About the work
Polyeucte is an opera in five acts by Charles Gounod, premiered in 1878 at the Paris Opéra. The libretto is based on the tragedy of the same name by Pierre Corneille and treats the martyrdom of the early Christian saint Polyeuctus.
Plot
The Armenian nobleman Polyeucte converts to Christianity, thereby endangering his life under Roman rule. Between his love for his wife Pauline, his loyalty to the Roman governor and his new faith, he falls into an irresolvable conflict. Steadfast in his faith, Polyeucte finally goes voluntarily to a martyr's death and draws Pauline with him to conversion.
Cultural significance
Polyeucte was a cherished project of Gounod's, in which he placed great hopes, but it fell short of the success of Faust and Roméo et Juliette. The work is a testimony of French grand opéra with religious subject matter and is rarely performed today.