An example of the 19th century's bel canto opera movement, this work contains the show-stopping "Ah! Mes amis...pour mon âme" featuring 9 high Cs for the tenor. Donizetti was already loved in Paris, thanks to the success of his Lucia di Lammermoor, and this foray into French-language opera led him to embrace the opéra-comique model, as well as to insert French march influences into the opera's rhythmic structure and orchestration. However, his signature use of refined melody can be easily found, particularly in the title character's "Il faut partir" aria.