Dardanus (opera)
Encyclopedia
Dardanus is an opera
in five acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau
. The French libretto
was by Charles-Antoine Leclerc de La Bruère.
.
Critics accused Rameau's original opera of lacking a coherent plot. The inclusion of the sea monster also violated the French operatic convention of having a clear purpose for encounters with supernatural beings.
In 1744 (with help from Simon-Joseph Pellegrin
), and again in 1760, Dardanus was revised extensively in an attempt to correct its shortcomings. Large portions of the score were sacrificed in favour of plot but some scenes as arresting as the "Prison scene" (1744) were added in the process.
Dardanus was produced three times in the 20th century: in 1907 at Dijon
, in 1979 at the Opéra de Paris, and finally in 1998, in a concert version, at the time of a recording (below) by Marc Minkowski
. The Royal Academy of Music
also staged Dardanus in London in 2006.
. However, in the opera, Dardanus is at war with King Teucer, who has promised to marry his daughter Iphise to King Antenor. Dardanus and Iphise meet, through the intervention of the magician Isménor, and fall in love. Dardanus attacks a monster ravaging Teucer's kingdom, saving the life of Anténor who is attempting, unsuccessfully, to kill it. Teucer and Dardanus make peace, the latter marrying Iphise.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in five acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau was one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the Baroque era. He replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and is also considered the leading French composer for the harpsichord of his time, alongside François...
. The French libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
was by Charles-Antoine Leclerc de La Bruère.
Performance history
It was first performed at the Académie de musique in Paris on November 19, 1739. It received 26 performances, mainly because of the support from Rameau's followers in the dispute between the styles of Rameau and LullyJean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste de Lully was an Italian-born French composer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered the chief master of the French Baroque style. Lully disavowed any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French subject in...
.
Critics accused Rameau's original opera of lacking a coherent plot. The inclusion of the sea monster also violated the French operatic convention of having a clear purpose for encounters with supernatural beings.
In 1744 (with help from Simon-Joseph Pellegrin
Simon-Joseph Pellegrin
The abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin was a French poet and playwright, a librettist who collaborated with Jean-Philippe Rameau and other composers.-Biography:...
), and again in 1760, Dardanus was revised extensively in an attempt to correct its shortcomings. Large portions of the score were sacrificed in favour of plot but some scenes as arresting as the "Prison scene" (1744) were added in the process.
Dardanus was produced three times in the 20th century: in 1907 at Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
, in 1979 at the Opéra de Paris, and finally in 1998, in a concert version, at the time of a recording (below) by Marc Minkowski
Marc Minkowski
Marc Minkowski is a French conductor of classical music, especially known for his interpretations of French Baroque works. His mother is American, and his father was Alexandre Minkowski, a Polish-French professor of pediatrics and one of the founders of neonatology...
. The Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
also staged Dardanus in London in 2006.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, November 19, 1739 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Vénus | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
M.lle Erémans (also spelled Erremans or Herémans) |
| l'Amour | soprano | M.lle Bourbonnais (also spelled Bourbonnois) |
| Dardanus, son of Electra and Jupiter | haute-contre Haute-contre The haute-contre is a rare type of high tenor voice, predominant in French Baroque and Classical opera until the latter part of the eighteenth century.-History:... |
Pierre Jélyotte Pierre Jélyotte Pierre Jélyotte was a French operatic tenor, particularly associated with works by Rameau, Lully, Campra, and Destouches.-Life and career:... |
| Iphise, daughter of Teucer | soprano | M.lle Pélissier |
| Teucer, a King | bass-baritone Bass-baritone A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende... |
François Le Page (also spelled Lepage) |
| Anténor, a King | bass-baritone | M. Albert |
| Isménor, a magician | bass-bariton | François Le Page (also spelled Lepage) |
| a Phrygian man | bass-baritone | |
| a Phrygian woman | soprano | Marie Fel Marie Fel Marie Fel was a French opera singer, daughter of the organist Henri Fel.Marie Fel was born at Bordeaux. She made her debut at the Paris Opera in 1733 and sang regularly at the Concert Spirituel... |
| First Dream | soprano | |
| Second Dream | haute-contre | Jean-Antoine Bérard |
| Third Dream | bass | Jean Dun, fils |
| a Pleasure | soprano | |
| Retinue of Venus and Cupid, Sports and Pleasures, retinue of Jealousy, people, warriors, magicians, Phrygians, Dreams: choir | ||
Act 4: Air spirits: David Dumoulin and Marie Sallé Marie Sallé Marie Sallé was a French dancer and choreographer known for her expressive, dramatic performances rather than a series of "leaps and frolics" typical of ballet of her time... (Dreams); Act 5 - Sports and Pleasures, Charites: Louis Dupré Louis Dupré Louis Dupré was a French ballet dancer, ballet master and ballet teacher.-Life:Probably first dancing in child rôles under the name "petit Dupré", he made his official débuts at the Académie royale de musique in 1714 and became its ballet master in 1739. From 1725 to 1730, he regularly put on... , Matignon, M.lles Le Breton and Barbarine (Sports and Pleasures) |
||
Synopsis
The original story is loosely based on that of DardanusDardanus
In Greek mythology, Dardanus was a son of Zeus and Electra, daughter of Atlas, and founder of the city of Dardania on Mount Ida in the Troad....
. However, in the opera, Dardanus is at war with King Teucer, who has promised to marry his daughter Iphise to King Antenor. Dardanus and Iphise meet, through the intervention of the magician Isménor, and fall in love. Dardanus attacks a monster ravaging Teucer's kingdom, saving the life of Anténor who is attempting, unsuccessfully, to kill it. Teucer and Dardanus make peace, the latter marrying Iphise.
Recordings
- In 1980 Raymond LeppardRaymond LeppardRaymond "Def" Leppard, CBE is a British conductor and harpsichordist.He was born in London and grew up in Bath, where he was educated at the City of Bath Boys' School, now known as the Beechen Cliff School...
recorded Dardanus with Frederica von StadeFrederica von StadeFrederica von Stade is an American mezzo-soprano. Born in Somerville, New Jersey, she acquired the nickname "Flicka" in her childhood. Von Stade attended the Mannes College of Music in New York City. She made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 1970 and in 1971 appeared as Cherubino in The...
as Iphise but unfortunately omitted the prologue. Leppard otherwise followed the 1744 version of the opera. - In 1998 Marc Minkowski recorded Dardanus with John Mark AinsleyJohn Mark AinsleyJohn Mark Ainsley is an English lyric tenor. Known for his supple voice, Ainsley is particularly admired for his interpretations of baroque music and the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
as Dardanus, Veronique GensVéronique GensVéronique Gens is a French soprano. She has spent much of her career recording and performing Baroque music....
as Iphise and Laurent NaouriLaurent NaouriLaurent Naouri is a French bass-baritone. Initially beginning his education at the École Centrale de Lyon, Naouri decided to concentrate on opera in 1986 and continued his musical studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.His professional career in France began in 1992 with...
as Anténor. Minkowski's Musiciens du Louvre used period instruments in this recording and Minkowski followed the original 1739 version of the opera with the addition of two numbers from the 1744 version. This recording now "easily replaces Raymond Leppard's 1980 recording of the work"http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=1672 as the benchmark recording of Dardanus. - In December 2005, in a collaboration between Cantillation and the Orchestra of the Antipodes, Pinchgut Opera of Sydney Australia presented the 1739 version of Dardanus informed in part by additions from the 1744 version. The role of Dardanus was played by British tenor Paul Agnew, Paul Whelan as Antenor, Kathryn McCusker as Iphise and Stephen Bennett as Teucer. Conducted by Antony Walker, the performance was the first production of a Rameau opera in Australia on period instruments. The production was recorded by ABC Classics.