Tarare

Tarare is a lengthy opera in five acts and a prologue with music by Salieri and a libretto by Beaumarchais . Pierre-Gabriel Gardel directed its lavish divertissement at the start of the third act. The slurs that Tarare cast upon kings were pointed enough to arouse the Parisian populace, and a dress rehearsal open to the public almost caused a riot. Barriers were set around the theatre for its premiere on 8 June 1787, but fears of a demonstration proved unjustified. It enjoyed 34 representations…