On the Resurgence of the “merveilleux”
Having situated Gilles Tremblay and Pierre Morency’s opera-fairytale, premiered in Montreal in November 2009, in the historical context of the operatic “merveilleux,” this article looks at the libretto as it relates to the original story by Madame d’Aulnoy (1696) and its own models. Further examined are the scenic and musical qualities of L’Eau qui danse, la Pomme qui chante et l’Oiseau qui dit la vérité, to understand how and why the “merveilleux” is used by the artists in order to spur a renewal of lyrical art which fully utilizes the musical, theatrical and spiritual tools of its time.