Mlle Duval facts for kids

Mlle Duval (which means Mademoiselle Duval) was a French composer and dancer who lived in the 1700s. She made history by having the second opera ever performed at the Paris Opera that was written by a woman.

About Mlle Duval

Mlle Duval's first name isn't known for sure. She was a very talented musician who played the harpsichord well. Some old letters from 1736 say she was known as La Légende. This might be because she was born to parents who were not married, which was sometimes called "illegitimate" back then. This also suggests that "Duval" might have been her stage name for performing.

Some people think she might be the same person as another composer named Louise Duval (1704–1769). However, their birth and death dates don't seem to match up, so it's probably not the same person.

Her Famous Opera

Most of what we know about Mlle Duval comes from old writings and reports. For example, we know she was born around 1718 because a letter from 1736 said she was 18 years old that year. That was also the year she wrote her most famous work, an opera ballet called Les Génies, ou Les caractères de l'Amour. This title means "Geniuses, or Love's Characters."

The story for Les Génies was written by Fleury de Lyon. A rich person, the Prince of Carignan, helped pay for it to be published. The opera first opened at the Paris Opera in October 1736. This was a really big deal because it was only the second opera by a woman to be performed there! The first one was by Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre about 40 years earlier.

Les Génies was performed nine times. Critics really liked the music and said it was well-composed. They also praised Mlle Duval, calling her "a young person with much talent." A review in the Mercure de France even said she played the harpsichord for the entire performance of her opera.

Other Works and Life Details

Mlle Duval also wrote a duet called Du Dieu qui fait aimer (Of God Who Causes Love), which was published in 1736. Another song, Tout ce que je vois me rappelle (Everything I See Reminds Me), was once thought to be hers. But now, experts believe it was actually written by Marie-Elizabeth Cléry.

Some records say she performed at the Paris Opera and retired with a good pension (money paid regularly after retirement). Other notes say she was a former actress and a dancer who sometimes filled in at the Paris Opera. However, "Duval" is a common name in France, so it's hard to be completely sure that all these mentions are about the composer Mlle Duval.

Her exact death date is also a bit of a mystery. Some accounts say she died as early as 1769, but a more detailed record suggests she was still alive in 1775.

Selected Works

• Les Génies, ou Les caractères de l'Amour (opera ballet)
• Du Dieu qui fait aimer (duet)