rose

Charles Burney

The Present State of Music in France and Italy (2nd, corrected edition)

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Paris
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Louvre, where the Concert Spirituel is
still held *

The opera of to-night was first per-
formed in 1739; revived again in 1745,
1756, and now, for the fourth time, in
1770. It is called by the French ballet-
heroique, or heroic dance; the dances
being interwoven, and making an essen-
tial part of the piece. I believe in all
such pieces, the interest of the drama
is very inconsiderable; at least, if we
may judge by this, and some of those
composed by Rameau. The music of
Zaide is by Royer; and it is somewhat
wonderful that nothing better, or of a
more modern taste, has been composed
since; the style of composition is totally
* One of the finest sights at Paris used then to
by the Thuilleries in summer, after the opera;
which being over between seven and eight in the
evening, all the company, in full dress, con-
sisting of the flower of this capital, poured into
the grand avenue; totis vomit Ædibus undam; and
formed an assembly not to be met with in any
other part of the world.
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