User:Folantin/Midas

Background
Hales was an Anglo-Irish

Hales used Midas by Kane O'Hara as his model Myth (from Ovid?)

Performance history
At first, the authorities refused permission to stage Le jugement de Midas at court. The reason is unknown, but Michel Brenet suggested it was because of the British nationality of the librettist. Relations between France and Britain were tense at the time due to the American War of Independence. Grétry persuaded Madame de Montesson, the morganatic wife of the Duke of Orleans, to use her influence and have the opera performed in the duke's private theatre with amateur singers and Montesson herself playing the role of Chloé. The success of this staging cleared the way for performances at the Comédie Italienne, beginning on 27 June 1778, where it was initially popular thanks in part to the acting of Trial. Interest declined thereafter. Le jugement de Midas enjoyed 168 performances in Paris between 1778 and 1824.

Roles

 * Original libretto: Le Jugement de Midas, Comédie en trois Actes en Prose Mêlée d'Ariettes: Representée pour la premiere fois, par les Comédiens Italiens, ordinaires du Roi, le Samedi 27 Juin 1778, Paris, Duchesne, 1778 (accessible for free online at Internet Archive)
 * Period manuscript score arranged for harpsichord (accessible for free online at IMSLP)