Horatius Coclès
Encyclopedia
Horatius Coclès is an opera in one act and nine scenes (styled an acte lyrique) by the French composer Étienne Nicolas Méhul with a libretto
by Antoine-Vincent Arnault
. It was first performed at the Paris Opéra
on 18 February 1794. It is based on the Roman legend of Horatius Cocles
.
, at the height of the French Revolution
, when all works of art were strongly encouraged to have a political purpose. According to Arnault in his memoirs, the piece was intended to curry favour with the revolutionary authorities and thus improve the chances with the censor of a far more important opera Méhul and Arnault were then working on, Mélidore et Phrosine
. The revolutionaries viewed the early Roman Republic
as one of the models for their new state. Arnault saw parallels between the Rome of Horatius, which had just expelled its kings, and Revolutionary France, fighting against the crowned heads of Europe. Arnault claimed that he and Méhul finished the opera in 17 days.
The opera initially had 18 performances in 1794, featuring sumptious scenery. Arnault wrote that the authorities deemed it sufficiently patriotic to ease the path of Mélidore et Phrosine to the stage. It was revived for a further 9 performances between November 1797 and January 1798. During one night in the second run, one of the chorus fell off the "Pons Sublicius", taking 50 other performers with him, resulting in multiple injuries to the singer playing the lead. When the work reappeared on 30 December, Napoleon was among the audience.
A chorus of Romans mourns the death of Lucius Junius Brutus
, who had led them to expel King Tarquin and found the republic. The city is now besieged by the Etruscan king Lars Porsenna, who wants to reinstall the Roman royal family, and the people are starving. Horatius takes a dagger and swears on the tomb to pursue the ruin of the kings and maintain the liberty of Rome. Mucius Scaevola enters dressed as an Etruscan and declares his intention to infiltrate the enemy camp and assassinate Porsenna, even at the cost of his own life. Horatius begs to be allowed to undertake the mission instead, since he is old, but Publicola tells him he is too famous for the disguise to work. Mucius sets off.
Publicola rewards Horatius' loyalty by entrusting him with the defence of the Pons Sublicius, the bridge across the River Tiber, while Publicola leads the main Roman army against the enemy. An envoy arrives from Porsenna, accompanied by Roman captives, including Horatius' son, young Horatius, whom he had believed dead. The envoy offers to hand over the captives if the Romans will accept their kings back. Horatius, his son and the assembled Romans flatly refuse this offer. The Etruscans attack and Horatius defends the bridge single-handedly while the Romans chop through it behind him. The bridge collapses and Horatius and the Etruscans plunge into the Tiber, but Horatius survives. Mucius Scaevola returns and tells how he had managed to gain access to Porsenna's camp, but instead of killing Porsenna he had struck down a courtier who had insulted Rome. He told Porsenna that he was one of 300 Romans who had vowed to kill him. Mucius had thrust his hand into the fire to punish it for the failure of his mission. Porsenna had been so impressed by this action that he had abandoned his attempt to conquer Rome. The opera ends with the return of the victorious Publicola, bringing back Horatius' son among the other freed captives.
to advance the plot, is for the most part in the form of duos and trios, not solos." The D major overture, which has been described as Beethovian
, was a favourite of Thomas Beecham
and praised by Castil-Blaze
as one of Méhul's best.
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...
by Antoine-Vincent Arnault
Antoine-Vincent Arnault
Antoine-Vincent Arnault was a French dramatist.Arnault was born in Paris. His first play, Marius à Minturne , immediately established his reputation. A year later he followed with a second republican tragedy, Lucrèce. Arnault left France during the Reign of Terror, but on his return, he was...
. It was first performed at the Paris Opéra
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...
on 18 February 1794. It is based on the Roman legend of Horatius Cocles
Horatius Cocles
Publius Horatius Cocles was an officer in the army of the ancient Roman Republic who famously defended the Pons Sublicius from the invading army of Lars Porsena, king of Clusium in the late 6th century BC, during the war between Rome and Clusium.-Background:...
.
Background and performance history
Horatius Coclès was created during the Reign of TerrorReign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
, at the height of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, when all works of art were strongly encouraged to have a political purpose. According to Arnault in his memoirs, the piece was intended to curry favour with the revolutionary authorities and thus improve the chances with the censor of a far more important opera Méhul and Arnault were then working on, Mélidore et Phrosine
Mélidore et Phrosine
Mélidore et Phrosine is an opera by the French composer Étienne Méhul. It takes the form of a drame lyrique in three acts. The libretto, by Antoine Vincent Arnault, is loosely based on the myth of Hero and Leander. The work was first performed at the Théâtre Favart, Paris on 6 May 1794...
. The revolutionaries viewed the early Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
as one of the models for their new state. Arnault saw parallels between the Rome of Horatius, which had just expelled its kings, and Revolutionary France, fighting against the crowned heads of Europe. Arnault claimed that he and Méhul finished the opera in 17 days.
The opera initially had 18 performances in 1794, featuring sumptious scenery. Arnault wrote that the authorities deemed it sufficiently patriotic to ease the path of Mélidore et Phrosine to the stage. It was revived for a further 9 performances between November 1797 and January 1798. During one night in the second run, one of the chorus fell off the "Pons Sublicius", taking 50 other performers with him, resulting in multiple injuries to the singer playing the lead. When the work reappeared on 30 December, Napoleon was among the audience.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 1794 |
|---|---|---|
| Valerius Publicola Publius Valerius Publicola Publius Valerius Publicola was one of four Roman aristocrats who led the overthrow of the monarchy, and became a Roman consul, the colleague of Lucius Junius Brutus in 509 BC, traditionally considered the first year of the Roman Republic... , a consul |
taille (bari-tenor) | François Laïs (or Lays) |
| Horace Coclès (Horatius Cocles) | 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... |
Augustin Chéron |
| Mutius Scévola (Mucius Scaevola) | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Étienne Lainez (or Lainé) |
| Le jeune Horace (Young Horatius) | 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:... |
J. Rousseau |
| Un ambassadeur de Porsenna (An ambassador from Porsenna) | Dufresne | |
| Chorus of senators, Romans, soldiers, captives | ||
Synopsis
- Scene: a view of Rome, including the Pons SubliciusPons SubliciusThe earliest known bridge of ancient Rome, Italy, the Pons Sublicius, spanned the Tiber River near the Forum Boarium downstream from the Tiber Island, near the foot of the Aventine Hill. According to tradition, its construction was ordered by Ancus Martius around 642 BC, but this date is...
and the camp of Lars Porsenna
A chorus of Romans mourns the death of Lucius Junius Brutus
Lucius Junius Brutus
Lucius Junius Brutus was the founder of the Roman Republic and traditionally one of the first consuls in 509 BC. He was claimed as an ancestor of the Roman gens Junia, including Marcus Junius Brutus, the most famous of Caesar's assassins.- Background :...
, who had led them to expel King Tarquin and found the republic. The city is now besieged by the Etruscan king Lars Porsenna, who wants to reinstall the Roman royal family, and the people are starving. Horatius takes a dagger and swears on the tomb to pursue the ruin of the kings and maintain the liberty of Rome. Mucius Scaevola enters dressed as an Etruscan and declares his intention to infiltrate the enemy camp and assassinate Porsenna, even at the cost of his own life. Horatius begs to be allowed to undertake the mission instead, since he is old, but Publicola tells him he is too famous for the disguise to work. Mucius sets off.
Publicola rewards Horatius' loyalty by entrusting him with the defence of the Pons Sublicius, the bridge across the River Tiber, while Publicola leads the main Roman army against the enemy. An envoy arrives from Porsenna, accompanied by Roman captives, including Horatius' son, young Horatius, whom he had believed dead. The envoy offers to hand over the captives if the Romans will accept their kings back. Horatius, his son and the assembled Romans flatly refuse this offer. The Etruscans attack and Horatius defends the bridge single-handedly while the Romans chop through it behind him. The bridge collapses and Horatius and the Etruscans plunge into the Tiber, but Horatius survives. Mucius Scaevola returns and tells how he had managed to gain access to Porsenna's camp, but instead of killing Porsenna he had struck down a courtier who had insulted Rome. He told Porsenna that he was one of 300 Romans who had vowed to kill him. Mucius had thrust his hand into the fire to punish it for the failure of his mission. Porsenna had been so impressed by this action that he had abandoned his attempt to conquer Rome. The opera ends with the return of the victorious Publicola, bringing back Horatius' son among the other freed captives.
Music
According to Arnault, Méhul described the austere style of Horatius Coclès as "iron music." The work has no roles for female soloists, a feature which is relatively rare in the history of opera but not so unusual among propaganda works of the French Revolutionary era. Elizabeth Bartlet comments that Méhul "did not hesitate to find a musical equivalent for 'fraternité' [i.e. fraternity, one of the chief French Revolutionary virtues]. In Horatius Coclès the little music for soloists, apart from recitativeRecitative
Recitative , also known by its Italian name "recitativo" , is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech...
to advance the plot, is for the most part in the form of duos and trios, not solos." The D major overture, which has been described as Beethovian
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, was a favourite of Thomas Beecham
Thomas Beecham
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet CH was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras...
and praised by Castil-Blaze
Castil-Blaze
François-Henri-Joseph Blaze, known as Castil-Blaze , was a French musicologist, music critic, composer, and music editor.-Biography:...
as one of Méhul's best.
Recordings
Overture only: Méhul Overtures, the Orchestre de Bretagne, conducted by Stefan Sanderling, ASV CD DCA 1140 (2002).Sources
- Adélaïde de Place Étienne Nicolas Méhul (Bleu Nuit Éditeur, 2005)
- Elizabeth Bartlet, entry on Méhul in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
- Malcolm Boyd (ed.) Music and the French Revolution (Cambridge University Press, 2008), includes the chapter "The new repertoire at the Opéra during the Reign of Terror: Revolutionary rhetoric and operatic consequences" by Elizabeth Bartlet