Bruneau Romance for Alto Flute and Piano

Bruneau (1857-1934) was a renowned French composer who played a pivotal role in introducing realism to French opera.

Born in Paris, Bruneau received his early musical education at the Paris Conservatoire, focusing on the cello, and played in the Pasdeloup orchestra. He began composing at a young age, crafting a cantata called Geneviève de Paris. In 1884, his Ouverture héroïque premiered, followed by the choral symphonies Léda (1884) and La Belle au bois dormant (1886). In 1887, Bruneau debuted his first opera, Kérim.

Bruneau crossed paths with Émile Zola in 1888, igniting a collaborative partnership that spanned two decades. Inspired by Zola’s stories, Bruneau composed his 1891 opera Le Rêve, based on Zola’s work of the same name. Zola went on to write the librettos for Bruneau’s operas Messidor (1897) and L’Ouragan (1901). Several of Bruneau’s other compositions, including L’attaque du moulin (1893), L’Enfant Roi (1905), Naïs Micoulin (1907), Les Quatres journées (1916), and Lazare (posthumously produced in 1954), were also influenced by Zola’s writings. Bruneau incorporated themes by Hans Christian Andersen (Le Jardin du Paris in 1923) and Victor Hugo (Angelo, tyran de Padoue in 1928) into his operatic works. The orchestral compositions by Bruneau showcase the influence of Wagner.

Additionally, he composed a Requiem (1888) and two collections of songs, Lieds de France and Chansons à danser.

In recognition of his contributions, Bruneau was honoured with the Legion of Honor in 1895.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Bruneau