In the mid-nineteenth century, opérettes de salon, light comedies intended for performances in homes and often within the capability of amateur singers, were a popular form of entertainment, particularly in France. Usually scored for just a few voices and piano, they included musical numbers interspersed with spoken dialogue. Success on the operatic stage eluded Parisian composer Jean-Baptiste Wekerlin (1921-1910), but he was prolific with his opérettes de salon, and while they brought him neither fame nor fortune, they ...
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In the mid-nineteenth century, opérettes de salon, light comedies intended for performances in homes and often within the capability of amateur singers, were a popular form of entertainment, particularly in France. Usually scored for just a few voices and piano, they included musical numbers interspersed with spoken dialogue. Success on the operatic stage eluded Parisian composer Jean-Baptiste Wekerlin (1921-1910), but he was prolific with his opérettes de salon, and while they brought him neither fame nor fortune, they were a creative outlet for which posterity should be grateful. La Laitière de Trainon (The Milkmaid of Trianon), which he wrote at Rossini's request for one of his famous soirées, is a completely delightful work, skillfully crafted, elegant, witty, and musically sparkling. Several numbers, particularly the tenor's "Prêt à partir de Lunéville" and the soprano's "Il peut aimer l'une avant l'autre," transcend the genre of salon music and could easily slip into the repertoire of nineteenth...
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