description Robinson Crusoé Overview
"Robinson Crusoé" is an opéra comique in three acts by Jacques Offenbach, with a libretto by Hector Crémieux and Eugène Cormon loosely based on Daniel Defoe's 1719 novel. Premiering at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in 1867, it features a more ambitious and larger-scale musical score compared to many of Offenbach's earlier shorter works. The plot follows the shipwrecked Robinson and his companion Friday, blending exoticism with standard operetta conventions. It is performed today primarily by companies specializing in 19th-century French operetta.
help Robinson Crusoé FAQ
Who wrote Offenbach's Robinson Crusoé?
Jacques Offenbach composed the music, while Eugène Cormon and Hector Crémieux wrote the libretto. The work premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 23 November 1867. [Opéra-Comique](https://www.opera-comique.com/fr/offenbach-et-l-opera-comique)
Is Offenbach's Robinson Crusoé a faithful adaptation of Daniel Defoe's novel?
It is a loose adaptation rather than a scene-by-scene retelling of Defoe's 1719 novel. The opera-comique keeps the island-adventure premise but adds Offenbach-style comedy, family conflict, and theatrical exaggeration.
Who plays Vendredi in Robinson Crusoé?
Vendredi is one of the central roles in the opera-comique and was created in Paris by Célestine Galli-Marié. The 1867 premiere also featured Achille-Félix Montaubry as Robinson and Eugène Crosti as Sir William Crusoé. [Bibliothèque nationale de France](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark%3A/12148/cb42224223p)
How long is Robinson Crusoé?
The work is an opera-comique in three acts and five tableaux. The Opéra-Comique records that the original production reached 32 performances after cuts were made to the three acts. [Opéra-Comique](https://www.opera-comique.com/fr/offenbach-et-l-opera-comique)
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