- Jephté
"Jephté" ("Jephtha") is an
opera by the French composerMichel Pignolet de Montéclair . It takes the form of a "tragédie en musique " in a prologue and five acts (because of its subject matter it was also styled a "tragédie biblique"). Thelibretto , by the Abbé Simon Joseph Pellegrin , is based on the Biblical story ofJephtha . The opera was first performed at theAcadémie royale de musique ,Paris on28 February 1732 . It was the first opera in France using a story from the Bible to appear on a public stage. For this reason, Cardinal de Noailles banned performances of the work for a time. Montéclair made revisions for revivals of the work in March, 1732 and April, 1737.Roles
ynopsis
Prologue
La Verité (Truth) chases away the false pagan gods, Apollo, Venus and Polyhymnia.
Act One
The high priest Phinée chooses Jephté as leader of the
Israelite s as they prepare to attack the people of Ephraim. Jephté vows to God to sacrifice the first person he sees on his return from battle if he is victorious.Act Two
The leader of the Ephraimites, Ammon, is a captive in Jephtha's palace. He refuses the urging of his follower, Abner, to escape because he has fallen in love with Jephtha's daughter, Iphise. Iphise guiltily confesses to her mother that she is in love with Ammon too. News arrives of Jephté's victory in battle.
Act Three
Jephté is horrified when the first person he sees as he arrives home is Iphise. He tells her of his vow and she prepares herself to be sacrificed, in spite of Ammon's entreaties.
Act Four
Iphise laments her fate but is resigned to death. Ammon swears he will lead his army to save her but she rejects his offer.
Act Five
The Israelites prepare the sacrifice in the temple. Ammon and his men burst in but they are struck by a bolt of fire from Heaven. The priest Phinéé declares God is pleased with Iphise and her life is spared.
Recordings
*"Jephté" (first version) Jacques Bona, Sophie Daneman, Mark Padmore, Les Arts Florissants, conducted by William Christie (Harmonia Mundi, 1992)
ources
*"The Viking Opera Guide" ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
* [http://pagesperso-orange.fr/jean-claude.brenac/Operabaroque.htm Le magazine de l'opéra baroque by Jean-Claude Brenac]
* [http://www.amadeusonline.net/almanacco.php?Start=0&Giorno=28&Mese=02&Anno=1732&Giornata=&Testo=&Parola=Stringa Amadeus Online]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.