The Cooper
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| The Cooper | |
|---|---|
| Comic opera by Thomas Arne | |
 1778 portrait of the composer | |
| Librettist | Arne |
| Based on | Le tonnelier |
| Premiere | |
The Cooper is a comic opera in two acts by Thomas Arne. The English libretto by Arne is based on Nicolas-Médard Audinot and Antoine François Quétant’s Le tonnelier. The opera premiered in London at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket on 10 June 1772.[1]
The Cooper has simple lyrical style that is reminiscent of the works of Charles Dibdin. The vocal lines are melodic and easy, refraining from using any complicated coloratura. The music is often cleverly arranged to complement the humour of the text. For example, Fanny’s recitative "He's gone to bed", is accompanied by crotchets marked "Play to the steps of her feet". A modest success, The Cooper ran for nine performances in 1772, and a vocal score was published by Napier that year.[1]
