 les huguenots () is a french opera by giacomo meyerbeer, one of the most popular and spectacular examples of the style of grand opera. in five acts, to a libretto by eugÃ¨ne scribe and Ãmile deschamps, it premiered in paris in 1836. ==composition history== les huguenots was some five years in creation. meyerbeer prepared carefully for this opera after the sensational success of robert le diable, recognising the need to continue to present lavish staging, a highly (melo)dramatic storyline, impressive orchestration and virtuoso parts for the soloists â the essential elements of the new genre of grand opera. coming from a wealthy family, meyerbeer could afford to take his time, dictate his own terms, and to be a perfectionist. the very detailed contract which meyerbeer arranged with louis-dÃ©sirÃ© vÃ©ron, director of the opÃ©ra, for les huguenots (and which was drawn up for him by the lawyer adolphe crÃ©mieux) is a testament to this.kelly 2004, pp. 201â206. while meyerbeer was writing the opera, another opera with a similar setting and theme (le prÃ© aux clercs by ferdinand hÃ©rold) was also produced in paris (1832). like meyerbeer's, hÃ©rold's work was extremely popular in its time, although it is now forgotten. ==performance history==  les huguenots premiered at the paris opera on 29 february 1836 (conductor: franÃ§ois habeneck), and was an immediate success. both adolphe nourrit and cornÃ©lie falcon were particularly praised by the critics for their singing and performances. it was indeed falcon's last important creation before her voice so tragically failed in april of the following year.pitou 1990, pp. 451â452. hector berlioz called the score "a musical encyclopaedia". les huguenots was the first opera to be performed at the opÃ©ra more than 1,000 times (the 1,000th performance being on 16 may 1906)brzoska 2003, p. 206. and continued to be produced regularly up to 1936, more than a century after its premiere.wolff 1962, pp. 116â117. its many performances in all other of the world's major opera houses give it a claim to being the most successful opera of the 19th century. other first performances included london (covent garden theatre), 20 june 1842, and new orleans (thÃ©Ã¢tre d'orlÃ©ans) on 29 april 1839. due to its subject matter it was sometimes staged under different titles such as the guelfs and the ghibellines (in vienna before 1848), renato di croenwald in rome, or the anglicans and the puritans (in munich), to avoid inflaming religious tensions among its audiences.brzoska 2003, p. 207. les huguenots was chosen to open the present building of the covent garden theatre in 1858. during the 1890
1836_operas French-language_operas Grand_operas Libretti_by_EugA"ne_Scribe Operas Operas_by_Giacomo_Meyerbeer Operas_set_in_France Paris_Opera_world_premieres