treated in a conventional, undramatic way, and the variety and importance he gave to the Finale, the invention of which, in many movements, is however due to Logroscino.[1] His fame was equalled by his industry. In the year 1761 alone he wrote six operas, three serious and three comic. In 1773 a rival appeared in the person of Anfossi, sometime Piccinni's pupil, and who owed to him his first theatrical engagement. He was very far inferior to Piccinni, but his 'Incognita perseguitata' had a popular success, as had two or three weak operas that followed it. The inconstant Roman public forsook its old favourite; an opera of Piccinni's was hissed by Anfossi's partisans, and withdrawn. This so affected the composer's sensitive nature that, returning to Naples, he fell seriously ill, and was in danger for many months. On his recovery he decided not to return to Rome. In 1774 he had given at Naples a second 'Alessandro nelle Indie,' superior to the first; he now wrote a "buffo opera, 'I viaggiatori,' which had at Naples almost the success of 'La Cecchina' at Rome.
In 1776 he yielded to invitations and powerful inducements held out to him to go to Paris, where, with his family, he arrived in December, on a promised salary of 6000 francs, with travelling expenses. He knew not a word of the French language, but Marmontel undertook to be his instructor, and to make such changes in several operas of Quinault as should adapt them for modern music. For some time he passed every morning with Piccinni, explained a scene to him, taught him to repeat it, marked by signs the quantity of each word and each syllable, and then left him to work. The next morning Piccinni sang over to him what he had composed. His first French opera, 'Roland' (produced Jan. 17 [App. p.749 "27"], 1778), was completed after a year's labour of this kind.
He had not long begun it when the famous feud arose, already alluded to, between his ad mirers and those of Gluck. This great man had brought about a revolution in French serious opera, worthy in its way to be compared to the political and social revolution which followed soon after. He had freed the tragic lyrical stage from a mass of uncouth antediluvian conventionality, and had substituted for it a new and living form of Art. Like all innovators, he had enemies, and those who had been disgusted by the uncompromising fury of his partisans ranged themselves under Piccinni's banner. A war of pamphlets and other writings raged unabated for years. It divided society; the subject was unsafe. Men met each other for the first time with the question, almost implying a challenge, 'Sir, are you Gluckist or Piccinnist?'
Poor Piccinni, quiet and peaceable, a stranger to intrigue, kept at a distance from all the turmoil, which was such that on the night of the first performance of 'Roland,' fears were entertained for his personal safety. To the general surprise, he was brought home in triumph to his family. The opera had had a complete success, especial enthusiasm being elicited by the pretty ballet airs,—a curious fact, as Piccinni had no sympathy with dancing, and disliked having to write dance music.
He was in favour with Marie Antoinette, and gave her two singing-lessons a week at Versailles. The satisfaction of teaching so distinguished a pupil was supposed to be its own sufficient reward; at any rate he received no other payment, not even his travelling expenses.
He was appointed Director of a troupe of Italian singers engaged to give performances on alternate nights at the Grand Opera, and in this capacity produced 'Le finte Gemelle' (June 11, 1778); 'La buona Figliuola' (Dec. 7, 1778); 'La buona Figliuola maritata' (April 15, 1779); 'Il Vago disprezzato' (May 16, 1779). The idea now occurred to the principal director to get two operas on the same subject from the famous rivals, and 'Iphigénie en Tauride' was fixed on. The poetical version given to Piccinni to set was so bad, that after composing the first two acts he took it to Ginguene, who to a great extent rewrote the book. Meanwhile the manager, violating a promise made to Piccinni to the contrary, had Gluck's 'Iphigénie' performed first, which met with the brilliant success it deserved. Piccinni in the meantime (Feb. 20, 1780 [App. p.749 "Feb. 22"]) produced 'Atys,' a grand opera, superior to 'Roland'; some numbers of which, especially the 'Chorus of Dreams,' were for many years very popular at concerts; and 'Adèle de Ponthieu,' a lyric tragedy (Oct. 27, 1781). His 'Iphigénie,' produced Jan. 23, 1781, contained many beauties. It had small chance of succeeding after Gluck's, but was fairly well received in spite of the untoward incident which marred its second representation. No sooner had Mlle. Laguerre, the Iphigenie of the evening appeared on the scene, than it became painfully evident that she was intoxicated. She got through the part without breaking down, but the luckless composer heard Sophie Arnould's bon mot going from mouth to mouth, 'C'est Iphigénie en Champagne.' The opera had, however, seventeen consecutive performances.
Gluck had left Paris in 1780, but a new rival now appeared in Sacchini, whose 'Renaud' (Feb. 28, 1783 [App. p.749 "Feb. 25"]) had considerable success. 'Didon,' reckoned Piccinni's best French opera, was first produced, by command, before the court at Fontainebleau (Oct. 16, 1783), and afterwards at the Grand Opéra, where it kept the boards till Feb. 8, 1826—its 250th representation. At the same time the smaller works of 'Le Dormeur éveillé' and 'Le Faux Lord' were being performed by the Italian company and were very popular. About this time a school for singing was established in Paris, of which Piccinni was appointed principal master, and which showed the results of his training in an excellent performance of 'Roland' by the pupils. But the tide of fortune seemed now to turn against him. 'Lucette' and 'Le Mensonge Officieux' failed in 1786 and 1787. 'Diane et Endymion' and 'Pénélope' had met with the same fate not long before. He was not, however, embittered by these reverses.
