Milton (opera)

Milton
Milton
Opéra comique by Gaspare Spontini
	The composer
Librettist	Étienne de Jouy; Armand-Michel Dieulafoy;
Language	French
Based on	life of John Milton
Premiere	27 November 1804; Salle Feydeau, Paris

Milton is an opéra comique in one act by Gaspare Spontini. The French libretto, by Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy and Armand-Michel Dieulafoy, is based on the life of the English poet John Milton. Milton was first performed on 27 November 1804 by the Opéra-Comique 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.^[1]

Roles[]

Roles, voice types, premiere cast
Role	Voice type	Premiere cast, 27 November 1804^[2]
Milton, an old man, a poet, blind	baritone	Jean-Pierre Solié
Emma, his daughter	soprano	Mme Gavaudan
Miss Charlotte, his niece, an old maid^[3]	mezzo-soprano	Mme Crétu^[4]
Lord Arthur Davenant, going under the name Arthur	tenor	Jean-Baptiste-Sauveur Gavaudan
Godwin, a Quaker, a Justice of the Peace	bass	Simon Chénard
A jockey of Lord Arthur
A house servant
People in the livery of the king

Synopsis[]

The blind poet Milton and his daughter Emma, fearing political persecution by King Charles II, find refuge with the Quaker Godwin. Godwin's niece Charlotte is in love with Milton's secretary, "Arthur". In reality, Arthur is Sir William Davenant, who has adopted this disguise because he is in love with Emma. Milton dictates verses from his poem Paradise Lost 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[]

^ Holden, Amanda, ed. (2001). The New Penguin Opera Guide. New York: Penguin Putnam. p. 1003. ISBN 0-14-029312-4.
^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Milton, 27 November 1804". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
^ The libretto describes this role as a "demi-caricature"
^ She was born Anne-Marie Simonet (1764–1829) and was also known as Mme Crétu, after she married Étienne Crétu.

Sources[]

Milton: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Original edition of the libretto, 1805

[1] Holden, Amanda, ed. (2001). The New Penguin Opera Guide. New York: Penguin Putnam. p. 1003. ISBN 0-14-029312-4.

[2] Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Milton, 27 November 1804". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).

[3] The libretto describes this role as a "demi-caricature"

[4] She was born Anne-Marie Simonet (1764–1829) and was also known as Mme Crétu, after she married Étienne Crétu.

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hide v t Gaspare Spontini
List of operas
Operas	Li puntigli delle donne (1796) Teseo riconosciuto (1798) La fuga in maschera (1800) Le metamorfosi di Pasquale (1802) Milton (1804) Julie, ou Le pot de fleurs (1805) La vestale (1807) Fernand Cortez (1809) Olimpie (1819) Nurmahal, oder Das Rosenfest von Kaschmir (1822) Agnes von Hohenstaufen (1829)
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