Sémiramis (tragedy)

Act 4 The Grand Priest reveals to Arsace that he is Ninias, Ninus' son - Sémiramis himself took her husband's life, and Assur gave the poison.

The theme of a ruler who poisoned her husband, fell in love with her own son and ultimately met her death was not one that appeared to have the expected celebratory qualities.

Voltaire claimed that the play would restore French tragedy to its classical glory, an aspiration worthy of a new prince.

Sémiramis became a focal point for the bitter dispute between Voltaire and his older rival Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon.

Crébillon was favoured by Madame de Pompadour, who secured him the position of royal librarian and gave him a pension.

Crébillon was also the royal censor, and had previously irritated Voltaire by demanding changes in Temple du goût (1733) and then stopped the performances of Mahomet (1742) and La Mort de César (1743).

[4][1]: 82  Voltaire decided to retaliate by selecting, one after another, classical themes for his tragedies which Crébillon had used earlier, to demonstrate the superiority of his own treatment of the material.

However Voltaire wanted grand and lavish sets, and the theatrical effect of a ghost would be lost if there were spectators sitting close to where he appeared.

Voltaire added a treatise on ancient and modern tragedy as a preface and an appendix in honour of the dead officers of the War of Austrian Succession.