Lodoiska

Lodoïska is an opera by Luigi Cherubini to a French libretto by Claude-François Fillette-Loraux after an episode from Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvrai’s novel, Les amours du chevalier de Faublas. It takes the form of a comédie héroïque (a type of opéra comique) in three acts, and was a founding work of rescue opera. It has also been called one of the first Romantic operas, though Cherubini's work was basically classical.

Stephen Willis has explained the importance of the work:

Basil Deane has called the opera "entirely original in its depth of psychological insight, dramatic tension, and musical depth."

It was first performed at the Théâtre Feydeau in Paris on 18 July 1791.

The opera was received enthusiastically and ran for 200 performances. It was so popular that it was revived again at the Feydeau in 1819 and was performed frequently in the Germanic countries in the early 19th century, including a production in Vienna in 1805, while Cherubini was there. John Philip Kemble produced an English version in 1794. It was first performed in New York on 4 December 1826.

A group of Tartar warriors, led by Titzikan, are approaching the castle of a notorious baron named Dourlinsky. One of Titzikan's men reports that Dourlinsky leaves the castle frequently, and that while he's gone the castle could be taken easily. But Titzikan says that a sneak attack would be underhanded — he wants to defeat Dourlinsky in a fair contest. They then hear someone approaching, and hide in the woods to observe.

The Polish count Floreski appears with his faithful attendant Varbel. Their horses have been stolen by the Tartars, so they're trudging along on foot. Floreski is hunting for his girlfriend, Lodoiska. The two had planned to be married. But Lodoiska's father had a political disagreement with Floreski. So he cancelled the wedding, denounced Floreski and hid Lodoiska in a secret location. Since then, her father has died and nobody knows exactly where she is.

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Wikipedia