Louise (opera)
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Louise is an opera in four acts by Gustave Charpentier to an original French libretto by the composer. It premiered on 2 February, 1900 at the Opéra-Comique.
The opera attempted to depict Parisian working-class life, and is sometimes considered an early example of verismo opera. The city itself is the true star of this very atmospheric work. It tells the story of the ill-fated love between Louise, a seamstress living with her parents in Paris, and Julien, a young artist.
The opera was quite successful, and launched the career of Scottish soprano Mary Garden who took over the title role during an early performance. A film version of the work was made in 1939 with Grace Moore in the title role. Louise is part of the standard operatic repertoire. There are several recordings of it, and it is occasionally performed today. "Depuis le jour", an aria taken from it, is a popular recital piece.
Characters
- Principal roles
- Julien - Tenor
- Louise - Soprano
- Mother - Mezzo-soprano
- Father - Baritone
- Other
- A huge cast of workers and residents of Paris.
Noted arias
- "Depuis le jour" (Louise)