The Italian libretto was by Felice Romani based on the rivalries between the Zegridi and the Abenceraggi factions in the last days of the kingdom of Granada.

Born in Berlin to a wealthy family, as a young man Giacomo Meyerbeer had musical ambitions and studied and traveled in Italy.

[1] He then went on to compose three further operas in Italian for three different cities – Semiramide riconosciuta, Turin 1819, Emma di Resburgo, Venice, also 1819, and Margherita d'Anjou, for La Scala, Milan, 1820.

The libretto was reworked by Felice Romani, new music composed, and the opera given under the title L'esule di Granata at La Scala.

[2] The first production at La Scala, Milan, was only moderately successful despite the presence of popular stars of opera of the day in the cast.