Le Tribut de Zamora Inclus livre

Description

After Polyeucte (1878), Gounod tackled opera one last time in 1881 with his undoubtedly most ambitious work: Le Tribut de Zamora. The action takes place in the 9th century in Spain and, starting from Act II, in "a picturesque site on the banks of the Oued El Kédir in front of Cordoba." This gives Gounod – who was ultimately better known for his neoclassical pastiches (Le Médecin malgré lui and Cinq-Mars) and his ardent romanticism (Faust and Roméo et Juliette) – the opportunity to showcase his talent as an orchestrator and colorist in an exotic subject. He delivers a peplum in the tradition of grand French opera, with powerful ensemble pieces and demonstrative arias. Despite unequivocal success at its premiere, and the haunting national anthem "Debout! Enfants de l’Ibérie," Le Tribut de Zamora fell into obscurity in just a few decades. One will appreciate in this opera precisely what some detractors criticized: the irresistible lyricism of Faust and Roméo et Juliette.