Le calife de Bagdad (English: The Caliph of Baghdad) is an opéra comique in one act composed by François‑Adrien Boieldieu with a French libretto by Claude Godard d'Aucourt de Saint‑Just. The work was dedicated to the landscape painter Bidauld and received its premiere on 16 September 1800 at the Opéra‑Comique in Paris. It quickly achieved widespread popularity across Europe and marked Boieldieu’s first major triumph as an opera composer.
Composition and Premiere
- Composer: François‑Adrien Boieldieu (c. 1800)
- Librettist: Claude Godard d'Aucourt de Saint‑Just
- Language: French
- First performance: 16 September 1800, Opéra‑Comique, Paris
The opera emerged during a period when Orientalist subjects were fashionable in French theatrical music. Boieldieu’s score incorporates “local colour” through the use of Eastern‑styled percussion, particularly in the overture, which later became a concert favourite.
Roles (original cast)
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast |
|---|---|---|
| Isaoun, the Caliph | Tenor | Jean Elleviou |
| Zétulbé, a young woman of Baghdad | Soprano | Alexandrine Marie‑Agathe Gavaudan‑Ducamel |
| Késie, Zétulbé’s friend | Soprano | Philis |
| Lémaïde, Zétulbé’s mother | Mezzo‑soprano | Louise Dugazon |
| A judge | Tenor | (unspecified) |
Synopsis
The plot centers on Isaoun, the Caliph of Baghdad, who disguises himself as “Il Bondocani” to roam the city incognito. Prior to the action, he rescues the heroine Zétulbé from brigands; she falls in love with him, unaware of his true identity. Zétulbé’s mother, Lémaïde, disapproves of the suitor’s ragged appearance. After a series of misunderstandings—including a police raid prompted by a neighbor who believes “Il Bondocani” to be a brigand—Isaoun reveals his royal status, allowing his marriage to Zétulbé.
Significance
- The opera’s overture, noted for its prominent Eastern percussion, became a staple of the concert repertoire and has been recorded independently of the stage work.
- Contemporary reception was mixed: while audiences enthusiastically embraced the piece, composer Luigi Cherubini reportedly criticized Boieldieu for “doing so little to deserve” its success, prompting Boieldieu to seek further compositional instruction from Cherubini.
- Musicologists have identified a possible influence of Le calife de Bagdad on Carl Maria von Weber’s later Orientalist operas, such as Abu Hassan and Oberon.
Recordings
- A complete recording conducted by Antonio de Almeida (Sonopact, 1993) features Laurence Dale, Lydia Mayo, Joëlle Michelini, and the Chorus and Orchestra of the Camerata de Provence.
- The overture has been recorded by numerous orchestras and is frequently included in compilations of early 19th‑century French opera overtures.
Bibliographic References
- Boieldieu, F.‑A. Le calife de Bagdad (score). Available via the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP).
- Holden, A. (ed.). The New Penguin Opera Guide (2001). Penguin Putnam. ISBN 0‑14‑029312‑4.
- Casaglia, G. “Le calife de Bagdad, 16 September 1800.” L’Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (2005).
Le calife de Bagdad remains a representative example of early 19th‑century French opéra comique, illustrating the period’s fascination with exotic themes and contributing to the development of Orientalist music in the operatic repertoire.