Saracin
The Saracen
an opera in four acts
by Cesar Cui, libretto based on Dumas' play "Charles VII
chez ses grandes vassaux"
Date of composition: 1896-1898
First Performed: 1899
Cast of Characters
- Charles VII, King of France: tenor
- Count Savoisy: bass
- Berangere, Countess Savoisy: soprano
- Agnes Sorel: soprano
- Yaqoub, a saracen: baritone
- Chaplain: bass
- Dunois: baritone
- Andre: tenor
- Raymond: bass
- An Archer: baritone
- 1st Treasurer: baritone
- A Page: soprano
- 1st Sentry: tenor
- 2nd Sentry: tenor
Archers, hunters, trumpeters, coutiers of the King and Count Savoisy
Setting: 15th century
Synopsis
Yaqoub, who is from Egypt, has been kept in France as a slave by Count
Savoisy for 10 years. Raymond insults Yaqoub, who stabs him with his own
knife. The Count pronounces sentence, but King Charles VII, who is
visiting the Count, pardons Yaqoub.
Meanwhile, the Count has gotten a divorce decree from the pope because his
wife, Berangere, is barren. Yaqoub loves Berangere; she asks him to prove
his love by killing her husband. This is difficult for him, because
Savoisy actually saved Yacoub's life in Egypt.
The Count has just come from his second wedding before going off to battle
against the English. Yaqoub kills him, but Berangere poisons herself to be
with the Count in death.
[Ershov as Charles VII]
Author: Lyle Neff, lneff@indiana.edu
Last Updated: July 1996