Le devin du village. Intermède représenté à Fontainebleau [...].

Large 4to: [2]-95 pp. (t.p. missing, single wormhole at bottom right of all pp., some repaired tears, min. waterstaining, ms. annotations in brown ink).

19th-c. half morocco binding, marbl. cardb., covers (rubbed, corners sl. worn).

First and probably only edition of the full engr. music score of Rousseau's one-act opera (intermède); he wrote both the libretto and the music. It was the first work in the repertory of the Académie Royale de Musique for which the text and music were by the same author. It was first performed on 18 October 1752 before the royal court at Fontainebleau, and for the public on 1 March 1753, at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris. King Louis XV loved the piece so much that he offered Rousseau the great honour of a pension for life. Rousseau refused the honour. However, the opera became one of the most popular of its day and brought him both wealth and fame. The opera was also performed at the wedding of the future Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette. It inspired the twelve-year old Mozart to compose "Bastien et Bastienne" (KV. 50) in 1768.
Ref. Cioranescu III:54879.
Prov. "De la Taverne" (ms. entry).
Joined: Rousseau, J.-J. - Dictionnaire de musique. London (Brussels), [1779]. 4to: x-538 pp. (browning). Contemp. calf, gilt orn. spine with 5 raised bands (leather title label detached and clumsily repaired). The ninth and final vol. of the "Collection Complete des Oeuvres de J.J. Rousseau". Ill. with engr. front. by Moreau and 13 engr. folding pl. with music scores. Ref. Conlon 500. - Cioranescu III:54860. - Brunet IV:1424. Prov. Coll. stamp. (2 vol.)