Soubrette

Soubrette is a term used with various, related meanings in theater, opera, and popular music.

Soubrettes in theater

The term "soubrette" originated to name a sort of character in French comedy. It describes a comic female character who is young and girlish, constantly coquettish and gossipy, and usually a chambermaid.

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The earliest examples are perhaps to be found in the works of Molière: The role of Dorine in Tartuffe certainly fits the description. A more famous example, though a hundred years later, is the role of Suzanne in Beaumarchais' Le Mariage de Figaro.

Related Topics:
Molière - Tartuffe - Beaumarchais

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