Nicolas-Jean Lefroid de Méreaux

Méreaux c. 1781

Nicolas-Jean Lefroid de Méreaux[1] (1745–1797) was a French composer born in Paris.

According to music critic François-Joseph Fétis, Méreaux studied music under French and Italian teachers before becoming the organist of the Church of Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas. He wrote several motets for the church and had his oratorio Esther performed at the Concert Spirituel in 1775. His first published work was the cantata Aline, reine de Golconde in 1767. He went on to compose several operas.[2]

His son, Joseph-Nicolas Lefroid de Méreaux (1767–1838), was also a composer, mostly of piano music.[2] His grandson was Amédée Méreaux.

Operas

Title Genre Sub­divisions Libretto Première date Theatre References
La ressource comique, ou La pièce à deux acteurs comédie mêlée d'ariettes prologue and 1 act Louis Anseaume 22 August 1772 Théâtre des Italiens [3]
Le retour de tendresse comédie mêlée d'ariettes 1 act Louis Anseaume 1 October 1774 Théâtre des Italiens [3]
Le duel comique (with Paisiello) opéra comique 2 acts Pierre-Louis Moline 16 September 1776 Opéra-Comique [4]
Laurette opéra 1 act Danzel de Malzeville 23 July 1777 Comédie Italienne [5]
Alexandre aux Indes tragédie lyrique 3 acts Étienne Morel de Chédeville 26 August 1783 Paris Opéra [6]
Œdipe à Thèbes tragédie lyrique 3 acts Comte Duprat de Lantouloubre 30 December 1791 Paris Opéra [7]
Fabius tragédie lyrique 3 acts J. Martin (known as Barouillet) 9 August 1793 Paris Opéra [8]

References

  1. ^ Spelled thus by Benoît Dratwicki [fr], p.61
  2. ^ a b Fétis, p.377
  3. ^ a b Clément and Larousse, p.572
  4. ^ Clément and Larousse, p.241
  5. ^ Clément and Larousse, p.397
  6. ^ Clément and Larousse, p.21
  7. ^ Clément and Larousse, p.492
  8. ^ Clément and Larousse, p.268

Sources

  • Félix Clément and Pierre Larousse Dictionnaire des Opéras, Paris, 1881. Available online here [1].
  • Benoît Dratwicki, "Foreigners at the Académie Royale de Musique" in Antonio Sacchini, Renaud, Madrid, Ediciones Singulares, 2013 (book accompanying the complete recording conducted by Christophe Rousset). ISBN 978-84-939-6865-6
  • Fétis, Biographie universelle des musiciens, Brussels, 1840 edition, Volume 6