Adolphe Adam - Overture “Si j’étais Roi“ (1852)

Adolphe Charles Adam (24 July 1803 – 3 May 1856) was a French composer and music critic. A prolific composer of operas and ballets, he is best known today for his ballets Giselle (1841) and Le corsaire (1856, his last work), his operas Le postillon de Lonjumeau (1836), Le toréador (1849) and Si j’étais roi (1852) and his Christmas carol Minuit, chrétiens! (1844), later set to different English lyrics and widely sung as “O Holy Night“ (1847). Adam was a noted teacher, who taught Delibes and other influential composers. Please support my channel: Overture “Si j’étais Roi“ (1852) BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier Si j’étais roi (English: If I Were King) is an opéra-comique in three acts by Adolphe Adam. The libretto was written by Adolphe d’Ennery and Jules-Henri Brésil. It was first performed in Paris at the Théâtre Lyrique (Théâtre-Historique, Boulevard du Temple) on 4 September 1852, opening with a dual cast to allow performance on successive evenings (it made up half of all performances at the Théâtre Lyrique in the last four months of the year and reached over 170 performances in its first ten years). The production was considered lavish, with expensive costumes and jewels being worn by the cast. It was then staged in Brussels (1853), New Orleans (1856), Turin (1858) and Soerabaya (1864). Though less popular than Le postillon de Lonjumeau, it is often regarded as Adam’s finest work. The well-developed overture was once very popular, particularly on recordings. Vocal highlights include the soprano air “De vos nobles aïeux“ and the couplets for baritone “Dans le sommeil, l’amour“.