The Painter and His Model

The Painter and His Model is musical work by an unknown author.

Not related to, or to be confused with, the two well-known art works, The Painter and His Model by Henri Matisse (painted late 1916, early 1917) and the 1928 Cubist work of the same name by Pablo Picasso.

The original text

No work with this specific name has been found to date, but it is very likely that this was an English version of the French opéra comique in two acts, Le Peintre Amoureux de Son Modèle ("The Painter in love with his model")[1] by the composer Egidio Duni (1708-1775)[2] with a libretto by Louis Anseaume (1721-1784)[3]. The French work was first performed at the Théâtre de la Foire Saint-Laurent in Paris on 26 July 1757.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1867-9: According to F.C.L. Bosman (1980: p. 244) this was one of the works was performed by the Poussard-Bailey Company as part of their repertoire during their 15 month long tour throughout the country. He mentions one performance of The Painter and his Model (described as an "operetta") in the Commercial Exchange, Cape Town, during the second Cape Town season which extended from June to August. Other theatrical works in the repertoire included In Love with a Waltz (Moriot) and The Fancy Ball (Anon.).

Sources

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.244-5,

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