Castil-Blaze et la réception de Weber, 1824-1857

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01/04/2011

Castil-Blaze was an important and sensitive player in the game of importing both Italian and especially German opera into Parisian theatrical circles as well as into the provinces.  His production of Robin des bois in 1824 put Weber on the map and served as the basis for further productions at the Opéra-Comique and – despite the presence of Berlioz’s arrangement – at the Théâtre-Lyrique.  In his critical writing, he was not only a staunch advocate of Weber’s works but also an important interlocutor between Weber and his Parisian public; his critical writing was an important foil to his work as an arranger in the ‘naturalisation’ of Weber in French-speaking circles.