The next year, 1775, Gluck brought out an adaptation suitable for the French stage, of his “Alceste,” which again aroused the greatest enthusiasm.  The theater was crammed at every performance.  Marie Antoinette’s favorite composer was again praised to the skies, and was declared to be the greatest composer living.

But Gluck had one powerful opponent at the French Court, who was none other than the famous Madame du Barry, the favorite of Louis XV.  Since the Queen had her pet musical composer, Mme. du Barry wished to have hers.  An Italian by birth, she could gather about her a powerful Italian faction, who were bent upon opposition to the Austrian Gluck.  She had listened to his praises long enough, and the tremendous success of “Alceste” had been the last straw and brought things to a climax.  Du Barry would have some one to represent Italian music, and applied to the Italian ambassador to desire Piccini to come to Paris.

On the arrival of Piccini, Madame du Barry began activities, aided by Louis XV himself.  She gathered a powerful Italian party about her, and their first act was to induce the Grand Opera management to make Piccini an offer for a new opera, although they had already made the same offer to Gluck.  This breach of good faith led to a furious war, in which all Paris joined; it was fierce and bitter while it lasted.  Even politics were forgotten for the time being.  Part of the press took up one side and part the other.  Many pamphlets, poems and satires appeared, in which both composers were unmercifully attacked.  Gluck was at the time in Germany, and Piccini had come to Paris principally to secure the tempting fee offered him.  The leaders of the feud kept things well stirred up, so that a stranger could not enter a cafe, hotel or theater without first answering the question whether he stood for Gluck or Piccini.  Many foolish lies were told of Gluck in his absence.  It was declared by the Piccinists that he went away on purpose, to escape the war; that he could no longer write melodies because he was a dried up old man and had nothing new to give France.  These lies and false stories were put to flight one evening when the Abbe Arnaud, one of Gluck’s most ardent adherents, declared in an aristocratic company, that the Chevalier was returning to France with an “Orlando” and an “Armide” in his portfolio.

“Piccini is also working on an ‘Orlando,’” spoke up a follower of that redoubtable Italian.

“That will be all the better,” returned the abbe, “for we shall then have an ‘Orlando’ and also an ‘Orlandino.’”

When Gluck arrived in Paris, he brought with him the finished opera of “Armide,” which was produced at the Paris Grand Opera on September 23, 1777.  At first it was merely a succes d’estime, but soon became immensely popular.  On the first night many of the critics were against the opera, which was called too noisy.  The composer, however, felt he had done some of his best work in “Armide”;