About the work
Horatius Coclès is a one-act acte lyrique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul, with a libretto by Antoine-Vincent Arnault, based on the Roman legend of the bridge defender Horatius Cocles. It premiered on 18 February 1794 at the Paris Opéra.
Plot
The Roman commander Horatius Cocles single-handedly defends the bridge over the Tiber against the advancing Etruscans under Porsenna, saving the young republic. Arnault saw in this a parallel to Revolutionary France standing against the monarchies of Europe.
Cultural significance
Written in just 17 days during the Reign of Terror, the work was, according to Arnault's memoirs, meant to win over the censors for the more politically sensitive opera Mélidore et Phrosine, then in progress. Staged with lavish scenery, it reached eighteen performances in 1794; unusually for an opera of its time, it has no female solo role at all.