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/22832 (accessed January 29, 2009). Roy won prizes from the

Académie Française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

and was elected to the

Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, f ...

, but his attempts to become an ''immortelle'' of the Académie Française were repeatedly rejected, occasioning some clandestine satires and epigrams on his part; however, the Duchess of Maine invited him to write for the '' Grandes Nuits de Sceaux'' in 1714 and 1715. He was appointed a Chevalier of the Order of St-Michel (1742), the first man of letters to be so honoured; and

Mme de Pompadour Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (, ; 29 December 1721 – 15 April 1764), commonly known as Madame de Pompadour, was a member of the French court. She was the official chief mistress of King Louis XV from 1745 to 1751, and rema ...

had his works performed at her Théâtre des Petits Cabinets in the Petite Galerie at

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...

, 1747-51.

Selected works

* ''Philomèle'' (1705), his first mounted success * ''Bradamante'' (1707) * ''

Callirhoé ''Callirhoé'' is an opera by the French composer André Cardinal Destouches. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts. The libretto, by Pierre-Charles Roy, is based on a story from ''The Description of Greece'' ...

'' (tragédie en musique, 1712), music by Destouches * ''Ariane'' (1717) * '' Sémiramis'' (tragédie lyrique, 1718), music by Destouches * ''

Les élémens ''Les Élémens'' (''The Elements''), or ''Ballet des élémens'', is an opéra-ballet by the French composers André Cardinal Destouches and Michel Richard Delalande (or de Lalande). It has a prologue and four '' entrées'' (as well as, original ...

'' (opéra-ballet, 1721), music by Destouches and Michel Richard Delalande * ''Les stratagèmes de l'amour'' (ballet, 1726), music by Destouches * ''Les Augustales'' (1744) * ''La félicité'' (1745) * ''Hippodamie'' * ''Creüse''

References

*Polinger, Elliot H: ''Pierre Charles Roy. Playwright and Satirist (1683-1764)'', (New York: Institute of French Studies), 1930.

Notes

External links

His plays and their presentations
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CÉSAR
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roy, Pierre-Charles Writers from Paris 1683 births 1764 deaths 18th-century French poets 18th-century French male writers French opera librettists