EDITORS’ FOREWORD
Joseph Bologne, “Chevalier de Saint- surviving opera of Saint-Georges, is based on
Georges” (ca. 1739-1799) was a Parisian
celebrity, acclaimed swordsman, composer,
violin virtuoso, and conductor of one of the
best orchestras in Europe. He also fought in
at least one, perhaps two revolutions.
Bologne was born to a teenaged enslaved
woman, Anne “dit Nanon” on the Caribbean
island of Guadeloupe. There is no record of
his baptism, and primary sources have
conflicting information regarding his date of
birth. Bologne’s father, a wealthy plantation
owner, brought the boy and his mother to
Paris and introduced the young “Chevalier
de Saint-Georges” into French society while
ensuring he had the best education possible.
While still a young man, he became famed
for his fencing and remains an important
figure in the history of the sport. A young
Saint-Georges very publicly defeated a
fencing master who taunted him with a
racially derogatory name. After reaching the
pinnacle of the art of swordplay, Saint-
Georges turned his attention to composition,
violin, and conducting.
Saint-Georges became concertmaster
of the Concerts des Ainatt’iirs in 1771. He
received widespread acclaim for his
performances of his violin concertos. By 1773
he was named director of the Concerts des
Amateurs and under his leadership the
orchestra was considered among the best in
Europe. Saint-Georges was such a success
that the ill—fated queen Marie Antoinette
invited Bologne to play with her at the
palace. By 1775 he was the leading candidate
for the most prestigious operatic post in
France, director of the Academic Royale de
Musique; however, some of the singers wrote
a letter to the king stating that they would
not work for a mixed-race conductor.
L’Amnant Anomn,nie, coniedie en deuix
actes ,uuClde de ballets, the only complete
A reproduction ot the manuscript was published by Pendragon Press in 19S4 and is in the public domain.
iv
a play by Stephanie Félicité de Genus
(1746-1830). Madame de Genus, a successful
author and friend of Saint-Georges, was also
the first woman to be appointed an official
tutor to members of the royal family. There is
very little recorded about the origins of the
play or the opera, however we do know it
was composed for the acclaimed private
theater of Madame de Montesson
(1738-1806). Saint-Georges was the music
director of the theater and Madame de
Genus, the niece of Madame de Montesson,
was well known to Saint-Georges. The opera
premiered on March 8, 1780 according to the
title page of the manuscript.
The play L’Anmuit Anon tjme by
Madame de Genus was published in 1781.
The play’s libretto was adapted for the opera
by the well-known librettist Francois-Georges
Fouques Deshayes, known as “Desfontaines”
(1733-1825). It seems possible that the play
was also performed at Madame de
Montesson’s theater, perhaps Saint-Georges
saw it and decided to set it to music. The
aristocratic character of Dorothée from the
play remains in the opera but does not sing;
perhaps this character was designed for
Madame de Montesson herself, as she often
performed onstage in her theater.
The only source for the music is the
manuscript at the Bibliothèque nationale de
France, section musique, cote D-13863) More
work is needed to find additional clues about
the identity of the copyist. We also do not
know how directly this copy is linked to
Saint-Georges. The manuscript contains
manx’ inconsistencies. Accidentals are
frequently omitted, especially once a new key
center is established. Slurring and
articulation is also very inconsistent. Often
the first violin has much less detail in its