L'amant anonyme

L'amant anonyme (The Anonymous Lover) is a 1780 opéra comique in two acts with ballet by Chevalier de Saint-Georges to a libretto by Desfontaines-Lavallée based on a play by Madame de Genlis. L'amant is Saint-Georges' sole surviving opera.^[1][2]

L'amant anonyme
Opera by Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Title page of manuscript, Paris 1780
Librettist	Desfontaines-Lavallée
Language	French
Based on	A play by Madame de Genlis
Premiere	18 March 1780 (1780-03-18) Private theater of Madame de Montesson

A reproduction of the manuscript score of this opera was published in 1984.^[3]

A critical edition of the score was published in 2020.^[4]

Plot

The story concerns a wealthy young widow, Leontine, who resists suggestions that she fall in love again after a cold marriage to her late husband. She has been receiving gifts and love letters from an anonymous admirer, who is in actuality her good friend Valcour. Valcour, however, is of lower birth and is afraid Leontine could never love him. So he hides his feelings and tells her that he also is closed to love. Still, he clumsily tries to reveal himself through mutual friends just as Leontine is trying to meet the Anonymous Lover herself. Eventually all is revealed and they give themselves to love.^[5]

Roles

Roles, voice types, premiere cast

Role	Voice type
Léontine, a young widow	soprano
Valcour, the anonymous lover	tenor
Ophémon, Léontine's tutor	baritone
Jeannette, bride and friend of Léontine	soprano
Colin, groom and friend of Léontine	tenor
Dorothée, Léontine’s close friend	spoken role
Wedding guests, chorus

Recording

• Çedille Records: Joseph Bologne, Saint-Georges: L'amant anonyme "world premiere recording", with Nicole Cabell (Léontine), Geoffrey Agpalo (Valcour), David Govertsen (Ophémon), Erica Schuller (Jeannette), Michael St. Peter (Colin), Nathalie Colas (Dorothée), Haymarket Opera Company (Chicago), conducted by Craig Trompeter. Length: 2 hours, 49 minutes.^[6]