The Saracen (opera)

The Saracen (Сарацин in Cyrillic, Saracin in transliteration), is an opera by César Cui composed during 1896–1898.

The libretto was written by Vladimir Vasilievich Stasov and the composer, based on a play by Alexandre Dumas (père) entitled Charles VII chez ses grands vassaux.

The opera was premiered on 2 November 1899 (Old Style), in Saint Petersburg at the Mariinsky Theatre, with Eduard Nápravník as conductor.

It was staged also in 1902 by the Moscow Private Opera at the Solodovnikov Theatre, but never became part of the standard operatic repertoire.

When she tells that her own suffering is greater than his, he sees her as a comforting angel, and promises to kill the person who is making her unhappy.

Count Savoisy appears on the scene and calls for a trial of Yaqoub, whereupon the Chaplain leads a prayer for Raymond.

The Chaplain tells Bérangère that her marriage to the Count is dissolved by papal decree, and that she must go to a convent.

After making sure that the Chaplain has taken care of the matter, Savoisy rationalizes that his divorce is necessary in order to produce an heir for France.

Savoisy tells the Chaplain to take his ex-wife to a convent and to return immediately to preside over his wedding to Isabelle; the count leaves.

When Yaqoub runs out of the bridal chamber, followed by the wounded Savoisy, Bérangère takes direct responsibility for killing her husband.

In this opera the composer makes his first attempt at writing each act in the score without dividing into separate numbers or scenes (perhaps in emulation of Richard Wagner's music dramas).