Juive

The Story of

La Juive

Music by Jacques Fromental Halévy

Libretto by Eugene Scribe

New York Times review of OONY La Juive (1999)

First Performance: Paris Opéra (Académie royale de la musique) February 23, 1835

Cast:

Princess Eudoxie
Rachel
Eleazar
Cardinal De Brogni
Leopold
Ruggiero
Albert
Herald
Officer
Majordomo
Executioner

Act I

The act takes place in Constance, in the year 1414. Before the action begins, Brogni, when he was chief magistrate saved the Jew Eleazar from death after he was condemned as a usurer, by banishing him from Rome. Later, in a siege by Neapolitans, Brogni's house was burnt; his wife was killed and his daughter disappeared. A despondent Brogni joined the Church, rising to the office of Cardinal, president of the Council.

As the action begins, the crowd in the church chants a Te Deum to celebrate the overthrow of the Hussite heresy by Prince Leopold's armies. Leopold is the nephew of the Emperor Sigismund. Some in the crowd are enraged that Eleazar the Jew is working on this public holiday. Eleazar is a jeweler. They want Eleazar and his daughter burned at the stake. Cardinal Brogni intervenes and asks for clemency. Eleazar is resentful.

Leopold, who is married to the Princess Eudoxie, is secretly in love with Eleazar's daughter, Rachel. Leopold disguises himself as Samuel, a Jewish painter. He serenades her, and persuades her to make a rendezvous that evening -- she invites him to the Passsover celebration that evening.

A crowd gathers and Eleazar and Rachel are rescued once more by the intervention of Leopold, who has been recognized by the sergeant Albert. Rachel wonders why Samuel has such power over the Christians.

Act II

The Passover Seder at Eleazar's house. As the ceremonies of the Seder are performed, Rachel worries over Samuel's (Leopold's) refusal of the unleavened bread. Suddenly, the Princess Eudoxie, Leopold's wife, calls on Eleazar to buy a magnificent chain for her husband, and everyone else hides. Leopold, overhearing, is conscience-stricken. Raachel waits in anguish for Leopold. Upon his return, he confesses his deceit and his Christianity, and also his love for her. She almost yields to his entreaties to elope, when Eleazar enters, and Leopold confesses. They cannot marry -- marriage between Christians and Jews is punishable by death. Leopold flees.

Act III

Rachel follows Leopold to the palace, although she still does not guess his identity. She begs Eudoxie to be allowed to serve as a slave for one day only; the Princess agrees. The festival for the Emperor begins. After the ballet, Eleazar and Rachel bring the chain to Eudoxie, who is about to place it around Leopold's neck when Rachel confronts him, tears the chain from his neck and denounces him as her lover. Brogni has the three arrested and condemns the two Jews and Leopold to death.

Act IV

Eudoxie visits Rachel in prison. She begs Rachel to withdraw her charge against Leopold to save him. After agonized reflection, Rachel agrees and is willing to sacrifice herself. The Cardinal, who is deeply impressed with Rachel's nobility, then implores Rachel to renounce Judaism in order to save herself. She and Eleazar refuse. Eleazar scorns him. He reminds Brogni of the death of his wife and daughter in Rome -- that daughter haad indeed been saved, by a Jew, but Eleazar vows to die with the secret. Outside, the crowd demands that the prisoners be tortured.

Act V

A tent by the lake at the place of execution. Leopold's sentence has been commuted. Eleazar and Rachel are led to the scaffold. Eleazar gives Rachel one last chance to renounce Judaism, but when she disdains the idea, she is thrown into the cauldron. At the very moment she is consumed by flames, Eleazar turns to Brogni and cries: "There is your daughter!" then proceeds to his own death.