Henri Larrivée (9 January 1737 – 7 August 1802) was a French opera singer. He was born in
Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
. His voice range was ''basse-taille'' (equivalent to
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...
).
[Dratwicki, p. 85] According to
Fétis, Larrivée was working as an apprentice to a wigmaker when the head of the
Paris Opéra
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 kn ...
,
Rebel
A rebel is a participant in a rebellion.
Rebel or rebels may also refer to:
People
* Rebel (given name)
* Rebel (surname)
* Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution
* American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...
, noticed his talent for singing and hired him as a chorus member. He made his first solo appearance as a high priest in a 1755 revival of
Rameau's ''
Castor et Pollux
''Castor et Pollux'' (''Castor and Pollux'') is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 24 October 1737 by the Académie royale de musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal in Paris. The librettist was Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard ...
''. He was particularly associated with the works of
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period (music), classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of th ...
, helping Gluck establish his "reform operas" in France.
He found Gluck's rival,
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 the ...
, less congenial but still worked with him on the premieres of operas including ''
Roland
Roland (; ; or ''Rotholandus''; or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was mil ...
'' (1778).
[Rushton p. 269] After already getting a pension in 1779, he retired from the ''Académie Royale de Musique'' in 1786 and devoted most of the time he had left to live to tour around with his two daughters, Camille (later known as
Mme Delaval) and
Henriette, who played respectively harp and violin.
The 19th-century writer
Émile Campardon described Larrivée thus: "The artist, who had everything – a good figure, a wide range, a flexible voice, and acting that was both natural and intelligent – deserved the applause he received over a career spanning more than thirty years. Almost every new work in which he appeared was a success."
Fétis claimed that Larrivée had a tendency to turn nasal on high notes and quoted a joke from a member of the audience: "There's a nose with a good voice!"
Larrivée was married to the
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
Marie-Jeanne Lemière (1733—1786), later known as Madame Larrivée.
Roles created
Larrivée was the first singer to perform the following parts:
[Pitou, pp. 322–323]
*Apollon in ''
Les surprises de l'Amour
''Les surprises de l'Amour'' is an ''opéra-ballet'' in two ''entrées'' (three or four in later versions) and a prologue by the French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was first performed in Versailles on 27 November 1748. The opera is set to ...
'' (by
Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau (; ; – ) was a French composer and music theorist. Regarded as one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the 18th century, he replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera a ...
, 1757)
*The king in ''
Énée et Lavinie'' (by
Dauvergne, 1758)
*Orcan in ''
Les Paladins
''Les Paladins'' is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau first performed on 12 February 1760 at the Paris Opera. The author of the libretto is not known for sure but was probably one of the Duplat de Monticourt brothers. Rameau called ''Les Paladins ...
'' (by Rameau, 1760)
*The Druid in ''Le prince de Noisy'' (by
Rebel
A rebel is a participant in a rebellion.
Rebel or rebels may also refer to:
People
* Rebel (given name)
* Rebel (surname)
* Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution
* American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...
and
Francœur, 1760)
*Jealousy in ''
Polixène
''Polixène'' (''Polyxena'') is an opera by the French composer Antoine Dauvergne, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opéra) on 11 January 1763. It takes the form of a '' tragédie lyrique'' in five acts. The libretto ...
'' (by Dauvergne, 1763)
*Saint-Phar in ''Aline, reine de Golconde'' (by
Monsigny, 1766)
*Vulcain in ''Sylvie'' (by Lagarde, 1766)
*Dorilas in ''Théonis ou le toucher'' (Act 2 of ''Les fragments nouveaux'', by
Berton and
Trial
In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, w ...
, 1767)
*The chief of the savages in ''Amphion'' (Act 3 of ''Les fragments nouveaux'', by
La Borde, 1767)
*Ricimer in ''
Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège'' (by
Philidor
Philidor (''Filidor'') or Danican Philidor was a family of musicians that served as court musicians to the French kings. The original name of the family was Danican (D'Anican) and was of Scottish origin (Duncan). Philidor was a later addition to t ...
, 1767)
*Zerbin in ''
La vénitienne
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
*La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
*"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smit ...
'' (by Dauvergne, 1768)
*Alcide in ''
Omphale
In Greek mythology, Omphale (; ) was princess of the kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor. Diodorus Siculus provides the first appearance of the Omphale theme in literature, though Aeschylus was aware of the episode. The Greeks did not recognize her a ...
'' (by
Cardonne, 1769)
*Thémistée in ''
Ismène et Isménias'' (by La Borde, 1770)
*Germain in ''La cinquantaine'' (by La Borde, 1771)
*Mars in ''Le prix de la valeur'' (by Dauvergne, 1771)
*Guillaume in ''
Adèle de Ponthieu'' (by La Borde and Berton, 1772)
*Théophile (second entrée)/An old man (third entrée) in ''L'union de l'amour et des arts'' (by
Floquet, 1773)
*Sabinus in ''
Sabinus'' (by
Gossec, 1773)
*Céphale in ''
Céphale et Procris'' (by
Grétry, 1773)
*Agamemnon in ''
Iphigénie en Aulide
''Iphigénie en Aulide'' (''Iphigeneia in Aulis (ancient Greece), Aulis'') is an opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck, the first work he wrote for the Paris stage. The libretto was written by François-Louis Gand Le Bland Du Roullet ...
'' (by
Gluck
Christoph Willibald ( Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire at ...
, 1774)
*Alcindor in ''Azolan'' (by Floquet, 1774)
*Philémon in ''
Philémon et Baucis'' (by Gossec, 1775)
*Hercule in ''
Alceste'' (by Gluck, 1776)
*Eutyme in ''Eutyme et Lyris'' (by
Desormery, 1776)
*Ubalde in ''
Armide'' (by Gluck, 1777)
*Roland in ''
Roland
Roland (; ; or ''Rotholandus''; or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was mil ...
'' (by
Piccinni, 1778)
*Oreste in ''
Iphigénie en Tauride
''Iphigénie en Tauride'' (, ''Iphigenia in Tauris'') is a 1779 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.
With ''Iphigénie,'' Gluck too ...
'' (by Gluck, 1779)
*Célœnus in ''
Atys'' (by Piccinni, 1780)
*Oreste in ''
Andromaque
''Andromaque'' is a tragedy in five acts by the France, French playwright Jean Racine written in French alexandrine, alexandrine verse. It was first performed on 17 November 1667 before the court of Louis XIV in the Louvre Palace, Louvre in the pr ...
'' (by Grétry, 1780)
*Phinée in ''
Persée'' (by Philidor, 1780)
*Julien in ''Le seigneur bienfaisant'' (by Floquet, 1780)
*Oreste in ''
Iphigénie en Tauride
''Iphigénie en Tauride'' (, ''Iphigenia in Tauris'') is a 1779 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.
With ''Iphigénie,'' Gluck too ...
'' (by Piccinni, 1781)
*The Count of Ponthieu in ''
Adèle de Ponthieu'' (by Piccinni, 1781)
*Egée in ''
Thésée'' (by Gossec, 1782)
*Oreste in ''
Électre'' (by
Lemoyne, 1782)
*Chrysante in ''L'embarras des richesses'' (by Gretry, 1782)
*Porus in ''
Alexandre aux Indes'' (by
Lefroid de Méreaux, 1783)
*Iarbe in ''
Didon'' (by Piccinni, 1783)
*Florestan in ''
La caravane du Caire'' (by Grétry, 1784)
*Danaüs in ''
Les Danaïdes
''Les Danaïdes'' is an opera by Antonio Salieri, in five acts: more specifically, it is a ''tragédie lyrique''. The opera was set to a libretto by François-Louis Gand Le Bland Du Roullet and Louis-Théodore de Tschudi, who in turn adapted the ...
'' (by
Salieri, 1784)
*Teucer in ''
Dardanus'' (by
Sacchini, 1784
*Ulysse in ''
Pénélope
''Pénélope'' is an opera in three acts by the French composer Gabriel Fauré. The libretto, by René Fauchois is based on Homer's ''Odyssey''. It was first performed at the Salle Garnier, Monte Carlo, on 4 March 1913. The piece is dedicated ...
'' (by Piccinni, 1785)
Larrivée was also due to play the role of Arcalaüs in
Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach (5 September 1735 – 1 January 1782) was a German composer of the Classical era, the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He received his early musical training from his father, and later from his half-brother, Carl ...
's ''
Amadis de Gaule'' but was forced to withdraw for health reasons.
References
Sources
* "The first performances of ''Amadis de Gaule''" in the book accompanying the recording of J. C. Bach's
*
Julian Rushton
Julian Gordon Rushton (born 22 May 1941) is an English musicologist, born in Cambridge. He has contributed the entry on Mozart in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' and several other articles in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians' ...
, article on Larrivée in ''The Grove Book of Opera Singers'' (Oxford University Press, 2008)
*
François-Joseph Fétis
François-Joseph Fétis (; 25 March 1784 – 26 March 1871) was a Belgian musicologist, critic, teacher and composer. He was among the most influential music intellectuals in continental Europe. His enormous compilation of biographical data in the ...
, ''Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique'' (1863 edition)
*Spire Pitou ''The Paris Opera: 1715–1815: Rococo and Romantic: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers and Performers'' (Greenwood, 1985)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Larrivee, Henri
1737 births
1802 deaths
French operatic baritones
18th-century French singers