''Jephté'' (''Jephtha'') is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

by the French composer

Michel Pignolet de Montéclair Michel Pignolet de Montéclair (4 December 1667 – 22 September 1737) was a French composer of the baroque period. He was born Michel Pignolet in Andelot, Haute-Marne, France, and only later added "Montéclair" (the name of a fortress in hi ...

. It takes the form of a ''

tragédie en musique Tragédie en musique (, ''musical tragedy''), also known as tragédie lyrique (, ''lyric tragedy''), is a genre of French opera introduced by Jean-Baptiste Lully and used by his followers until the second half of the eighteenth century. Operas in t ...

'' in a prologue and five acts (because of its subject matter it was also styled a ''tragédie biblique''). The

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

, by the Abbé

Simon-Joseph Pellegrin The abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin (1663 – 5 September 1745) was a French poet and playwright, a librettist who collaborated with Jean-Philippe Rameau and other composers. Biography He was born at Marseille, the son of a ''conseiller'' to the Si ...

, is based on the

Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

story of

Jephtha Jephthah (pronounced ; he, יִפְתָּח, ''Yīftāḥ''), appears in the Book of Judges as a judge who presided over Israel for a period of six years (). According to Judges, he lived in Gilead. His father's name is also given as Gilead, ...

. The oratorio was first performed at the

Académie royale de musique The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

on 28 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. In 1735, the soprano who had premiered Iphise,

Catherine-Nicole Lemaure Catherine-Nicole Lemaure or Le Maure (3 August 1704 – 14 January 1786) was a French operatic soprano. In 1719, she joined the Paris Opera's chorus, and after 1723 she sang many leading and titular roles throughout a career noted for sudden and ...

, was forced to appear in that year's revival via threats of imprisonment if she would not do so; therefore, she intentionally bombed the performance and was booed at by the audience.Julie Anne Sadie, ''Guide de la Musique baroque', Fayard1995 '' She was detained overnight at

For-l'Évêque The For-l’Évêque was a prison in Paris. It was in operation from 1674 until 1780, and was demolished at the start of the 19th century. History Sources * Jules Édouard Alboise du Pujol, Auguste Maquet, ''Les Prisons de l’Europe'', t. ...

, a Parisian prison, until she returned the next night to sing the role correctly.

Roles

Synopsis

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 The Israelites (; , , ) were a group of Semitic-speaking tribes in the ancient Near East who, during the Iron Age, inhabited a part of Canaan. The earliest recorded evidence of a people by the name of Israel appears in the Merneptah Stele o ...

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 Sophie Daneman is a British soprano specializing in the baroque repertoire. Biography Sophie Daneman, a daughter of the actor Paul Daneman, studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She became known during the 1990s with ...

Nicolas Rivenq Nicolas Rivenq (born 1958) is a contemporary French baritone. Born in London, Rivenq studied music at the "École d'Art lyrique" of the Paris Opéra, as well as the Indiana University. He has participated in numerous productions of baroque mu ...

, Claire Brua, Mark Padmore. Les Arts Florissants, conducted by William Christie (Harmonia Mundi, 1992) *''Jephté'' (last version 1737), Tassis Christoyannis, Judith Van Wanroij, Chantal Santon, Jeffery Campent, Purcell Choir, Orfeo Orchestra, conducted by György Vashegyi (Glossa 2019). Diapason d’or

Sources

*''The Viking Opera Guide'' ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
Le magazine de l'opéra baroque by Jean-Claude Brenac
*

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jephte French-language operas Tragédies en musique 1732 operas Operas by Michel Pignolet de Montéclair Operas Operas based on the Bible