His works were regarded by his contemporaries as standard-bearers, and as models for those who followed, such as Weber, Berlioz and Wagner. In continuing the opera reforms begun by Gluck, he dared to write with a bolder use of dissonance than his contemporaries while deepening the depiction of his characters’ psychological states. In his creation of a dramatic unity of melody, harmony and timbre, he stepped to a higher level, and it is no accident that he was the first in the history of music to be termed “romantic”.

Written in 1790-91 based on a libretto by Metastasio, the work tells the story of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and was regarded as likely to disturb the public peace by more than one political regime: the première was scheduled for March 1792, but banned to prevent a possible riot. A few years later Méhul wrote a new opera named Adrien in which he used extracts from the earlier version.

This was premièred in 1799, but again banned after just a few performances. However, at the intervention of the minister of the interior, who was Napoleon’s younger brother, it was given one more performance in each of the years 1800 and 1801. This once controversial work will now be performed again at the Palace of Arts for the first time anywhere in the world in more than 200 years, interpreted by expert performers on authentic period instruments within the framework of a joint French-Hungarian project.

Date and time: 6 June 2012, 7.30 pm - 10.00 pm
Venue: Bartók Béla National Concert Hall

Méhul: Adrien, empereur de Rome (Hadrian, emperor of Rome)
Emirene: Gabrielle Philiponet
Sabine: Jennifer Borghi
Adrien: Philippe Do
Pharnaspe: Philippe Talbot
Cosroes: Marc Barrard
Rutile: Nicolas Courjal
Flaminius: Jean Teitgen

Orfeo Orchestra, Purcell Choir
Concertmaster: Simon Standage
Conductor: György Vashegyi

Prices: 1400, 1900, 2600, 3900 Ft

Source: Palace of Arts
Address: 1095 Budapest, Komor Marcell utca 1.