Messidor (opera)
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Messidor is a four-act operatic drame lyrique by Alfred Bruneau to a French libretto by Émile Zola. The opera premiered on 19 February 1897 in Paris. The opera title comes from the tenth month of the French Republican Calendar.[1]
Although initially successful, the popularity of Messidor was adversely affected by the Dreyfus Affair which was occurring at the time of the opera's premiere. Because both Bruneau and his good friend Zola were active supporters of Alfred Dreyfus during his trial for treason, the French public did not welcome the composer's music for several years afterward.[2] "Adieux du berger" and "Chanson du semeur" (from act II) and the prelude to act IV remained popular, though.[3]
The collaborations between Bruneau and Zola, of which Messidor is the most notable, were considered an attempt at a French alternative to the Italian verismo movement in opera.[4]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 19 February 1897[5] (Conductor: Paul Taffanel) |
|---|---|---|
| Gaspard | bass | Jean Noté |
| Guillaume | tenor | Albert Alvarez |
| Mathias, Guillaume's cousin | baritone | Jean-François Delmas |
| Véronique, Guillaume's mother | mezzo-soprano | Blanche Deschamps-Jéhin |
| Hélène, Gaspard's daughter | soprano | Lucy Berthet |
| Le berger | tenor or baritone | Maurice Renaud |
| Le prêtre | tenor or bass | Gallois |
| Chorus: Peasants, workers, children, Rogation procession | ||
