Marie Fel
THE ARTISTS
Pascale Beaudin, soprano
Charles Brink, flute
Oliver Brault & Evan Few, violin
Nicole Divall, viola
Loretta O’Sullivan, cello
Scott Pauley, lute
Andrew Appel, harpsichord
THE PROGRAM
Mondonville:
Trio sonata in C minor, opus 2 #6
Rameau:
Four airs and Premier Pieces de Clavecin en Concerts
Viens Hymen (Les Indes Galants)
La Coulicam
Pergolesi:
A Serpina penserete (La Serva Padrona)
La Livri
Rousseau:
J’ai perdu tout mon bonheur (Devin du Village)
Rossignols amoureux
La Vezinet
Air for La Folie (Platée)
Jadin:
String Quartet in F minor, opus 1 # 3 H.
Of our three Divas who claim the spotlight in the Four Nations’ 2025 series of concerts, Marie Fel might appear the most relaxed and unremarkable in her portraits. Not a wind-swept goddess like Linley, not a romantic tortured heroine like Brandes, but an easy-going, gently smiling, unremarkable-looking 18th-century woman. Don’t be fooled. Theatrical lifestyles shocked contemporary sensibilities, and Fel had the intelligence and scandalous entitlement to freedom that assured her a place outside of the hallowed grounds of the churchyard’s cemetery.
She endeared herself to the philosophes of Paris. She was muse to Rameau and his preferred singer. She broke the hearts of Baron Grimm and others and was available for more heartbreak and romance.
“Coming out of the Tuileries Patu took me to visit a famous actress of the opera named Mme. Le Fel, a great favorite with all of Paris…with her were three charming children of tender years, who frolicked around the house. “I adore them”, she said.—“Such lovely children deserve it”, I responded.— “The oldest is the Duke d’Annecy’s; the second is the Count of Egmont’s;—and the youngest is the child of Maisonrouge who recently married La Romainville”.— “Ah! I beg you to excuse me; I had supposed that you were the mother of all three.”— “And you were not mistaken, for I am.””
Fel, like fine wine and delicious food, was born in Bordeau into a musical family. Her voice was beautiful (unlike her face) and her ability for virtuoso singing, large indeed as she studied both French and Italian styles, assured her a stellar career both on the stage, in the concert hall, and in the Salon. She sang for Rameau (making her greatest splash singing Folie from Platée), performed at court for Pompadour in Rousseau’s Devin du village, sang motets of Mondonville on the public concert stage, and created the first French performances of La Serva Padrona of Pergolesi. A master of both Italian and French techniques and styles, she was suited to reign over the world of song.
She was inaugurated in her Parisian career in smaller roles but after singing Folie in Platée, Rameau was convinced that she could excel in major dramatic roles that he composed with her (and her stage mate, the tenor Jéliote) in mind.
Mondonville and Marie Fel
Our diva du jour, Marie Fel claimed the spotlight at the opera in Paris singing Folie from Platée of Rameau. But in the public concert hall her great successes were in singing the motets of Jean-Joseph de Mondonville.
It is a romantic myth that great composers must suffer and struggle to carve out careers and compose their fine music. Mondonville flies in the face of such stories. He, a brilliant violinist, happily married to Anne-Jeanne Boucon, an extraordinary harpsichordist for whom he wrote his ground breaking sonatas for harpsichord and violin, enjoyed recognition and success throughout his composing and performing career. More important for us, his music, in integrating Italian and French styles, blooms with vitality and wit and shimmering sensuality. And his motets along with his larger instrumental works have a volupté and beauty that foreshadows Fauré with an entitlement to pleasure that is cousin to Boucher and Fragonard.
These concerts are made possible through your donations and gifts from:
Mr. Eiji Miki
George and Ellie Warburg
Mr. Christian Draz