Amph The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (number 1 revealed inside!)

Since we all seem to agree I'm going to be quick with the next opera, so that we can leave Wozzeck quickly behind us.

 

You should get some kind of prize for that endurance. I wouldn't have been able to sit through it three times, and I have set through the SW: Holiday Special twice!

Anyway on to better things.

37 - La Gioconda by Amilcare Ponchielli

Synopsis

Place: Venice
Time: 17th century


Act 1 The Lion's Mouth

The courtyard of the Doge?s Palace.

While everyone else is preoccupied with a regatta, Barnaba, a state spy, lustfully watches La Gioconda as she leads her blind mother, La Cieca, across the Square. When his amorous advances are firmly rejected, he exacts his revenge by denouncing the old lady as a witch whose evil powers influenced the outcome of the gondola race. It is only the intervention of a young sea captain that keeps the angry mob at bay.

Calm is restored at the approach of Alvise Badoero, a member of the Venetian Inquisition, and his wife, Laura. Laura places La Cieca under her personal protection, and in gratitude the old woman presents her with her most treasured possession, a rosary. The sharp-eyed Barnaba notices furtive behaviour between Laura and the sea captain indicating a secret relationship. Recalling that Laura was engaged to the now banished nobleman Enzo Grimaldi before her forced marriage to Alvise, Barnaba realises that the sea captain is Enzo in disguise.

Barnaba confronts Enzo, who admits his purpose in returning to Venice is to take Laura and begin a new life elsewhere. Barnaba knows that Gioconda is also infatuated with Enzo and he sees an opportunity to improve his chances with her by assisting Enzo with his plan of elopement.

When Enzo has gone Barnaba dictates a letter to Alvise revealing his wife?s infidelity and the lovers? plan of escape. He is unaware that he has been overheard by Gioconda. The act ends with Barnaba dropping the letter into the Lion?s Mouth, where all secret information for the Inquisition is posted, while Gioconda laments Enzo?s perceived treachery, and the crowd returns to its festivities.

Act 2 The Rosary

The deck of Enzo?s ship

Enzo waits for Barnaba to row Laura out from the city to his vessel. Their joyful reunion is overshadowed by Laura?s fears as she does not trust Barnaba. Gradually Enzo is able to reassure her, and he leaves her on deck while he goes to prepare for their departure.

La Gioconda has been following Laura with the intention of exacting revenge from her rival. Alvise and his armed men are also in hot pursuit, but as Gioconda is about to stab Laura she sees her mother?s rosary hanging round her neck and has an instant change of heart. She hurries Laura into her boat so that she can evade her pursuers.

Enzo returns to the deck to find that Laura has fled leaving Gioconda triumphant. Furthermore Alvise?s men are rapidly approaching. He sets fire to the ship rather than let it fall into the hands of his enemies before diving into the lagoon.

Act 3 The Ca' d'Oro (House of Gold)

Alvise?s palace

Laura has been captured, and her vengeful husband insists she must die by poisoning herself. Once again Gioconda has followed and has found her way into the palace, this time with the intention of saving her rival. Finding Laura alone Gioconda replaces the phial of poison with a powerful drug which creates the appearance of death.

The second scene begins with Alvise welcoming his fellow members of the nobility to the palace; Barnaba and Enzo are amongst those present. Lavish entertainment is provided with the ballet the ??Dance of the Hours??. The mood of revelry is shattered as a funeral bell begins to toll and the body of Laura is revealed awaiting burial. A distraught Enzo flings off his disguise and is promptly seized by Alvise?s men.

Act 4 The Orfano Canal

A crumbling ruin on the island of Giudecca

In exchange for Enzo?s release from prison, La Gioconda has agreed to give herself to Barnaba. When Enzo is brought in, he is initially furious when Gioconda reveals that she has had Laura?s body brought from its tomb. He is about to stab her when Laura?s voice is heard and Gioconda?s part in reuniting the lovers becomes clear. Enzo and Lau

 

Just search for Dance of the hours and you will get a lot of different versions, including the one from Fantasia.

*********************
Yevgény Onégin by Peter Tchaikovsky

Eugene Onegin, Op. 24, (Russian: ??????? ??????, Yevgény Onégin) is an opera ("lyrical scenes") in 3 acts (7 scenes), by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Synopsis

Time: The 1820s

Place: In the country, and in St. Petersburg

Act 1

Scene 1: The garden of the Larin country estate

Madame Larina and the nurse are sitting outside: her two daughters, Tatyana and younger sister Olga, can be heard from inside the house. A group of peasants sing a comic song about the serenading of a miller's daughter. Tatyana is reading a romantic novel and quite absorbed by it, but her mother tells her that real life is very different from such stories. Visitors arrive: Olga's fiancé Lensky, a young poet, and his friend Eugene Onegin, a world-weary St Petersburg 'drawing-room automaton'. Lensky introduces Onegin to the Larin family. Onegin is initially surprised that Lensky has chosen the extrovert Olga rather than her romantic elder sister. Tatyana for her part is immediately and strongly attracted to Onegin.

Scene 2: Tatyana's room

Tatyana confesses to her nurse that she is in love. Left alone she writes a letter to Onegin driven by the realization that she is fatally and irreversibly drawn to him. When the old woman returns Tatyana asks her to arrange for the letter to be sent to Onegin.

Scene 3: Another part of the estate

Onegin arrives to see Tatyana and give her his answer to her letter. He explains, not unkindly, that he is not a man who loves easily and is unsuited to marriage. Tatyana is crushed and unable to reply.

Act 2

Scene 1: The ballroom of the Larin house

Tatyana's name-day party. Onegin is irritated with the country people who gossip about him and Tatyana, and with Lensky for persuading him to come. He decides to revenge himself by dancing and flirting with Olga. Lensky becomes extremely jealous. Olga is insensitive to her fiancé and apparently attracted to Onegin. There is a diversion, while a French neighbour called Monsieur Triquet sings some couplets in honour of Tatyana, after which the quarrel becomes more intense. Lensky renounces his friendship with Onegin in front of all the guests, and challenges Onegin to a duel, which the latter is forced, with many misgivings, to accept.

Scene 2: On the banks of a wooded stream, early morning

Lensky is waiting for Onegin, and sings of his uncertain fate and his love for Olga. Onegin arrives. They are both reluctant to go ahead with the duel but lack the power to stop it. Onegin shoots Lensky dead.

Act 3

Scene 1: At a ball in the house of a rich nobleman in St Petersburg

Some years have passed. Onegin reflects on the emptiness of his life and his remorse over the death of Lensky. Prince Gremin enters with his wife, Tatyana, now transformed into a grand, aristocratic beauty. Gremin sings of his great happiness with Tatyana, and introduces Onegin to her. Onegin is deeply impressed by Tatyana, and is fired by a desperate longing to regain her love.

Scene 2: Reception room in Prince Gremin's house

Tatyana has received a letter from Onegin. Onegin enters and begs for her love and her pity. Tatyana wonders why he is now attracted to her. Is it because of her social position? Onegin is adamant that his passion is real and absolute. Tatyana, moved to tears, reflects how near they once were to happiness but nevertheless asks him to leave. She admits she still loves him, but that their union can never be realized, as she is now married. Despite her unhappiness about her marriage and lack of passion for her husband, she will remain faithful to him. Onegin implores her, but she finally leaves him alone in his despair.

Roles
Larina, lady of the manor - mezzo-soprano
Tatyana, her daughter - soprano
Olga, her other daughter - contralto
Fillipyevna, a nurse - mezzosoprano
Lensky - tenor
Eugen Onegin - baritone
Prince Gremin - bass
Company Commander - bass
Zaretzky - bass
Triquet - tenor
Guillot, Onegin's valet - si

 

Most singers have to sing in languages that they don't normally speak, unless you do like Pavarotti and just sing one repertoire. I can't judge on how good her russian is though. There are some singers who really struggle with some languages though, it can be evident even when singing, a good example would be listening to Placido Domingo singing in German. I know Bryn Terfel has said that he has an extra advantage in being a native welsh speaker, since there are so many different sounds in welsh it's easy to mimic all other languages as well.

 

35 - Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven

Fidelio (Op. 72) is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera.

Synopsis

Two years prior to the opening scene, the nobleman Florestan has exposed or attempted to expose certain crimes of the nobleman Pizarro. In revenge, Pizarro has secretly imprisoned Florestan in the prison over which Pizarro is governor.

The jailer of the prison, Rocco, has a daughter Marzelline and a servant (or assistant) Jaquino. Forestan's wife, Leonore, came to Rocco's door dressed as a boy seeking employment, and Rocco hired her.

On orders, Rocco has been giving Florestan diminishing rations until he is nearly starved to death.

Place: A Spanish state prison, a few miles from Seville
Time: Late 18th century

Act I

Jaquino and Marzelline are alone. Jaquino asks Marzelline when she will agree to marry him, but she says that she will never marry him now that she has fallen in love with Fidelio, who is Leonore in disguise. Jaquino leaves, and Marzelline expresses her desire to become Fidelio's wife. Rocco and Jaquino enter, looking for Fidelio. Fidelio enters carrying a heavy load of newly repaired chains. Rocco compliments Leonore on her skill, and misinterprets her modest reply as hidden attraction to his daughter. Marzelline, Leonore, Rocco, and Jaquino sing a quartet about the love Marzelline has for Fidelio.

Rocco tells Leonore that as soon as the governor has left for Seville, she and Marzelline can be married. He tells them, however, that unless they have money, they will not be happy. Leonore says that she wants something else at least as much as money: To know why Rocco will not permit her to help him in the dungeons when he always comes back out of breath. Rocco says that there is a prison where he can never take her, and inside is a man who has wasted away for two years because of his powerful enemies. Marzelline begs her father to keep Leonore away from such a terrible sight. Instead Rocco and Leonore sing of courage, and soon Marzelline joins in their acclamations.

All but Rocco leave. A march is played as Pizarro enters with guards. Rocco gives Pizarro a message with a warning that the minister plans a surprise visit tomorrow to investigate accusations that Pizarro is a tyrant. Pizarro exclaims that he cannot let the minister discover the imprisoned Don Florestan, who has been thought dead. Instead, Pizarro will murder Florestan. Pizarro orders that a trumpet be sounded at the minister's arrival. He offers Rocco money to kill Florestan, but Rocco refuses, and instead Pizarro orders him to dig a grave in the ruined well in the dungeons. When the grave is ready, Rocco should sound the alarm for Pizarro to come disguised into the dungeon, and kill Florestan himself. Leonore has seen Pizarro plotting, but has not overheard what he said. She is agitated, but thoughts of her husband calm her down.

Jaquino begs Marzelline to marry him, but she refuses. Leonore, hoping to find Florestan, asks Rocco to let the poor prisoners roam in the garden and enjoy the beautiful weather. Marzelline also begs him, and Rocco agrees to distract Pizarro while the prisoners are set free. The prisoners, overjoyed at their freedom, sing joyfully, but, remembering that they could be caught, are soon quiet.

Rocco reenters and tells Leonore of his success with Pizarro: Pizarro will allow the marriage, and Leonore will be permitted to join Rocco on his rounds in the dungeon. They prepare to go to the cell of a prisoner who, says Rocco, must be killed and buried within the hour. Leonore is so shaken that Rocco tries to persuade her to stay behind, but she insists on coming. As they prepare to leave, Jaquino and Marzelline rush in and tell Rocco to run: Pizarro has learned that the prisoners are free, and he is furious.

Before they can move, Pizarro enters and demands an explanation. Rocco pretends that they are celebrating the King's naming day, and suggests quietly that Pizarro save his anger for the prisoner in the dungeons below. Pizarro tells him to hurry and dig the grav

 

Beethoven struggled with writing an opera, it was revised several time. In fact there are four different ouvertures, the usual practise today is to play the Fidelio ouverture (the one written for the last revision) but they also usually add in the ouverture called Leonore 3 in the middle of the second act, since it's considered the best when it comes to musical value.

In the end I think Beethoven felt it was too much to write another opera and went back to just writing symphonies again.

I also went down to the library today and found a Fidelio DVD with a production that I haven't seen before, so I'm looking forward to watching that one tonight.

 

Così Fan Tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti (Thus Do They All, or The School For Lovers) K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte.

Synopsis

Place: Naples.
Time: the 18th century.

Act 1
Scene 1: A coffeehouse

In a cafe, Ferrando and Guglielmo (two officers) express certainty that their fiancées (Dorabella and Fiordiligi, respectively) will be eternally faithful. Don Alfonso joins the discussion and lays a wager with the two officers, claiming he can prove in a day's time that these two women (like all women) are fickle. The wager is accepted: the two officers will pretend to have been called off to war; soon thereafter they shall return in disguise and attempt to seduce each other's lover. The scene shifts to the two women (they are sisters) who are praising their men. Alfonso arrives to announce the bad news: the officers have been called off to war. Ferrando and Guglielmo arrive, brokenhearted, and bid farewell. As the boat with the men sails off to sea, Alfonso and the sisters wish them safe travel, then Alfonso, left alone, gloatingly predicts that the women (like all women) will prove unfaithful.

Scene 2: A room in the sisters' home

Despina, the maid, arrives and asks what is wrong. Dorabella bemoans the torment of having been left alone. Despina mocks the sisters, advising them to take new lovers while their betrotheds are away. After they depart, Alfonso arrives upon the scene. He fears Despina will recognize the men through their disguises, so he bribes her into helping him win the bet. The two men then arrive, dressed as mustachioed Albanians. The sisters enter and are alarmed by the presence of strange men in their home. The "Albanians" attempt to win over the sisters, Guglielmo going so far as to point out all of his manly attributes, but to no avail. Fiordiligi pledges to remain faithful. Ferrando, left alone and sensing victory, praises his love.

Scene 3: A garden

The sisters are still pining. But Despina has asked Don Alfonso to let her take over the seduction plan?and suddenly, the "Albanians" burst in the scene and threaten to poison themselves if they are not allowed the chance to woo the sisters. As Alfonso tries to calm them, they drink the poison and pass out. Soon thereafter, a doctor arrives on the scene (Despina in disguise), who, through use of a large magnet, is able to revive the "Albanians". The revived men, hallucinating, demand a kiss of the goddesses who stand before them. The sisters refuse, even as Alfonso and the doctor (Despina) urge them to acquiesce.

Act 2

Scene 1: The sisters' bedroom

Despina urges them to succumb to the "Albanians"' overtures. After she leaves, Dorabella confesses to Fiordiligi that she is tempted, and the two agree that a mere flirtation will do no harm and will help them pass the time while they wait for their lovers to return.

Scene 2: The garden

Dorabella and the disguised Guglielmo pair off, as do the other two. The conversation is haltingly uncomfortable, and Ferrando departs with Fiordiligi. Now alone, Guglielmo attempts to woo Dorabella. She does not resist strongly, and soon she has given him a medallion (with Ferrando's portrait inside) in exchange for a heart-shaped locket. Ferrando is less successful with Fiordiligi,, so he is enraged when he later finds out from Guglielmo that the medallion with his portrait has been so quickly given away to a new lover. Guglielmo at first sympathises with Ferrando but then gloats, because his betrothed is faithful.


Scene 3: The sister's room

Dorabella admits her indiscretion to Fiordiligi. Fiordiligi, upset by this development, decides to go to the army and find her betrothed. Before she can leave, though, Ferrando arrives and continues his attempted seduction. Fiordiligi finally succumbs and falls into his arms. Guglielmo is distraught while Ferrando turns Guglielmo's earlier gloating back on him. Alfonso, winner of the wager, tells the men to forgive their fiancées. After all: Così fan tutte?"A

 

34 - Elektra by Richard Strauss

Elektra is a one-act opera by Richard Strauss, to a German-language libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal.

The plot of Elektra is based upon the great Greek tragedy of the same name by the tragedian Sophocles. The unrelenting gloom and horror that permeate the original play produce, in the hands of Hofmannsthal and Strauss, a drama whose sole theme is revenge. Klytaemnestra (Clytemnestra), helped by her paramour Aegisth (Aegisthus), has secured the murder of her husband, Agamemnon, and now is afraid that her crime will be avenged by her children, Elektra (Electra), Chrysothemis, and their banished brother Orest (Orestes). Elektra, who is the personification of the passionate lust for vengeance, tries to persuade her timid sister to kill Klytaemnestra and Aegisth. Before the plan is carried out, Orest, who had been reported as dead, arrives, determined upon revenge for his father's death. He kills Klytaemnestra and Aegisth; Elektra, in an ecstatic dance of triumph, falls dead in front of her horror-stricken attendants.

Roles
Elektra - soprano
Chrysothemis, her sister - soprano
Klytaemnestra, their mother - contralto or mezzo-soprano
Orest, the brother - baritone
Orest's tutor - bass
Aegisth - Klytamnestras lover
maids, servants and people of the court

******************************************************'
As you notice there isn't much of a story in the opera, this is all about the psychology of the main characters. The music also shows this by being very emotional, but thankfully not falling totally into atonality. I saw Elektra last autumn, and I was quite astonished by it. It's not music that I would listen to without seeing it performed, and there aren't any melodies get stuck, but it definitely strikes a very emotional chord, and you get quite moved by Elektra. Elektra is also possibly one of the most demanding soprano roles, she's basically on scene from start to finish, and has to sing all throughout the range from almost contralto-like bottom up to the top. It is hard to select a scene to show, but I think this version with Eva Johansson is quite a good example of the style of the music.

 

I actually try to find as many variations as possible when it comes to showing clips of productions. When I'm done with the list I think it would be quite interesting to discuss styles and the role of the director in opera today.

 

32 - Les Troyens by Hector Berlioz

Les Troyens (in English: The Trojans) is a French opera in five acts by Hector Berlioz.

Act 1

At the abandoned Greek camp outside the walls of Troy

The Trojans are celebrating apparent deliverance from ten years of siege. They see the large wooden horse left by the Greeks, which they presume to be an offering to Pallas Athene. Unlike all the other Trojans, however, Cassandre is mistrustful of the situation. She foresees that she will not live to marry her fiancé Chorèbe. Chorèbe appears and urges Cassandre to forget her misgivings. But her prophetic vision clarifies, and she foresees the utter destruction of Troy. When Andromache silently walks in, the celebration halts.

Énée then rushes on to tell of the devouring of the priest Laocoön by a sea serpent, after he had warned the Trojans to burn the horse. Énée interprets this as a sign of the goddess Athene's anger at the sacrilege. Against Cassandre's futile protests, Priam orders the horse to be brought within the city of Troy and placed next to the temple of Pallas Athene. There is a sound of what seems to be the clashing of arms from within the horse, but the Trojans, in their delusion, interpret it as a happy omen. Cassandre has watched the procession in despair, and as the act ends, resigns herself to death beneath the walls of Troy.

Act 2

Before the act proper has started, the Greek soldiers hidden in the wooden horse have come out and begun to destroy Troy and its citizens.

Scene 1: Palace of Énée

With fighting going on in the background, the shade of Hector visits Énée and warns him to flee Troy and seek Italy, where he will build a new Troy. After Hector fades, Panthée conveys the news about the Greeks hidden in the horse. Ascagne appears with news of further destruction. At the head of a band of soldiers, Chorèbe urges Énée to take up arms for battle. All resolve to defend Troy to the death.

Scene 2: Palace of Priam

Several of the Trojan women are praying at the altar of Vesta/Cybele for their soldiers to receive divine aid. Cassandre reports that Énée and other Trojan warriors have rescued Priam's palace treasure and relieved people at the citadel. She prophesies that Énée and the survivors will found a new Troy in Italy. But she says also that Chorèbe is dead, and resolves to die. The other women acknowledge that Cassandre was correct in her prophecies and their error in dismissing her. Cassandre then calls upon the Trojan women to join her in death, to prevent being defiled by the invading Greeks. One group of women admits to fear of death, and Cassandre dismisses them from her sight. The remaining women unite with Cassandre in their determination to die. A Greek captain observes the women during this scene, with admiration for their courage. Greek soldiers then come on the scene, demanding the Trojan treasure from the women. Cassandre defiantly mocks the soldiers, then suddenly stabs herself. Polyxène takes the same dagger and does likewise. The remaining women scorn the Greeks as being too late to find the treasure, and commit mass suicide, to the horror of the Greek soldiers. Cassandre summons one last cry of "Italy!" before she collapses, dead.

Act 3
Didon's throne-room at Carthage

The Carthaginians and their queen, Didon, are celebrating the prosperity that they have achieved in the past seven years since fleeing from Tyre to found a new city. Didon, however, is concerned about Iarbas, the Numidian king, not least because he has proposed a political marriage with her. The Carthaginians swear their defence of Didon, and the builders, sailors and farmers offer tribute to Didon.

In private after these ceremonies, Didon and Anna then discuss love. Anna urges Didon to re-marry, but Didon insists on honoring the memory of her late husband Sichée (Sychaeus). Iopas then enters to tell of an unknown fleet that has arrived in port. Recalling her own wandering on the seas, Didon bids that these strangers be welcome. Ascagne enters, presents the saved treasure of Troy, and relates the Trojans' story. Didon acknowledg