L’étude des derniers travaux de Jules Massenet (1842-1912), conçus pendant les cinq dernières années de savie, dans le contexte artistique et philosophique de la Belle-Époque, veut mettre en évidence les traces d'uneévolution du langage musical du compositeur. Dans les trois sections de notre recherche nous proposons uneanalyse dramaturgique et musicale d’un corpus constitué des cinq oeuvres ultimes, dont on considère Bacchus(1909) comme un opéra de transition fondamentale dans le dernier revirement stylistique du compositeur,représenté par les deux diptyques : Don Quichotte/Panurge et Roma/Cléopâtre. En outre, à traversl’observation systématique des langages comique et tragique présents dans ces ouvrages, et une comparaisoncontinue avec la production antécédente du compositeur on propose une définition de cet extrême renouveaude l’écriture de Massenet. Une écriture qui s’avère complexe au moment de l’analyse à cause de sonextraordinaire éclectisme – un heureux équilibre entre érudition et modernité –, bien inséré dans un contextestylistique expressif et en même temps dépouillé. Notre étude – menée à travers l’analyse des manuscritsautographes et des partitions imprimées, ainsi que d’une vaste bibliographie comprenant monographies,dissertations, correspondances, articles, documents de mise en scène – couvrira différents aspects du styledernier du compositeur : conception historique et littéraire, analyse narratologique comparée des livrets,pertinence dramatique du style musical, conception mélodique, emploi des harmonies et des formes musicales,constantes et innovations dans l’orchestration. / The study of the works of Jules Massenet (1842-1912) created in the last five years of his life, during the artisticand philosophical context of the Belle-Époque, wants to highlight the traces of the evolution of musicallanguage of the composer. In the three sections of our research we propose a dramaturgical and musical analysisof a selection including five last works, which are considered Bacchus (1909) as a key transitional work in thelatest stylistic shift the composer, represented by the two diptychs: Don Quichotte/Panurge andRoma/Cléopâtre. Also, through the systematic observation of comic and tragic languages of these works andtheir continuous comparison among the composer’s antecedent production, we propose a definition of thisextreme evolution of Massenet writing. A writing that is complex to analyse because of its extraordinaryeclecticism – an effective balance between tradition and modernity – although inserted into an expressive andessential stylistic context. Our study – carried out through the analysis of original manuscripts and printedscores, as well as an extensive bibliography including monographs, essays, correspondence, articles, stagingdocuments – will cover different aspects of the composer's late style: historical design and literary narratologycomparative analysis of librettos, dramatic appropriateness of musical style, melodic design, use of harmoniesand musical forms, constants and innovations in orchestration.

This study explores the manifestation of piety and sensuality in the operas Manon and Thaïs by Jules Massenet. These two themes are prevalent in Massenet’s operas as well as his oratorios, although it is not clear why this is so. His admiration and love for the human voice and his ability to compose beautiful melodies are reflected in the fact that he composed primarily for the lyric theatre. Piety and sensuality in Manon and Thaïs are articulated predominantly by the eponymous female characters. In order to understand the characters and the motivations that steer their lives, it was necessary to gain an understanding of the socio-historical context of piety and sensuality. This understanding was reached through means of a traditional literature review, which also shed light on the nineteenth-century Zeitgeist and its influence on Massenet and his work. This is a hermeneutic study conducted in light of an interpretive paradigm. The libretti of Manon and Thaïs were explored by means of a close reading to identify sections dominated by piety and sensuality. Following the example of Lawrence Kramer, a combination of close reading and analysis was used to look at the ways in which piety and sensuality are articulated in the music. It became clear that Massenet used various compositional techniques to differentiate between piety and sensuality in his music scores. These techniques were applied with such skill that a listener can identify these two themes through close listening. / DMus (Performance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study explores the manifestation of piety and sensuality in the operas Manon and Thaïs by Jules Massenet. These two themes are prevalent in Massenet’s operas as well as his oratorios, although it is not clear why this is so. His admiration and love for the human voice and his ability to compose beautiful melodies are reflected in the fact that he composed primarily for the lyric theatre. Piety and sensuality in Manon and Thaïs are articulated predominantly by the eponymous female characters. In order to understand the characters and the motivations that steer their lives, it was necessary to gain an understanding of the socio-historical context of piety and sensuality. This understanding was reached through means of a traditional literature review, which also shed light on the nineteenth-century Zeitgeist and its influence on Massenet and his work. This is a hermeneutic study conducted in light of an interpretive paradigm. The libretti of Manon and Thaïs were explored by means of a close reading to identify sections dominated by piety and sensuality. Following the example of Lawrence Kramer, a combination of close reading and analysis was used to look at the ways in which piety and sensuality are articulated in the music. It became clear that Massenet used various compositional techniques to differentiate between piety and sensuality in his music scores. These techniques were applied with such skill that a listener can identify these two themes through close listening. / DMus (Performance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Jules Massenet's mélodies feature a distinct vocal treatment regarding musical prosody through his eight song cycles, including Poëme d'Avril, Poëme Pastoral, Poëme du Souvenir, Poëme d'Amour, Poëme d'Hiver, Poëme d'un Soir, and Quelques Chansons Mauves, and a collection, Expressions Lyriques. These mélodies show the influence of the trend of salon music and the high-level poetry from the poetic movements of romanticism, Parnassianism, and symbolism. This study deals with Massenet's mélodies relating to the prosody idea, which is conspicuous in his vocal treatment. His melodic styles feature four distinct aspects of vocal treatment including lyrical, recitative or parlando, melodramatic, and déclamation rhythmée, and represent the idea of musical prosody of phonetic, syntactic, and semantic aspects. Massenet's other musical idioms such as harmony, form, and piano treatment, are also closely related to the prosody matter as a semantic aspect, reinforcing the poetic mood and content. In this study, each melodic style related to French versification is examined in detail. The musical analysis regarding the other musical idioms on selected examples presents the semantic feature of prosody idea. The brief review of French versification and opinions regarding the performance are included. Massenet's contribution to the genre of mélodie, with the prose melody and treatment of piano as an equal partner of voice line, is clearly demonstrated. With this contribution, Massenet should be recognized as the most influential composer to the climatic time of French mélodie led by Fauré, and Debussy, and Duparc.

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Mezzo-soprano roles in French opera at the end of the nineteenth century were fatalistic; that is, the y inevitably bring about min or death. This thesis studies three mezzo-soprano roles in French Romantic opera from a performer's perspective: Carmen in Georges Bizet's Carmen, Dalila in Camille Saint-Sans' Samson et Dalila and Charlotte in Jules Massenet's Werther. These three characters cause the min of three romantic heroes all performed by tenors. What are the new narrative and dramatic functions of mezzo-sopranos in French opera at the end of the nineteenth century? As a performer, it is important to understand one's voice-type, the roles that are generally attributed to it, and the impact they have on dramatic and musical representation. This short analysis will help young performers in their approach to a character in order to have a better comprehension of aIl the dimensions and subtleties that are related to it. / Les rles des mezzo-sopranos dans l'opra franais de la fin du 19ime sicle sont trs fatalistes, c'est--dire qu'ils entranent invitablement la ruine, la mort. Ainsi, dans une perspective d'interprte, cette thse se penche sur trois rles fminins de mezzosoprano de l'opra franais romantique la fin du 19ime sicle : Carmen dans l'opra du mme titre de Georges Bizet, Dalila dans Samson et DWa de Camille Saint-Sans ainsi que Charlotte dans Werther de Jules Massenet. Ces trois personnages occasionnent la perte de trois hros romantiques tous interprts par des tnors. En ce sens, quelles sont les nouvelles fonctions narratives et dramatiques des mezzo-sopranos dans l'opra franais du 19ime sicle? En tant qu'interprte, il est important de bien comprendre notre type de voix, les rles qui lui sont gnralement attribus, l'impact de ceux-ci dans les histoires opratiques et dans leur reprsentation musicale. Cette courte analyse permettra de jeunes interprtes de les guider, de les aider dans leur approche d'un personnage et de mieux comprendre toutes les dimensions et les subtilits qui s'y rattachent.

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