Introduction

This chapter presents the process of rediscovery forward in a small way by presenting an introduction to Giacomo Meyerbeer's work, not just to his famous French operas, but to all 17 of them in the context of the whole of his whole dramatic oeuvre. The six Italian operas which followed between 1817 and 1824 established Meyerbeer as a significant composer in Italy, with an international reputation growing more or less incrementally with each new work. In light of the great range of historical subjects and figures tackled by Meyerbeer in his operatic works, it is unsurprising that significant religious and social issues should be touched upon. Meyerbeer's life and art have been considered in detail by some modern German scholars, especially in biographies by Heinz Becker and Reiner Zimmermann. The chapter provides a brief history of its origins, an account of its plot, a critical survey of some of its musical characteristics, and a record of its performance history.