Mademoiselle Petitpas (last name pronounced pronounced as /link/; c. 1710 - 24 October 1739) was a French comedian and opera singer.
Petitpas was born circa 1710 to a Parisian father (a locksmith) and an unknown mother.[1]
She debuted as a comedian in 1723 at the Saint-Germain fair, and soon after that at the Saint-Laurent fair's Comic Opera. In 1732, she meets a known financier, Joseph Bonnier de la Mosson, who was the general treasurer of Languedoc provinces and had the title of "Maréchal général des logis des camps et armées du roi" (translated as "Marshal General of the King's camps and armies," and later referred as "Marshal General of France").[1] [2] She first moves into Bonnier's, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, and then later on in his castle in Montpellier, where many lavish parties were organised, despite the shock of the bishop of Montpellier Charles Colbert.[2] After a brief stint as a performer in France, Mademoiselle Petitpas left for England. When she came back in April 1734,[3] Petitpas was both acclaimed for her talents and the object of conversations due to her affair with Bonnier.[1] In 1735, Colbert writes to Bonnier that everyone knows that he and Petitpas are living similarly to a married couple without being married. He continues by saying that no one can avoid Bonnier and Petitpas' sinful way of living. Finally, Colbert asked him to evict Mademoiselle Petitpas--which Bonnier was firmly against. However, because of the growing scandals and talks about their relationship, Bonnier and Petitpas left Montpellier for Paris.[2] Bonnier's family opposed to the affair, but he was decided to marry Mademoiselle Petitpas nonetheless. He prepared in her honour a lavish feast in, where a ballet was to be performed. Unfortunately Mademoiselle Petitpas was not able to join.
Aged 30, she died of phtisis in Paris on 24 October 1739 and was buried in Saint-Eustache.[1] [3]
| Opera | Composer | Role(s) | Date of premiere or revival | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L'Europe Galante | André Campra | Zaïde | 6 November 1725 (revival) | Théâtre du Palais-Royal (Académie royale de musique)[4] |
| Pirame et Thisbé | François Francoeur and François Rebel | Thisbé | 1727 | Théâtre du Palais-Royal (Académie royale de musique) |
| Les Amours des Déesses | Jean-Baptiste-Maurice Quinault | Euphrosine | 9 August 1729 | Académie Royale de Musique |
| Phaéton | Jean-Baptiste Lully | Astrée | 21 December 1730 (revival) | Académie royale de musique |
| Pyrrhus | Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer | Ismène | 1730 | Théâtre du Palais-Royal (Académie royale de musique) |
| Callirhoé | André Cardinal Destouches | January 2nd, 1732 (revival) | Théâtre du Palais-Royal | |
| Jephté | Michel Pignolet de Montéclair | Vénus | 1732 (20 or 28 February) | Académie royale de musique |
| Les Sens | Jean-Joseph Mouret | Zéphire; Céphise in the 14 August 1732 added entry | first version 5 June 1732 - second version 14 August 1732 | Académie royale de musique[5] |
| Biblis | Louis Lacoste | Amphitrite | 6 November 1732 | Académie royale de musique |
| Cadmus et Hermione | Jean-Baptiste Lully | Charité | 22 August 1733 (revival) | |
| Hippolyte et Aricie | Jean-Philippe Rameau | La Grande Prêtresse de Diane/Une bergère/Une matelote/Une chasseresse | 1733 | Théâtre du Palais-Royal (Académie royale de musique) |
| Festes Grecques et Romaines | François Colin de Blamont | Mélisse | 9 February 1734 - new entry:La Fête de Diane | Académie royale de musique |
| Iphigénie en Tauride | Henry Desmarets and André Campra | Electra | 1734 (revival) | Théâtre du Palais-Royal (Académie royale de musique) |
| Les Grâces | Jean-Joseph Mouret | Théodore | 5 May 1735 | Académie royale de musique |
| Les Éléments | Michel Richard Delalande and André Cardinal Destouches | 27 May 1734 (revival) | Académie royale de musique | |
| Les Indes Galantes | Jean-Philippe Rameau | L'Amour/Fatime (versions of 1735 and 1736) | First version 23 August 1735 and second version 10 March 1736 | Théâtre du Palais-Royal (Académie royale de musique) |
| Les Triomphes de l'Harmonie | François Lupien Grenet | l'Harmonie; Eurydice | 9 May 1737 | Académie royale de musique[6] |
| Castor et Pollux | Jean-Philippe Rameau | Un Plaisir céleste/une Ombre heureuse/une Planète | 24 October 1737 | Théâtre du Palais-Royal (Académie royale de musique)[7] |