The play premiered at the Comédie-Française on Thursday 29 August 1748. It was performed 68 times by Lekain between 1756 and 1778.

This manuscript gives the names of the actors and their roles as follows:

• Sémiramis – Marie Dumesnil
• Arzace – Henri Louis Lekain
• Azéma – Sophie Hus
• Assur – Jean Claude Gilles Colson, a.k.a. Bellecour
• Oroès – Charles-François Racot de Gradval
• Otane – Dubois
• Mitrane – Mr Deborneval
• Cédar – Mr Dubreuil

The MS is a composite manuscript, with numerous hands contributing to its construction. It is part of a broader collection of MSS relating to the theatre that was bound in 1871. This copy appears to have been revised after a reading of BNF, Français 24347, f.1-38, another contemporary copy of this play that was owned by La Vallière.

The MS was originally catalogued with the shelfmark: Supplément français 5246.

Voltaire acknowledged the receipt of a manuscript from Lacombe on 29 May 1775. The similarity with MS1 might also suggest a connection with the Marquis d’Argenson’s copy.

Le Duc d’Alençon ou les Frères ennemis is a tragedy in three acts by Voltaire. The text is a new version of Voltaire’s tragedy Adélaïde du Guèsclin (1734), written in Berlin, and premiered in 1751 for Frederick II. According to T. D. N. Besterman, the folios are numbered 312-331.