''Jean de Nivelle'' is an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

in three acts by

Léo Delibes Clément Philibert Léo Delibes (; 21 February 1836 – 16 January 1891) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer, best known for his ballets and French opera, operas. His works include the ballets ''Coppélia'' (1870) and ''Sylvia (b ...

to a French

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 ...

by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. It premiered on 6 March 1880 at the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...

in Paris, with

Jean-Alexandre Talazac Jean-Alexandre Talazac (; 16 May 1853 – 26 December 1892) was a French operatic tenor, particularly associated with the French repertory. Talazac was born in Bordeaux. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, and made his debut in 1877 at ...

, a French

tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...

, in the title role. The story is based on the historical figure Jean de Nivelle, a member of the

House of Montmorency The House of Montmorency () was one of the oldest and most distinguished noble families in France. Origins The family name Montmorency derived from their castle in the ''pays de France'', recorded in Latin as ''Mons Maurentiacus'', in 993. '' ...

who refused to join with his father, Jean II de Montmorency, in supporting

Louis XI Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revolt known as the ...

in his war against

Charles the Bold Charles Martin (10 November 1433 – 5 January 1477), called the Bold, was the last duke of Burgundy from the House of Valois-Burgundy, ruling from 1467 to 1477. He was the only surviving legitimate son of Philip the Good and his third wife, ...

. Although originally described as an ''

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular ''opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Théâtre de la foire, Fair Theatres of St Germain and S ...

'', in many respects it is close to the

grand opera Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and Orchestra, orchestras. The original productions consisted of spectacular design and stage effects with plots normally based on o ...

tradition typified by

Meyerbeer Giacomo Meyerbeer (born Jakob Liebmann Meyer Beer; 5 September 1791 – 2 May 1864) was a German opera composer, "the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century, linking Mozart and Wagner". With his 1831 opera ''Ro ...

. The opera proved popular in its day, with 100 performances in the year following its premiere. Between 1881 and 1882, it was also performed at

La Monnaie The Royal Theatre of La Monnaie (, ; , ; both translating as the "Royal Theatre of the Mint") is an opera house in central Brussels, Belgium. The National Opera of Belgium, a federal institution, takes the name of this theatre in which it is ho ...

in Brussels, Saint Petersburg, Copenhagen, Budapest, Vienna, and Stockholm. Then, it disappeared from the repertoire and was only revived in Paris in 1908, at the Théâtre Municipal de la Gaîté-Lyrique. In the 1908 revival the role of Arlette was sung by Marianne Nicot, the daughter of the creator of the role, while the title role was sung by David Devriès.

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...

in 1881, in his late sparse style, began to compose a free fantasy on the orchestral introduction to the opera, followed by the introduction to the ballad itself. But the manuscript is incomplete and unfinished. It is numbered S698 in Liszt's catalogue of works, and is the only operatic fantasy Liszt contemplated on themes by Delibes.

Roles

Synopsis

After an orchestral prelude the action opens in the Burgundian country, early in the reign of

. The curtain rises on grape-pickers who look vexedly after a young shepherd who goes away without replying to their calls: it is Jean de Nivelle – not long in the region having come from an unknown place. Wild and mysterious, he slips away as soon as someone thinks they know who he is. This excites the curiosity of the old hag Simone. She is consumed with jealousy and anger for her son Thibaut, a bad lad in prison for theft, whom she wants to marry her niece Arlette, but the latter hates Thibaut, and has fallen in love with Jean. Arlette herself suspects that the handsome shepherd might be the Duke Jean de Montmorency, who fled the royal court to avoid a futile marriage and who is hiding himself from the king in the depths of the countryside. When the Count de Charolais and Diane de Beautreillis pass on a hunt they fail to recognize Jean. Sire Malicorne (a comic character) has also been sent from court to find and drag back the missing son-in-law. The Baron Beautreillis, another comic role, the duke’s minister, uses the presence of the king's envoy to advance his own interests, while Saladin, a friend of Count Charolais is angry with Jean for stealing his riding-crop. In the second act, at the court of Philippe le Bon, Isolin leads the festivities. Diane presents Arlette, who pleases the old duke and has managed to reconcile him with his son. Arlette sings a florid

fabliau A ''fabliau'' (; plural ''fabliaux'') is a comic, often anonymous tale written by jongleurs and clerics in France between c. 1150 and 1400. They are generally characterized by sexual and scatological obscenity, and by a set of contrary attitud ...

. Saladin lays a trap for Arlette to seduce her and destroy her good favour when she tries to meet Jean. Jean appears just as Saladin lays in wait for her and the two draw swords. Jean later accuses Arlette of having an assignation with Saladin and admits that he has killed him. Denounced and revealed as his real self by Simone, when Charolais condemns him, Malicorne intervenes that the king has already sentenced Jean for rebellion. At this Charolais frees Jean and asks him to command the Burgundian troops against the king. For the third act it is daybreak on the

Montlhéry Montlhéry () is a Communes of France, commune in the Essonne Departments of France, department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris. History Montlhéry lay on the strategically important road from Paris to Orléans. U ...

plain with the battle in the distance. Arlette is looking for Jean, while Charolais, injured, says that he was rescued from a fatal ambush by an unknown soldier (who we know was Jean). Then Jean enters, pale, and without his arms: before the flag of France he had lost his courage. However, Arlette comes to him and tells him that Simone is still, along with Malicorne, plotting to ruin him. Jean does not listen to her, but then Charolais returns having parleyed with the king who has pardoned Jean, who decides that rather than face the French forces again, he will go away, but with Arlette.Translated from Henri de Curzon 'Delibes', 1926, p159-162.

References

Sources

*Decé, H., Review: "Théâtre Lyrique Municipal de la Gaité: Jean de Nivelle", ''Le théâtre'' Vol. 1908/II, No. 239, 1908, pp. 18–22 *Forbes, Elizabeth
"Talazac, Jean-Alexandre"
in L. Macy (ed.), ''The Grove Book of Opera Singers'', Oxford University Press US, 2008, p. 483. *Pottinger, Mark A.,
Review: ''Léo Delibes, Jean de Nivelle: Dossier de presse parisienne (1880)''
''Music and Letters'' Vol. 89, No. 3, 2008, pp. 434–435 {{Authority control Operas Operas by Léo Delibes Opéras comiques French-language operas 1880 operas Opera world premieres at the Opéra-Comique