''Milton'' is 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 one act by

Gaspare Spontini Gaspare Luigi Pacifico Spontini (14 November 177424 January 1851) was an Italian opera composer and conductor from the classical era. During the first two decades of the 19th century, Spontini was an important figure in French ''opera'', and ...

. The 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

Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy Victor-Joseph Étienne, called de Jouy (; 19 October 17644 September 1846), was a French dramatist who abandoned an early military career for a successful literary one. Life De Jouy was born at Versailles in 1764. At the age of eighteen he rece ...

and Armand-Michel Dieulafoy, is based on the life of the English poet

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, and civil servant. His 1667 epic poem ''Paradise Lost'' was written in blank verse and included 12 books, written in a time of immense religious flux and politic ...

. ''Milton'' was first performed on 27 November 1804 by 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 ...

at the Salle Feydeau in Paris. It was Spontini's first major success in France. The composer planned a reworked version for performances in Germany under the title ''Das verlorene Paradies'' (''Paradise Lost''), but in the event it was never staged.

Roles

Synopsis

The blind poet Milton and his daughter Emma, fearing political persecution by King Charles II, find refuge with the

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

Godwin. Godwin's niece Charlotte is in love with Milton's secretary, "Arthur". In reality, Arthur is

Sir William Davenant Sir William Davenant (baptised 3 March 1606 – 7 April 1668), also spelled D'Avenant, was an English poet and playwright. Along with Thomas Killigrew, Davenant was one of the rare figures in English Renaissance theatre whose career spanned bot ...

, who has adopted this disguise because he is in love with Emma. Milton dictates verses from his poem ''

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an Epic poetry, epic poem in blank verse by the English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The poem concerns the Bible, biblical story of the fall of man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their ex ...

'' to his daughter. In the end, Davenant reveals his true identity and brings Milton a letter from the king promising he will not be punished. Davenant and Emma are now free to marry.

References

Sources

*
Original edition of the libretto, 1805
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milton (Opera) Operas by Gaspare Spontini French-language operas Opéras comiques 1804 operas Operas John Milton Operas set in England Opera world premieres at the Opéra-Comique One-act operas