Premiere of this production: February 23, 1835, Paris Opera, Paris, France
opera in three acts, five scenes
Music: Jacques-Francois-Fromental-Elie Halevy
Libretto: Eugene Scribe
Musical Director: Peter Feranec
Stage Director: Arnaud Bernard
Stage Designer: Herbert Murauer
Costumes Co-Designer: Eva-Mareike Uhlig
Lighting Designer: Reinhard Traub
Director: Yulia Prokhorova
Principal Chorus Master: Vladimir Stolpovskikh
Choreographer: Maria Bolshakova
Assistant Directors: Stefano Trespidi, Diane Chevre-Clement, Vyacheslav Kalyuzhny
Assistant Conductor: Mikhail Leontyev
Rehearsal Conductor: Andrey Velikanov
Rehearsal Conductor and Style Consultant: Franck Villard
Chorus Masters: Sergey Tsyplyonkov, Alexey Dmitriyev
Principal Pianists: Marc Veiner, Maria Kopyseva
French language Consultants: Fabrice and Lyudmila Scheid
Stage Managers: Olga Kokh, Norina Sokolskaya
Assistant to Stage Manager: Daria Panteleyeva
Sets and costumes were produced in the artistic workshops of Vozrozhdenie, Ltd. Premiere of the production: February 19, 2010
The Mikhailovsky Theatre turns to the opera that became a cornerstone of the French opera repertoire. La Juive by Jacques Francois Fromental Halevy is a masterpiece of grand style of the early 19th century. In the productions of the grand style visual effects prevailed over the musical and dramatic logic, however, very soon the trend was conceived as a most convincing implementation of the synthetic nature of musical theatre. The opera combines the elements of lyricism, dramatism and sonority. La Juive is notable for its brilliant vocal parts and complex ensembles.
The production at the Mikhailovsky Theatre by the French stage director Arnaud Bernard and stage designer Herbert Murauer adapts the arresting storyline to modern times.
The unique personality means nothing for the impersonal wheels of state and the opposition is treated taking into account the experience of several generations, who really know the nature of totalitarianism. The opera is set in the city of Constance in 1414 during the time of persecution of Jews. Through the story of an impossible love between a Christian man and a Jewish woman, the work may be seen as a plea for religious tolerance.
Synopsis
Events
before the opera begins
The following is a summary of events which took place before the first act of
the opera, some of which are only revealed in the course of the action.
When he was young, the Jew Eleazar had lived in Italy near Rome and witnessed
the condemnation and executions of his sons as heretics by Count Brogni. Eleazar
himself was banished and forced to flee to Switzerland.
During his journey, Eleazar found a baby near death, abandoned inside a
burnt-out house which turned out to be the home of the Count. Bandits had set
fire to the house tried to kill the entire family of Brogni unaware that the
Count himself was in Rome at the time.
Eleazar took the child, a girl, and raised it as his own daughter, naming her
Rachel. Brogni discovered the ruins of his house and the bodies of his family
upon his return and subsequently became a priest and later, a cardinal.
At the beginning of the opera, Rachel (now a young woman) is living with her
"father" in the city of Constance. It is the year 1414; the forces of the Holy
Roman Emperor Sigismund have defeated the Hussites, in battles where Prince
Leopold has distinguished himself. The Council of Constance, convened by
Antipope John XXIII has been arranged to resolve Church matters. John XXIII is
represented there by Cardinal Brogni, who was a historical personage. His part
in the story of the opera is however entirely fictional.
Act 1
A square in the city of Constance in 1414
Eleazar is a goldsmith. The crowd condemns him for working during a day
dedicated to Church festivities. He is saved from a lynching by the arrival of
Brogni, who in the process recognises Eleazar as his old adversary.
Lйopold arrives in disguise as a young Jewish artist Samuel. Rachel is in
love with Samuel and knows nothing of his true identity. Local laws reflect
prejudice against the Jews: if a Jew and a Christian have sexual relations, the
Christian is excommunicated and the Jew is killed. Leopold is thus taking a
great risk in this affair, especially as he is already married to the Princess
Eudoxie. The crowd returns to attack Eleazar, but 'Samuel' secretly instructs
his troops to calm things down. The act closes with a grand triumphal
procession.
Act 2
Inside the house of Eleazar
Rachel has invited Leopold for the Passover celebration in Eleazar's house.
He is present while Eleazar and the other Jews sing their Passover prayers.
Rachel becomes anxious when she notices that Lйopold refuses to eat the piece of
unleavened bread that she has given him. He reveals to her that he is a
Christian, without telling her his true identity. Rachel is horrified and
reminds him of the terrible consequences of such a relationship.
Eudoxie enters - at which Leopold hides - to order from Eleazar a valuable
jewel for a present for her husband.
After Eudoxie leaves, Leopold promises to take Rachel away with him. She
tries to resist, worrying about abandoning her father, but as she is about to
succumb to his advances, they are confronted by Eleazar, who curses Lйopold
before the latter runs off.
Act 3
Magnificent gardens
Rachel, who has followed 'Samuel' to the Palace, offers her services as a
lady's maid to Eudoxie. Eleazar arrives at the palace to deliver the jewel. He
and Rachel recognise Leopold as 'Samuel'. Rachel declares that Leopold seduced
her before the assembly and she, Eleazar and Leopold are arrested and placed in
prison, on the instructions of Brogni.
Act 4
A gothic interior
Eudoxie asks to see Rachel in prison, and persuades her to withdraw her
allegations. Rachel agrees; Brogni agrees to commute Leopold's sentence, and to
spare Rachel and Eleazar if they convert. Eleazar at first answers that he would
rather die, but then makes plans to avenge himself. He reminds the Cardinal of
the fire in his house near Rome many years before and tells the Cardinal that
his infant daughter did not die. He says that she was saved by a Jew and that
only he knows who he is. If he dies, his secret will die with him. Brogni begs
him to tell him where his daughter is, but in vain. Eleazar sings of the
vengeance that he will have in dying, but he suddenly remembers that he will be
responsible for the death of Rachel. The only way to save her is to admit that
the Cardinal is her father and that she is not Jewish but Christian. The act
ends with the opera's most famous aria, Eleazar's 'Rachel, quand du Seigneur'.
At the point where he has almost persuaded himself to concede, he hears the
people shouting for his death and resolves that he will never give Rachel back
to the Christians.
Act 5
A large tent supported by Gothic columns
Eleazar and Rachel are brought to the gallows where they will be thrown in a
pot of boiling water. Rachel is terrified. Eleazar explains that she can be
saved if she converts to Christianity. She refuses and climbs to the gallows
before him. As the people are singing various prayers, Brogni asks Eleazar if
his daughter is still alive. Eleazar says that she is and when Brogni asks where
she can be found, Eleazar points to cauldron, saying "There she is!" He then
climbs to his own death while the Cardinal falls on his knees. The opera ends
with a chorus of monks, soldiers and the people singing "It is done and we are
avenged on the Jews!"
Roles
Role
Voice type
Eleazar, a Jewish goldsmith
tenor
Rachel, his daughter, the "Jewess" of the
title
soprano
Prince Leopold
tenor
Princess Eudoxie, niece of the emperor
soprano
Gian Francesco, Cardinal of Brogni, President of the
Council