About the work
Tragédie en musique in a prologue and five acts by André Campra, to a libretto by Antoine Danchet after Torquato Tasso's epic poem Jerusalem Delivered. It premiered on 7 November 1702 under the Académie royale de musique, musically directed by Marin Marais.
Plot
The Christian knight Tancrède loves Clorinde, the captured Saracen warrior, while Herminie loves Tancrède unrequitedly and the sorcerer Isménor plots revenge together with Argant. Deceived into fighting Clorinde while she wears Argant's armour, Tancrède unknowingly kills her and is driven mad upon recognising her identity.
Cultural significance
Tancrède is considered Campra's most successful tragédie en musique and remained in the Paris Opéra repertoire until 1764. By writing the title role for baritone rather than the traditional haute-contre voice, Campra set an unusual accent for the genre.