Jérusalem
also Gerusalemme
grand opéra · opéra en quatre actes
Composer Giuseppe Verdi
Librettist Alphonse Royer, Gustave Vaëz
Synopsis
Gaston, Vicomte de Béarn, and Hélène, daughter of the Count of Toulouse, love each other across a feud between their families, which is to be solemnly ended before Gaston leaves on the First Crusade. The Count's brother Roger loves Hélène as well, and sets out to have Gaston murdered.
Key facts
- Premiere
- 26 November 1847, Salle Le Peletier, Paris
- Acts
- 4
- Language
- French (fr)
- Setting
- Toulouse and Palestine, between 1095 and 1099.
Dramatis personae
| Role | Voice | Created by |
|---|---|---|
| Gaston Vicomte de Béarn. | tenor | Gilbert-Louis Duprez |
| Le Comte de Toulouse Hélène's father. | baritone | Charles Portheaut |
| Roger The Count's brother. | bass | Adolphe-Joseph-Louis Alizard |
| Adhémar de Monteil Papal legate. | bass | Hippolyte Brémont |
| Raymond Gaston's squire. | tenor | Joseph Barbot |
| Un soldat A soldier. | bass | Ferdinand Prévôt |
| Un héraut A herald. | bass | Molinier |
| L'Émir de Ramla The Emir of Ramla. | bass | Guignot |
| Un officier de l'Émir An officer of the Emir. | tenor | Koenig |
| Hélène The Count's daughter. | soprano | Julian Van Gelder |
| Isaure Hélène's companion. | soprano | Muller |
Source
- I Lombardi alla prima crociata by Tommaso Grossi (1826)
Written from
- Budden, J. (1978) The operas of Verdi. Volume 1: From Oberto to Rigoletto. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 339-359.
- Wikipedia (2026) Jérusalem. (Accessed: 28 September 2026). The English article.
- Wikipedia (2026) Jérusalem (opéra). (Accessed: 28 September 2026). The French article.
- Royer, A. and Vaëz, G. (1856) Jérusalem: opéra en quatre actes. Paris: Théâtre contemporain illustré. (Accessed: 28 September 2026).