La destinée théâtrale des Vêpres siciliennes

Casimir Delavigne's Les Vêpres siciliennes, a tragedy based on the massacre of more than two-thousand French in Sicily in 1282, was undoubtedly the most successful of the so-called historical plays, which became fashionab1e in the French theater in the late 1810s. The first p1ay ever performed at the Odéon (1813), its success was largely due to Delavigne's intelligent handling, of this subject, in which he dared introduce some theatrical innovations (local color) while still maintaining a c1assical structure (five acts in alexandrin vers.) As early as 1819, the young scribe wrote a parody based on this tragedy, and later on, having become a prolific playwright, he used the same subject for two libretti, the first one in 1839 for Donizetti's posthurnus, opera Le duc d'Albe, the second one in 1855 for Verdi's Les Vêpres siciliennes. The initial success of the latter proved, among other things, that this kind of play, totally out of fashion at the Odéon or at the Français, was still welcome enthusiastically, at the Opéra. The theme of Les Vêpres was anti-French and harmful to the reputation of the Italians, but Verdi agreed to compose the music for Scribe's libretto because of his sympathetic attitude towards liberalism and his love for strong subjects in which violent passions could be set to work. Had the communication between, composer and librettist been better, the result of their collaboration would have proved more positive, and the opera wouldn't have fallen into oblivion. (In French) (MHM)