Roma (opera)

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title: "Roma (opera)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["operas", "operas-by-jules-massenet", "french-language-operas", "1912-operas", "opera-world-premieres-at-the-opéra-de-monte-carlo", "operas-set-in-ancient-rome", "operas-based-on-plays"] description: "Opera by Jules Massenet" topic_path: "geography/france" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_(opera)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Opera by Jules Massenet ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox opera"]

Field	Value
name	Roma
composer	Jules Massenet
image	Georges Rochegrosse - Jules Massenet - Roma.jpg
image_upright	1.2
caption	Poster by Georges Rochegrosse for the Paris première
librettist	Henri Cain
language	French
based_on
premiere_date
premiere_location	Opéra de Monte Carlo
::

| name = Roma | composer = Jules Massenet | image = Georges Rochegrosse - Jules Massenet - Roma.jpg | alt = | image_upright = 1.2 | caption = Poster by Georges Rochegrosse for the Paris première | librettist = Henri Cain | language = French | based_on = | premiere_date = | premiere_location = Opéra de Monte Carlo Roma is an opera in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Cain based on the play Rome vaincue by Dominique-Alexandre Parodi. It was first performed at the Opéra de Monte Carlo on 17 February 1912.

Roma was the last opera by Massenet to premiere in his lifetime. Three operas were subsequently premiered posthumously: Panurge (1913), Cléopâtre (1914) and Amadis (1922). The piece has not survived into the modern operatic repertoire, but has been revived recently and recorded by the Teatro la Fenice in Venice.

Roles

::data[format=table] | Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 17 February 1912 (Conductor: Léon Jehin) | |---|---|---| | Lentulus | tenor | Lucien Muratore | | Fabius Maximus | baritone | Jean-François Delmas | | Fausta | soprano | Maria Nikolaevna Kuznetsova | | Lucius Cornélius | bass | Pierre Clauzure | | Posthumia | contralto | Lucy Arbell | | Junia | soprano | Julia Guiraudon | | Vestapor | baritone | Jean Noté | | The Grand Vestal | soprano | Éliane Peltier | | Galla | soprano | Doussot | | Caïus | baritone | Kozline/Skano | | An old man | baritone | Gasparini | | Chorus: Senators, Priests, Vestal virgins, people. | | | ::

Synopsis

The story takes place in ancient Rome, following the Carthaginian triumph at the Battle of Cannae. Fausta, daughter of Fabius, has allowed the sacred fires to burn out at the Temple of Vesta, profaning the sanctuary. After failed attempts to escape her fate, to be buried alive wrapped in a black veil, Fausta returns to Rome to accept her punishment. As she is being led to execution, her blind grandmother, Posthumia, hands her Fabius' dagger. Fausta's hands are bound, however, and Posthumia must kill her granddaughter to spare her from the burial and expiate the sacrilege.

References

Notes

References

1. {{Almanacco

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