Ghiselle is an opera by César Franck to a Merovingian-themed French libretto by the novelist Gilbert-Augustin Thierry, son of Amédée Thierry. The plot, set in the sixth century, while not keeping up with the "one assassination per act" of its predecessor Hulda (1886), is nonetheless rich in violent incident and ends with a double suicide.
Composition began in the fall of 1888 and the last page of the piano score bears the date 21 September 1889. Franck orchestrated the first act himself; the remainder were prepared for the posthumous premiere (in Monte Carlo) by his pupils Pierre de Bréville, Ernest Chausson, Vincent d'Indy, Samuel Rousseau and Arthur Coquard.
Roles RoleVoice typeCast for the Monte Carlo premiere, 30 March 1896(Conductor: Léon Jehin )Ghiselle, an Austrasian princesssopranoEmma EamesGudruneMezzo-sopranoBlanche Deschamps-JéhinFrédegonde, regent of Neustria and Ghiselle's captordramatic sopranoAda Adini GouthramtenorEdmonde Vergnet TheudébertbaritoneLéon MelchissédecBishop AmbrosiusbassL. Mauzin
Sources Léon Vallas: César Franck, translated by Hubert Foss (London 1951)
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