Beschrijving

Since its premiere in 1892, ‘Werther’ has ranked among Jules Massenet’s most admired and beloved scores it has also proved the most enduring. Yet the opera’s origins remain somewhat mysterious and it seems curious that after completing his work, the composer had to wait five years to see it performed. The ‘Air des lettres’ is situated at the very beginning of the third act of the opera: Alone on Christmas Eve, Charlotte sadly re-reads Werther’s letters.