''Esmeralda'' is an 1856 grand opera in four acts with a score by the Italian composer

Vincenzo Battista Vincenzo Maria Battista (5 October 1823–14 November 1873) was an Italian composer and conductor.Battista, Vincenzo, ''Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana'', vol. 7: B - Bell. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1975, p.1189. ISBN 84-239-450 ...

. With a libretto in English by

Charles Jefferys Charles Jefferys (11 January 1807 – 9 June 1865, in London) was an English music publisher and composer of songs. Career Jefferys carried on a London music publishing business. In 1854 he won a legal action with Thomas Boosey, respecting co ...

,F. Boase. ''Modern English Biography'', 6 vols. (1892–1921) it was based on Battista's Italian version ''Ermelinda'' (1851), which in turn was based on Hugo's 1831 novel ''

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (, originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. The title refers to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which features prominently throughout the novel. I ...

''. In 1851 in

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

in Italy Battista was at the height of his fame and powers. He had already staged a number of operas at the prestigious

Teatro di San Carlo The Real Teatro di San Carlo ("Royal Theatre of Saint Charles"), as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is a historic opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and ...

including ''Margherita d'Aragona'' (1844) Vincenzo Battista
Opening Night! -

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

Libraries with the soprano Fanny Goldberg, the tenor

Gaetano Fraschini Gaetano Fraschini (16 February 1816 – 23 May 1887) was an Italian tenor. He created many roles in 19th century operas, including five composed by Giuseppe Verdi. His voice was "heroic ... with a baritonal quality, ... yet Verdi and Gaetano Doni ...

and the baritone

Filippo Coletti Filippo Andrea Francesco Coletti (11 May 1811 – 13 June 1894) was an Italian baritone associated with Giuseppe Verdi. Coletti created two Verdi roles: Gusmano in '' Alzira'' and Francesco in '' I masnadieri''. Verdi revised the role of Ge ...

. His opera ''Rosvina de la Forest'' (1845) was commissioned by

La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

To a libretto in Italian by Domenico Bolognese (1919–1891) he composed the score for ''Ermelinda'' (1851), which in turn was based on Hugo's 1831 novel ''

''. The opera opened as ''Esmeralda'' at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

on 30 June 1856 under the musical direction of J. H. TullyFull text of ''Esmeralda'' (1856)
''Esmeralda'': Published by Charles Jefferys, 21, Soho Square, London (1856) - Google Books and with a

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

in English by

Naples cast (1851)

*Ermelinda - Signora Violette Evrard *Guido di Lancry, Captain of the Archers - Sig. Agresti *Giulio Laroche, a poet - Sig. Cammarano *Paolo Fulvi, brother of the Baroness - Sig. Evrard *Baronessa de Gontran - Signora Silvestri *Elisa, her daughter - Signora Eboli *Roben, chief of the Gypsies - Sig. Grandillo *Quasimodo the Hunchback - Sig. Luigi Fioravanti *Morepin, another relative of the Baronessa - Sig. N. N. Choir of Archers - Gypsies — Nobles invited to the party - the Bourgeois. Appearance of Citizens and Soldiers The scene is set in Madrid. The time is 1482.

London cast (1856)

Source:

*Esmeralda, the Gitana -

Lucy Escott Lucy Escott (4 January 1829–26 November 1895) was an American soprano and actor-manager who found success in her native country but who had an even greater success in Europe and the United Kingdom. She spent eight years in Australia with t ...

*Fleur de Lys - Elizabeth Haigh-Dyer *Eloisa, Mother of Fleur de Lys - Miss Atkinson *Morepin, Father of Fleur de Lys- Mr. J. W. Morgan *Phoebus, Captain of the Archers - Mr. Henry Haigh *Gringoire, the Poet - Mr. Charles Manvers *Claude Frollo, the Monk - Mr. Charles Durand *Quasimodo, the Hunchback - Mr. Conrad Borrani *Clopin, King of the Gipsies - Mr. Hamilton Chorus-of Gipsies, Archers, Nobles, Citizens and Soldiers. The Scene is in Paris—Time 1482.

Songs

Source: *Zephyr-like I woo the Flower — "Sono l'aura d'ogni fior" - Lucy Escott (soprano) *I am like a sportive Fay - "Sono figlia al ciel al mar" - Lucy Escott *Loathed as a monster from birth am I - Conrad Borrani *I love; and she I love is fair - Charles Durand *Fair Ladye-Moon, pray tell me - "Rispondi amica luna" - Lucy Escott *Recitation: These gay scenes make me sad of heart — "Come tutti festreggiano me lasso" - Henry Haigh *Romance: In her absence I still am pining — "Senza un guardo un tuo concento" - Henry Haigh *Baritone: I love, and she I love is fair - "Una leggiadra vergine" - Charles Durand *Tell me, ye powers above me - "Dimmi dimmi irato Dio" - Charles Durand *Comic Scena: Noble signors, now pray hear me- "Ah! Miei signori che mai dite" - Charles Manvers

Duets

*Baritone and Bass: Idiot, leave me, I renounce thee - Charles Durand and Conrad Borrani *Soprano and Tenor: Good sir, noble captain, from death thou hast saved me - Lucy Escott and Henry Haigh *ditto: How benignant, how noble, how graceful - “Qual colomba, d’amore, foriera” - Lucy Escott and Henry Haigh *ditto: Thou art near me, and in thy presence- “Vedi, vedi, a te vicino” - Lucy Escott and Henry Haigh *Comic Duet: Gringoire, come hither - “Ei, si fermi, eccomi, avanti” - Lucy Escott and Charles Manvers *Comic Duet: I like a gentle lamb will be - “Come agnelletto placido" - Lucy Escott and Charles Manvers

Trio

*The Archer's Chorus—In the darkness of the night - “I noltriam dell’ombra insen” - Henry Haigh and Chorus

References

External links

Full text of ''Ermelinda'' (Italian)
Google Books {{The Hunchback of Notre Dame Operas 1851 operas 1856 operas English-language operas Operas set in Paris Operas based on The Hunchback of Notre-Dame