Clairval

Clairval, real name Jean-Baptiste Guignard, (27 April 1735, Étampes – 1795, Paris) was an 18th-century French operatic singer (tenor), comedian and librettist.

He played with the same authority drama, comedy and opera, in a considerable number of roles. Among the most notable were:

1765: Tom Jones (part of Tom Jones) by Philidor 1765: La fée Urgèle (part of Robert, a knight) by Egidio Duni 1768: Le Huron (an officer), by Grétry 1769: Le tableau parlant (part of Pierrot), by Grétry 1769: Le déserteur (part of Montauciel), by Monsigny 1771: Zémire et Azor, (part of Azor), by Grétry This opéra comique was a version of Beauty and the Beast imagined by Marmontel, where Clairval had to become ugly; but he refused to don the first scheduled disguise: an animal fur. This role was one of his best success. 1773: L'Erreur d'un moment (part of Lucas), by Monvel 1776: Les mariages samnites (part of Agathis), by Grétry 1778: L'amant jaloux, (part of Don Alonze), by Grétry 1779: Aucassin et Nicolette (Aucassin), by Grétry 1781: Les maris corrigés (part of Germival), comedy in verse by La Chabeaussière 1784: Richard Cœur-de-Lion, (part of Blondel, in which he excelled), by Grétry 1785: L'amant statue, (part of M. Michu), by Nicolas Dalayrac 1791: L'aristocrate ou le convalescent de qualité, by Fabre d'Églantine (28 January) This role earned Clairval the nickname "Molé of the Comédie-italienne".