La Vestale facts for kids

La Vestale (which means The Vestal Virgin) is a French opera. An opera is like a play where most of the story is sung. This opera has three parts, called acts. Gaspare Spontini wrote the music for it. The story, called the libretto, was written by Étienne de Jouy.

The opera was first shown in Paris, France, on December 15, 1807. Later, an Italian version was performed in Naples, Italy, in 1811. La Vestale became Gaspare Spontini's most famous and successful work. It was even brought back to the stage in 1954 for the famous singer Maria Callas.

Main Characters

This opera has several important characters. Each character sings in a specific voice range:

• Julia - a young woman, sung by a soprano (a high female voice).
• Great Vestal - the leader of the Vestal Virgins, sung by a mezzo-soprano (a middle-range female voice).
• Licinius - a Roman general, sung by a tenor (a high male voice).
• Cinna - Licinius's friend, sung by a tenor or a baritone (a middle-range male voice).
• Chief Priest - the head of the priests, sung by a bass (a low male voice).
• Chief of the Aruspices - another religious leader, also sung by a bass.

Images for kids

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  Set design by Antonio Basoli

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  Drawing for a libretto cover (1954)

See also

In Spanish: La vestale para niños