Jean de Nivelle (opera)

Jean de Nivelle is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille.

Although originally described as an opéra comique, in many respects it is close to the grand opera tradition typified by Meyerbeer.

The curtain rises on grape-pickers who look vexedly after a young shepherd who goes away without replying to their calls: it is Jean de Nivelle – not long in the region having come from an unknown place.

Arlette herself suspects that the handsome shepherd might be the Duke Jean de Montmorency, who fled the royal court to avoid a futile marriage and who is hiding himself from the king in the depths of the countryside.

The Baron Beautreillis, another comic role, the duke’s minister, uses the presence of the king's envoy to advance his own interests, while Saladin, a friend of Count Charolais is angry with Jean for stealing his riding-crop.

Denounced and revealed as his real self by Simone, when Charolais condemns him, Malicorne intervenes that the king has already sentenced Jean for rebellion.