page_title: L'étoile du nord
section_title: Performance history
hierarchical_section_title: L'étoile du nord / Performance history
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Melle Decroix, rôle de Ekimonna, dans L'étoile du nord, acte 2
context_page_description: L'étoile du nord is an opéra comique in three acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer. The French-language libretto was by Eugène Scribe. The work had its first performance at the Opéra-Comique, Paris, on 16 February 1854.
  Much of the material, including some plot similarities, derived from Meyerbeer's earlier 1844 Singspiel Ein Feldlager in Schlesien. However, there also are some significant differences, perhaps the most important of which is that it was permissible to actually have Peter the Great take part in the action, which was not the case for Frederick, who had to play his flute off-stage, since members of the Prussian royal family were not permitted to be impersonated on the stage in Berlin where that work had its premiere. Peter does more than just take part in the action, since he ends up being the romantic lead.
  A notable feature of the opera is the triple march in the finale to the second act. A rebellion against the Tsar is deflected as the "sacred march" is heard. The troops are then joined by a regiment of grenadiers from Tobolsk, to the music of a different march, followed by a regiment of Tatar cavalry to the music of a third march.
context_section_description: L'étoile du nord was first performed at the Salle Favart by the company of the Opéra-Comique, Paris, on 16 February 1854. It was a big success, and in the following year was given in Dresden under the composer's baton, with Jenny Ney. It was soon given in all the major theatres of Europe, North Africa, and the Americas. The Max Maretzek Italian Opera Company staged the work's United States premiere on September 24, 1856, at the Academy of Music in New York City. The opera stayed in the repertory throughout most of the 19th century, but virtually disappeared by the early 20th century. However, the two big coloratura showpieces – the prayer and barcarolle in act 1 and the air with two flutes in act 3 – were still occasionally recorded by famous prima donnas such as Amelita Galli-Curci and Luisa Tetrazzini.
  The work has been revived in recent years:  by Opera Rara in 1975,  at Wexford (with Elizabeth Futral as Cathérine) in 1996 and by Kokkola Opera in Kokkola and Helsinki, Finland, in 2017.
caption: Marguerite Decroix as a vivandière in the original production
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