Le prophète

Giacomo Meyerbeer

1849

Printed page with French text.

Le prophète (The Prophet) is a grand opera in five acts based on the life of John of Leiden, a sixteenth-century Anabaptist leader. It premiered in Paris in 1849 and was soon being performed in London and Germany. The opera’s Paris debut was the first time that electric arc lights were used on a stage.

Credits

Giacomo Meyerbeer, from Le prophète (opera), arranged by Charles-Valentin Alkan, overture by Alexis de Garaudé (Paris: Brandus, n.d.), Plates B. et Cie. 5191, 5111.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 6.

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Creator Bio

Giacomo Meyerbeer

1791–1864

A pathbreaking composer, Giacomo Meyerbeer surprised and delighted generations of opera fans in Europe and around the world. To the staid formula of live performances, he added sound effects, electric spotlights, and an erudite conception of history, making opera at once smarter and more spectacular. Meyerbeer was born Jacob Liebermann Beer, in Prussia, to a wealthy Jewish family. He studied piano and composition before finding success with the Paris Opera. Condemned by the antisemitic Wagner, Meyerbeer’s reputation suffered, though he is today credited with transforming his chosen medium, making opera more attractive to its audiences.

Related Guide

Music and Opera in Jewish Culture, 1750–1880

One of the most striking changes in European Jewish culture toward the later eighteenth century was marked by the entry of Jews into art music, opera houses, and the stage.

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