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Operas
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Jean de Nivelle is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. It premiered on 6 March 1880 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, with the French tenor, Jean-Alexandre Talazac in the title role. The story is based on the historical figure Jean de Nivelle, a member of the House of Montmorency who refused to join with his father, Jean II de Montmorency, in supporting Louis XI in his war against Charles the Bold.
Although originally described as an opéra comique, in many respects it is close to the grand opera tradition typified by Meyerbeer. The opera proved popular in its day, with 100 performances in the year following its premiere. Between 1881 and 1882, it was also performed at La Monnaie in Brussels, Saint Peterburg, Copenhagen, Budapest, Vienna, and Stockholm. Then, it disappeared from the repertoire and was only revived in Paris in 1908, at the Théâtre Lyrique Municipal de la Gaité.