Throughout the 19th and early part of the 20th century, La Juive was tremendously successful world-wide; in Paris alone, the opera was performed more than 500 times.

The opera’s lead role of Jewish jeweler Eléazar became Enrico Caruso’s favorite and most frequently played part of his career. Both Wagner and Mahler were enthusiastic and outspoken admirers of La Juive.

In 1936, however, La Juive was banned by the Nazi Regime in Germany and soon vanished from the world stage altogether. It was not performed in its entirety until the Vienna State Opera staged a new production in the fall of 1999 as a vehicle for American tenor NEIL SHICOFF.

Since the opera deals with RELIGIOUS FANATICISM AND INTOLERANCE, the revival could not have occurred at a more appropriate time, since it coincided with the election of a right-wing government in Austria and the resurgence of religious conflicts all over the world.

Because of the instant success of La Juive in Vienna, major opera houses including Paris, London, Berlin and Zurich have added it into their upcoming programs, all starring Neil Shicoff. The first production, however, started on November 6, 2003 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, 100 years after the opera was first performed in the United States and for the first time since 1936.