About the work
Grand opera in four acts by Gaetano Donizetti, first performed on 2 December 1840 at the Paris Opéra. The French libretto was written by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz, with additions by Eugène Scribe; only the fourth act draws on an older play by Baculard d'Arnaud, while the other three were newly written for this work. Donizetti reused music from his unperformed opera "L'ange de Nisida" after another planned premiere had fallen through at short notice.
Plot
A young novice monk unknowingly falls in love with the mistress of the King of Castile. Rewarded for his bravery in battle with a noble title, he is allowed to marry her — until her true identity is revealed on their wedding day. Humiliated, he withdraws to a monastery; when she follows him there to beg forgiveness, she dies in his arms.
Cultural significance
In German-speaking countries the work was traditionally staged under the title "Die Favoritin" and remains one of Donizetti's most enduring operas outside Italy. The tenor's entrance aria "Ange si pur" has become a staple of the dramatic tenor repertoire.