Robert Bruce (opera) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Bruce
by Gioachino Rossini and Louis Niedermeyer
Set design by Charles-Antoine Cambon for act 3, scene 3 in the première
Librettist	Alphonse Royer Gustave Vaëz
Language	French
Premiere	30 December 1846 (1846-12-30): Salle Le Peletier, Paris

Robert Bruce is an opera from 1846. It's a special kind of opera called a pastiche. This means its music was put together from other operas. The music was created by Gioachino Rossini and Louis Niedermeyer. The story is in French and was written by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz.

The opera tells the story of Robert the Bruce, who was the King of Scotland. He defeated the army of Edward II of England. The plot comes from History of Scotland by Walter Scott. Louis Niedermeyer put the music together. He used parts from Rossini's other operas like La donna del lago and Zelmira. Rossini himself gave permission for this. The opera first opened on December 30, 1846, in Paris. A new instrument, the saxophone, was played in the orchestra for the very first time during this show.

How the Opera Was Made

After Rossini came to Paris in 1843 for medical help, he met Léon Pillet. Pillet was the director of the Paris Opera. He really wanted Rossini to write a new opera. Rossini wasn't feeling well, so he said no.

But Rossini had an idea. He suggested that his opera La donna del lago (from 1819) would be great for the French stage. He thought it needed a big chorus and a grand orchestra. Pillet, however, didn't want to show an opera that Parisians already knew well.

Rossini went back home to Bologna. In June 1846, Pillet visited him again. This time, he brought Gustave Vaëz, who wrote opera stories, and Louis Niedermeyer. Together, they decided to create Robert Bruce. It was a "pastiche" opera, meaning it used music from many of Rossini's earlier works. These included La donna del lago, Zelmira, Bianca e Falliero, Torvaldo e Dorliska, Armida, Mosè in Egitto, and Maometto II. Niedermeyer wrote the parts that connect the musical pieces.

First Performance

Rosine Stoltz as Marie, a character in the opera.

Rossini helped with the opera, but he wasn't at the first show in Paris. The performance included a ballet with famous dancers like Lucien Petipa and Adèle Dumilâtre. Joseph Mazilier created the dance moves.

The stage sets were designed by several artists. Joseph Thierry designed Act 1. Charles Cambon, Jules Diéterle, and Édouard Desplechin designed Act 2. René Philastre and Charles Cambon designed Act 3. Paul Lormier designed the costumes. The opera was somewhat successful. However, some critics, like Hector Berlioz, did not like it very much.

Main Characters

Recordings of the Opera

See also

In Spanish: Robert Bruce para niños