First performance 29 May 1936 Librettist Henri Caïn Adapted from Cyrano de Bergerac | Composer Franco Alfano Language French | |
 | ||
Similar Sakùntala, Risurrezione, Sapho, La Navarraise, Chérubin | ||
Cyrano de Bergerac is a four-act opera with music by Franco Alfano, and libretto by Henri Caïn, based on Edmond Rostand's drama Cyrano de Bergerac. The opera received its first performance in Rome on 22 January 1936, conducted by Tullio Serafin, with Maria Caniglia and José Luccioni. The first performance in Paris was on 29 May 1936 at the Opéra-Comique.
Although Alfano originally set the text in French, the premiere was sung in Italian, as were many early Italian productions. In recent years, most productions have returned to the original French text.
Contemporary commentary on the opera by Guido M. Gatti criticised the composer as fearing "to seem too melodramatic", and the opera for being "overdecorated and labored" and containing "difficult and tortuous vocal writing". However, the same analysis also mentioned that "the opera has moments of definite effectiveness and exquisite poetry".
The US premiere was on 13 May 2005 when the opera was presented at the Metropolitan Opera with Plácido Domingo in the title role.