Marie Pélissier or sometimes Pelissier (1706/07 – March 21, 1749) was a French operatic

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 ...

. At the

Paris Opera 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 ...

in 1722, she began her career, which was noted for her artistic skill and a scandal, until her retirement in 1741.

Career and scandal

Pélissier debuted at the

in 1722, soon thereafter marrying Victor Pélissier and appearing at his theater in

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...

. She returned to Paris after his bankruptcy, singing at the Paris Opera again on May 16, 1726 in a performance of

Pascal Collasse Pascal Collasse (or Colasse) (22 January 1649 (baptism, baptised) – 17 July 1709) was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born in Rheims, Collasse became a disciple of Jean-Baptiste Lully during the latter's domination of the French operati ...

's ''

Thétis et Pélée ''Thétis et Pelée'' (''Thetis and Peleus'') is an opera by the French composer Pascal Collasse, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opéra) on 11 January 1689. It takes the form of a ''tragédie lyrique'' in a prologue ...

'', in which she won great plaudits. Later in the year she created the role of Thisbé in '' Pirame et Thisbé'' by

François Francoeur François Francœur (21 September 1698 – 5 August 1787) was a French composer and violinist from the late Baroque (music), Baroque era and the Classical period (music), Classical era. Biography François Francœur was born in Paris, the son ...

and

François Rebel François Rebel (19 June 17017 November 1775) was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born in Paris, the son of the leading composer Jean-Féry Rebel, he was a child prodigy who became a violinist in the orchestra of the Paris Opera The Pari ...

. Her performance attracted the notice of Catherine-Nicole Le Maure, who returned from a retirement and incited a rivalry which grew to include their respective supporters, the ''mauriens'' and the ''pélissiens'' as well. This conflict included "disputes" during the first run of Pirame et Thisbé. A scandal involving the theft of gold and money from her lover, François Lopez Dulis, led to Pélissier's dismissal on February 15, 1734, whereupon she fled to London. She was back at the Paris Opera on April 19, 1735, remaining there until retiring in October 1741.

Artistry

Pélissier has been described as having a small voice whose production was, at least at the start of her career, somewhat forced. Even so, she was held by many to be the equal of

Marie Le Rochois Marie Le Rochois (c. 1658 – 8 October 1728) was a French operatic soprano who belonged to the Académie Royale de Musique. She is often referred to as Marthe Le Rochois or simply La Rochois. Opera career She was introduced to Jean-Baptiste L ...

"in the emotional power of her declamation and movements". Audiences, namely

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, philosopher (''philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit ...

, compared her skilled artistry to Le Maure's exceptional vocal talent.

wrote that "il préférait Pélissier pour son art, et le Maure pour sa voix." She created many roles, including five for

Jean-Philippe Rameau Jean-Philippe Rameau (; ; – ) was a French composer and music theory, 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 ...

alone: Aricia in ''

Hippolyte et Aricie ('' Hippolytus and Aricia'') was the first opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was premiered to great controversy by the Académie Royale de Musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal in Paris on October 1, 1733. The French libretto, by Abbé ...

'' in 1733; Emilie in ''

Les Indes galantes is a ''ballet héroïque'', a type of Baroque music#Late baroque music (1680–1750), French Baroque opera-ballet, by Jean-Philippe Rameau with a libretto by Louis Fuzelier. In its final form it comprised an allegory, allegorical prologue and fou ...

'' in 1735, Telaira in ''

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 ...

'' in 1737, and Iphise in both 1739's '' Les fêtes d'Hébé, ou Les talents lyriques'' and '' Dardanus''.

François-Hubert Drouais François-Hubert Drouais (; Paris, 14 December 1727 – Paris, 21 October 1775) was a leading French portrait painter during the latter years of Louis XV's reign. His clientele included the French royal family and nobility, foreign aristocracy, f ...

has painted a portrait of Pélissier.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pelissier, Marie 1700s births Year of birth uncertain 1749 deaths French operatic sopranos 18th-century French women opera singers