Esmeralda is an 1856 grand opera in four acts with a score by the Italian composer Vincenzo Battista. With a libretto in English by Charles Jefferys,^[1] it was based on Battista's Italian version Ermelinda (1851),^[2] which in turn was based on Hugo's 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

In 1851 in Naples in Italy Battista was at the height of his fame and powers. He had already staged a number of operas at the prestigious Teatro di San Carlo including Margherita d'Aragona (1844)^[3] with the soprano Fanny Goldberg, the tenor Gaetano Fraschini and the baritone Filippo Coletti. His opera Rosvina de la Forest (1845) was commissioned by La Scala in Milan.

To a libretto in Italian by Domenico Bolognese (1919–1891) he composed the score for Ermelinda (1851), which in turn was based on Hugo's 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The opera opened as Esmeralda at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 30 June 1856 under the musical direction of J. H. Tully^[4] and with a libretto in English by Charles Jefferys.^[1]

Naples cast (1851)

• Ermelinda - Signora Violette Evrard
• Guido di Lancry, Captain of the Archers - Sig. Agresti
• Giulio Laroche, a poet - Sig. Cammarano
• Paolo Fulvi, brother of the Baroness - Sig. Evrard
• Baronessa de Gontran - Signora Silvestri
• Elisa, her daughter - Signora Eboli
• Roben, chief of the Gypsies - Sig. Grandillo
• Quasimodo the Hunchback - Sig. Luigi Fioravanti
• Morepin, another relative of the Baronessa - Sig. N. N.

Choir of Archers - Gypsies — Nobles invited to the party - the Bourgeois. Appearance of Citizens and Soldiers

The scene is set in Madrid. The time is 1482.

London cast (1856)

• Esmeralda, the Gitana - Lucy Escott
• Fleur de Lys - Elizabeth Haigh-Dyer
• Eloisa, Mother of Fleur de Lys - Miss Atkinson
• Morepin, Father of Fleur de Lys- Mr. J. W. Morgan
• Phoebus, Captain of the Archers - Mr. Henry Haigh
• Gringoire, the Poet - Mr. Charles Manvers
• Claude Frollo, the Monk - Mr. Charles Durand
• Quasimodo, the Hunchback - Mr. Conrad Borrani
• Clopin, King of the Gipsies - Mr. Hamilton

Chorus-of Gipsies, Archers, Nobles, Citizens and Soldiers.

The Scene is in Paris—Time 1482.

Songs

• Zephyr-like I woo the Flower — "Sono l'aura d'ogni fior" - Lucy Escott (soprano)
• I am like a sportive Fay - "Sono figlia al ciel al mar" - Lucy Escott
• Loathed as a monster from birth am I - Conrad Borrani
• I love; and she I love is fair - Charles Durand
• Fair Ladye-Moon, pray tell me - "Rispondi amica luna" - Lucy Escott
• Recitation: These gay scenes make me sad of heart — "Come tutti festreggiano me lasso" - Henry Haigh
• Romance: In her absence I still am pining — "Senza un guardo un tuo concento" - Henry Haigh
• Baritone: I love, and she I love is fair - "Una leggiadra vergine" - Charles Durand
• Tell me, ye powers above me - "Dimmi dimmi irato Dio" - Charles Durand
• Comic Scena: Noble signors, now pray hear me- "Ah! Miei signori che mai dite" - Charles Manvers

Duets

• Baritone and Bass: Idiot, leave me, I renounce thee - Charles Durand and Conrad Borrani
• Soprano and Tenor: Good sir, noble captain, from death thou hast saved me - Lucy Escott and Henry Haigh
• ditto: How benignant, how noble, how graceful - “Qual colomba, d’amore, foriera” - Lucy Escott and Henry Haigh
• ditto: Thou art near me, and in thy presence- “Vedi, vedi, a te vicino” - Lucy Escott and Henry Haigh
• Comic Duet: Gringoire, come hither - “Ei, si fermi, eccomi, avanti” - Lucy Escott and Charles Manvers
• Comic Duet: I like a gentle lamb will be - “Come agnelletto placido" - Lucy Escott and Charles Manvers

Trio

• The Archer's Chorus—In the darkness of the night - “I noltriam dell’ombra insen” - Henry Haigh and Chorus