О ярком феномене театральной жизни Москвы последней четверти XVIII века, французской опере с разговорными диалогами в переводе на русских язык, свидетельствует уникальный памятник — рукописные материалы первых двух действий русской версии оперы А.-Э.-М. Гретри «Браки самнитян» в фонде Письменных источников Московского музея-усадьбы Останкино. При всем  стремлении представить спектакль «как во Франции» почти каждое произведение в переводе на русский язык преображалось. Особенно показателен пример «Браков самнитян». В  статье проводится подробное сравнение московской («шереметевской») версии оперы с ее французскими редакциями. French opera with spoken dialogues translated into Russian was a bright phenomenon of Moscow musical life of the last quarter of the 18th century. In this article a unique monument of it is examined: manuscript materials of the first two acts of the Russian version of the opera “Marriages Samnites” by A.-E.-M. Grétry, which has been preserved in the Foundation of Written Sources of the Moscow Museum-Estate Ostankino. In spite of the desire to present the play “as in France” almost every work translated into Russian has been transformed in some way. An example of “Marriages Samnites” is particularly illustrative in this regard. In the article a detailed comparison of the Moscow version of this opera with its French redactions is carried out.

The article is devoted to the receptivity of the premiere performances of André Grétry’s musical comedies on the stage of the Paris Royal Academy of Music in the 1780s. Our attention becomes focused on materials of critical reviews in the French press, which became public responses to the premiere productions and testimonies that the ballets in such performances not merely played a significant role, but frequently became the main causes of enthusiastic ovations by audiences. In the 1780s, Grétry sought to revive the “genuine comedy” in the vein of Molière on the stage of the Royal Academy of Music in Paris. Obviously, in such performances the ballet was given an important role, since, according to the composer, the French had a natural inclination towards this art. Notably, the first comedy “La Double épreuve ou Colinette à la Cour”, notwithstanding its chilly reception, received its ultimate recognition particularly for its pantomimic and dance numbers. They accounted for about a third of the entire composition and, according to the critics, they were “well grouped and beautifully written, creating visual effects full of motion and variety”. “L’Embarras des richesses”, “La Caravane du Caїre”, “Panurge dans l’isle des Lanternes” not only became successful performances highly appreciated for their musical merit, but also significantly enriched the French ballet, including both the pantomime and dance comprising it. The quantity of divertissements and the number of characters involved in them captured the imaginations of the audiences. These were ceremonial productions of comedies with through dramatic development, as well as luxuriant scenic decorations and costumes. they brought together the efforts of the best singers, dancers, artists, costumers and creators of theatrical machinery. The subtle, sparkling humor, the pleasant music striking by its variety, the finesse of details and small touches also found their refraction in ballet scenes. Their colorfulness and innovativeness pleased the exacting Parisian public to such a great degree that they were applauded enthusiastically not only at the premieres, but also during the repeated performances. Eloquent testimonies of this were imprinted in the French press of the time.