Guilty of allowing the sacred fire to extinguish while declaring her love for General Licinius, Julia must be buried alive. However, her execution is interrupted by a divine intervention that reignites the altar and absolves the victim. The simplicity of the plot of La Vestale by Gaspare Spontini achieved resounding success in 1807 thanks to the masterful treatment of character psychology and the clarity of political allusions (Licinius being none other than the allegory of Napoleon Bonaparte himself). More than a work of propaganda, the score stands as one of the links between the lyrical tragedy of the Ancien Régime and the future grand opera à la française, even anticipating the bel canto of Bellini. Centered on the character of Julia, the work demands an exceptional soprano to interpret it. After the original performer, Caroline Branchu – "the embodiment of lyrical tragedy," according to Berlioz – and Maria Callas in 1954 at La Scala, Marina Rebeka masterfully takes on a role that seems tailor-made for her impressive vocal abilities, supported by the energy and precision of the historical instruments of Talens Lyriques under the direction of Christophe Rousset. The score is thus truly revealed.
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