Ive never heard Louise Bertins Esmeralda as you might have guessed from the title its based on Victor Hugos The Hunchback of Notre Dame I think Hugo himself might even have written the libretto I dont think its ever been recorded Since I like a lot of French opera of that period it sounds intriguing  This is what Berlioz writes in his memoirs and you have to remember Berlioz was an extremely exacting critic who didnt flatter people he didnt think deserved it Mademoiselle Louise Bertinhas been remarkably successful both in literature and music She is one of the ablest women of our time Her musical talent to my mind is rather rational than emotional but it is a real talent notwithstanding and in spite of a certain want of decision and of the occasionally childish form of her melodies her opera of Esmeralda to Victor Hugos words is of great interest and certainly contains very fine passagesSeveral pieceswere warmly applauded at the general rehearsal Nevertheless this work by a woman who never wrote one word of criticism on any human being good bad or indifferent and whose sole crime consisted of belonging to a family that owned a powerful journalthis work I say so far superior to many that succeed daily or are at any rate accepted broke down utterly It was received at the Opra with unexampled hisses groans and cries At the second attempt indeed they were obliged to drop the curtain in the middle of an act and stop the performance