A clear understanding of the musical position of Rameau is necessary to
fully appreciate the place of Grétry, his antithesis as a composer.
For a short time the popularity of Rameau had been shaken by an Italian
opera company, called by the French _Les Bouffons_, who had created a
genuine sensation by their performance of airy and sparkling operettas,
entirely removed in spirit from the ponderous productions of the
prevailing school. Though the Italian comedians did not meet with
permanent success, the suave charm of their music left behind it
memories which became fruitful.*

* In its infancy Italian comic opera formed the _intermezzo_
between the acts of a serious opera, and--similar to the
Greek sylvan drama which followed the tragic trilogy--was
frequently a parody on the piece which preceded it; though
more frequently still (as in Pergolcsi's "Serra Padrona") it
was not a satire on any particular subject, but designed to
heighten the ideal artistic effect of the serious opera by
broad comedy. Having acquired a complete form on the boards
of the small theatres, it was transferred to the larger
stage. Though it lacked the external splendor and consummate
vocalization of the elder sister, its simpler forms endowed
it with a more characteristic rendering of actual life.

It furnished the point of departure for the lively and facile genius
of Grétry, who laid the foundation stones of that lyric comedywhich has
flourished in France with so much luxuriance. From the outset merriment
and humor were by no means the sole object of the French comic opera,
as in the case of its Italian sister. Grétry did not neglect to turn the
nobler emotions to account, and by a judicious admixture of sentiment