Zaira is a tragedia lirica, or tragic opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini set to a libretto by Felice Romani which was based on Voltaire's 1732 play, Zaïre.

The story takes place in the time of the Crusades and the opera's plot involves the heroine, Zaira, struggling between her Christian faith and her love for Orosmane, the Muslim Sultan of Jerusalem.

[2] At around the time that Bellini was in discussions with impresario Domenico Barbaja about a second opera for La Scala to follow La straniera, the composer reported to his friend Francesco Florimo in Naples that he had been approached in August 1828 by another impresario, Bartolomeo Merelli, about writing the inaugural opera for the soon-to-be completed Teatro Ducale (now the Teatro Regio) in Parma which was due to open the following year[3] on 12 May 1829.

[4] In a long complaint, which Torrigiani laid against Bellini after he had traveled to Milan to meet the composer and prima donna in an attempt to convince them to use his libretto, he reported to Parma's Grand Chamberlain upon his return in December.

Initially, Romani proposed that the opera should be Carlo di Borgogna, but composer and librettist eventually decided to tackle "a drama so...hallowed as Voltaire's Zaïre".

He explained that, in writing the libretto for Zaira, his position in relation to Voltaire's tragedy was rather different from the tone of the original play, thus avoiding—as Galatopoulos notes—"philosophical ostentation (appropriate in Voltaire and popular at the time)" and noting in the preface to the libretto: Librettist and composer arrived in Parma on 17 March 1829 giving them 56 days before the opening, but Bellini then learned that some of the singers would only arrive 14 days before the date of the premiere, a date that was—in theory—unchangeable.

Indendant Count Sanvitale's request on 17 April, asking "to let me know the reasons why our copyists are kept idle", did not receive much of response to satisfy the theatre's management,[8] but eventually, both men got down to work and finished on time, although the premiere was delayed by four days due to Lalande's late arrival.

The opera received eight performances, followed by some poorly-received ones in Florence in 1836, where the reviewer of the Gazzetta di Firenze notes that "Zaira put in an appearance on stage, but that audience....shouted at her, and she returned to the harem"[12] and then it disappeared until 1976.

[1] 20th century and beyond However, Zaira was revived on 1 April 1976 in a reconstruction by Rubino Profeta at the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania with a cast including Renata Scotto and Giorgio Lamberti.

Orosmane quickly agrees to release all the captives, who number around one hundred, but insists on retaining Prince Lusignano whom he has condemned to death.

Scene 3: The Sultan's harem The French prisoners are ordered to leave in spite of Corasmino's concern that their poor physical condition might not be well received when they arrive in France.

At that moment, she hears the sounds of a funeral and, looking from the balcony and realising that it is her father who is dead, collapses in a faint, an action which amazes the other slaves and guards.