Ryan Brown, the conductor and artistic director of Opera Lafayette, has an international reputation for reviving 18th-century French opera and received La Médaille d'Or du Rayonnement Culturel in 2012.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Michel-Jean Sedaine, the librettist, was conscious of the subversive nature of his libretto for "Le Roi et le fermier," which contained veiled criticism of King Louis XV's reliance on his ministers.
Critical Reception
Despite a lukewarm initial reception due to its novelties, "Le Roi et le fermier" later achieved great success, with over two hundred performances and significant earnings for its creators.
Historical Context
The choice of an English model for the opera's libretto had a political dimension, reflecting a reaction against the French government's opposition to Britain during the Seven Years' War.
Compositional Technique
Sedaine's libretto is innovative for its integration of music and drama, using elements like a storm as a musical interlude and allowing Monsigny to characterize characters through their emotions.
Notable Performances
Marie-Antoinette, the Queen of France, performed the role of Jenny in a private performance of "Le Roi et le fermier" at her theater in Versailles on August 1, 1780.
Composition History
Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny's opera "Le Roi et le fermier" was based on an English play by Robert Dodsley, "The King and the Miller of Mansfield."
