Royer's opera Zaïde, reine de Grenade was the most performed opera of the eighteenth century on royal occasions and remained in the Paris Opera programs after his death.
Composer Biography
Voltaire, the famous French writer, reacted to Royer's unexpected death in 1755 with a sarcastic letter, expressing relief and blaming Royer for disfiguring his libretto.
Composer Biography
Royer's father died in 1718, leaving the young musician, then 15, to rely on his own resources.
Composition History
Royer's opera Pyrrhus was composed to celebrate the birth of the Dauphin Louis-Ferdinand in September 1729, but was performed in 1730 for the birth of his brother, Philippe, duc d'Anjou.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Zaïde, reine de Grenade, Royer's opera, features an overture of striking originality with 'batteries, arpeggios, roulades and tirades' that create a kaleidoscope of harmonic and tonal color.
Composer Biography
Pancrace Royer, the composer, was born in Turin, Italy, as his French hydraulic engineer father was sent there by Louis XIV to assist the house of Savoy.
Recording & Production
This album is a co-production between Les Talens Lyriques and the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, an organization dedicated to rediscovering French musical heritage.
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