L'Opéra au service de la Nation. La relecture rhétorique de la Guerre de l'Opéra de Jacques Cazotte.

Sebastian Zacharow

Titles

L'Opéra au service de la Nation. La relecture rhétorique de la Guerre de l'Opéra de Jacques Cazotte.

Abstract

The Opera in the Service of the Nation. The Rhetorical Lecture of Guerre de l’Opéra

by Jacques Cazotte

The premiere of Serva Padrona by Pergolese at the Paris Opera divided deeply the French society of the Age of Enlightenment. The famous Querelle des Bouffons has become the nucleus of a lively debate, from which, what is to be emphasized, none of the sides was triumphant. In his treatise Guerre de l’Opéra, Jacques Cazotte, emphasizing his impartiality, stands in defense of French music.

By proving the superiority of Mondonville’s works, Cazotte is aware that only strong arguments can convince the philosophers. Accused by many of being “scientific” and in consequence, being incapable of expressing all the nuances of human passions, the French music, thanks to the ability to perform rhetorical functions, reserved, as it may seemingly appear, for forewords and literature, can not only conform to the rules, but also can please and touch. The French Opera, as Cazotte poves, fills perfectly the rhetorical target of persuasio with an intelligent and effective rhetoric and expresses the spirit and sensitivity of France.

The purpose of this article is to reflect on how Cazotte defends French music from the fashion for Italian music, which had a strong influence on the French aesthetics of the Age of Enlightenment, as well as from the philosophers of the epoch who would discredit at all costs the work of French composers in the eyes of the audience.

The premiere of Serva Padrona by Pergolese at the Paris Opera divided deeply the French society of the Age of Enlightenment. The famous Querelle des Bouffons has become the nucleus of a lively debate, from which, what is to be emphasized, none of the sides was triumphant. In his treatise Guerre de l’Opéra, Jacques Cazotte, emphasizing his impartiality, stands in defense of French music.

By proving the superiority of Mondonville’s works, Cazotte is aware that only strong arguments can convince the philosophers. Accused by many of being “scientific” and in consequence, being incapable of expressing all the nuances of human passions, the French music, thanks to the ability to perform rhetorical functions, reserved, as it may seemingly appear, for forewords and literature, can not only conform to the rules, but also can please and touch. The French Opera, as Cazotte poves, fills perfectly the rhetorical target of persuasio with an intelligent and effective rhetoric and expresses the spirit and sensitivity of France.

The purpose of this article is to reflect on how Cazotte defends French music from the fashion for Italian music, which had a strong influence on the French aesthetics of the Age of Enlightenment, as well as from the philosophers of the epoch who would discredit at all costs the work of French composers in the eyes of the audience.

Keywords

Jacques Cazotte, French Opera, French Enlightenment, rhetoric

References

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Cazotte J., La Guerre de l’opéra. Lettre écrite à une dame de province, [sans lieu] 1753.

Décote G., L’itinéraire de Jacques Cazotte. De la fiction littéraire au mysticisme politique, Genève 1984.

Encyclopédie ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, tome XIV, Neufchastel 1765.

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Information

Information: Studia Litteraria Universitatis Iagellonicae Cracoviensis, 2018, Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 65 - 76

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/20843933ST.18.006.8284

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:

L'Opéra au service de la Nation. La relecture rhétorique de la Guerre de l'Opéra de Jacques Cazotte.

English:

The Opera in the Service of the Nation. The Rhetorical Lecture of Guerre de l’Opéra by Jacques Cazotte

Authors

Sebastian Zacharow

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5536-1637

University of Lodz, Poland, ul. Narutowicza 65, 90-131 Łódź

Published at: 27.03.2018

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Percentage share of authors:

Sebastian Zacharow (Author) - 100%

Article corrections:

-

Publication languages:

French

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