Le tableau parlant (French pronunciation: [lə tablo paʁlɑ̃], The Talking Picture) is an opéra comique, described as a comédie-parade, in one act by André Grétry, The French libretto was by Louis Anseaume.

André Grétry

Performance history

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It was first performed on 20 September 1769 by the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris.

Roles

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Roles, voice types, premiere cast
Role Voice type Premiere cast, 20 September 1769[1]
Isabelle soprano Marie-Jeanne Trial
Léandre tenor Antoine Trial
Cassandre tenor Jean-Louis Laruette
Pierrot tenor Jean-Baptiste Guignard
Columbine soprano Marie-Thérèse Laruette

Synopsis

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In the absence of Isabelle's lover Léandre, Cassandre persuades Isabelle to marry him instead. Cassandre leaves and in the meantime Léandre returns and Isabelle changes her mind. She asks Cassandre's portrait for his agreement to the changed state of affairs, only to find that Cassandre himself is concealed behind the picture.

References

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  1. ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Le tableau parlant, 20 September 1769". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).

Further reading

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  • "Tableau parlant, Le" by Michael Fend, in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
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