Composer

:

Albert Roussel

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera-Ballet

Compose Date

:

Nov 28, 1918

First Performance

:

Jun 1, 1923

Average_duration

:

62:54

Padmâvatî is an opera composed by Albert Roussel, a French composer, in 1914. The opera is based on a poem by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, which tells the story of the legendary queen Padmâvatî of Chittor and the Muslim ruler Alauddin Khilji. The opera is divided into three acts and premiered on June 1, 1923, at the Paris Opéra. The first act of the opera introduces the audience to the kingdom of Chittor, where Padmâvatî is revered for her beauty and grace. The Rajput king, Ratnamanikya, is proud of his queen and is determined to protect her from any harm. However, the Muslim ruler Alauddin Khilji hears of Padmâvatî's beauty and becomes obsessed with her. He decides to attack Chittor to capture Padmâvatî and make her his own. In the second act, Alauddin Khilji arrives at Chittor with his army and demands that Padmâvatî be handed over to him. The Rajput king refuses, and a fierce battle ensues. In the end, the Rajputs are defeated, and Padmâvatî and her companions decide to perform jauhar, a ritual of self-immolation, to protect their honor. The third act of the opera takes place in Alauddin Khilji's palace, where he is haunted by the memory of Padmâvatî. He realizes that his obsession with her has led to his downfall and decides to renounce his worldly desires. The music of Padmâvatî is characterized by its use of Indian melodies and rhythms, which Roussel had studied during his travels to India. The opera also features a large orchestra, with instruments such as the sitar, tabla, and sarangi, to create an authentic Indian sound. Padmâvatî was not well-received by critics at the time of its premiere, who found the music too exotic and the story too melodramatic. However, it has since gained recognition as a pioneering work of Western opera that incorporates Indian musical elements.

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