Maddalena (opera)
Encyclopedia
Maddalena is an opera
in one act by the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev
, who also wrote the libretto
based on a play by Magda Gustavovna Lieven-Orlov under the pen-name Baron Lieven.
which he composed at the age of eight and was written down by the composer's mother), Maddalena is the first of his works in this genre to which he gave an opus number
(op. 13). The opera was written in the summer of 1911 while Prokofiev was still a student at Saint Petersburg Conservatory
and abandoned with only one of its four scenes orchestrated. The plot centres on a torrid love triangle in Venice
in the fifteenth century. Prokofiev wrote in his autobiography that 'the action abounded in conflicts, love, treachery and murder' but added that 'Baron Lieven' was 'more charming in appearance than talented in dramaturgy' .It was to wait 70 years for its premiere.
rather than because of any musical difficulties.
With the prospect of a theatre production in 1913, Prokofiev revised the music and dedicated the second version to Miaskovsky. However this production fell through, as did a further potential Moscow production in 1916. When Prokofiev left Russia in 1918 he left the manuscript in the care of his Moscow publishing house, and thereafter it was put to theback of his mind, although Miaskovsky wrote to him in Paris in 1924 to ask about it. Possibly this motivated him to collect the score when he visited Russia in 1927 to hear the Moscow production of his Love for Three Oranges. When Prokofiev finally returned to Russia permanently in 1936, the score was left behind in Paris. It finally found its way to the publishers Boosey and Hawkes in London in 1960. The composer's widow, Lina Prokofiev, who was established as being the rightful owner of the manuscript, asked the English musician Edward Downes
to create a performing version. Originally this was to have been premiered by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 1980. But because of contractual problems, following Maddalenas premiere in a studio recording broadcast by BBC Radio 3
on 25 March 1979, its first staging was at the Opernhaus, Graz
, Austria
on 28 November 1981, conducted by Downes. The American premiere, using a re-scored version by Downes, was given by the St. Louis company on 9 June 1982, conducted by Bruce Ferden..
Maddalena is married to the artist Genaro, but is having an affair (in disguise) with Genaro's friend, the alchemist
Stenio. Stenio tells Genaro of the mysterious woman who has seduced him, and then recognises Maddalena as his seductress. Initially both men turn on Maddalena but she encourages them to fight each other; Genaro kills Stenio, but is wounded himself in the process. As he dies he invites Maddalena to kill herself. She however speculates which, if either, of the two corpses she really loved. Then she rushes to the window and calls out for help, claiming a stranger has killed her husband.
article, Rita McAllister
called the piece 'substantial and stage-worthy' and praised its Strauss
ian qualities, the critic Jeffrey Joseph wrote 'there is scarcely any plot to speak of [...]This is a most accomplished piece for a twenty year old [but] it is a bundle of effects tacked onto an arbitrary and therefore rather unpleasant tale'.
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 one act by the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
, who also wrote the 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...
based on a play by Magda Gustavovna Lieven-Orlov under the pen-name Baron Lieven.
Origins
Although Prokofiev had already written four operas (the earliest being The GiantThe Giant (opera)
The Giant is an opera in three acts by Sergei Prokofiev. The 12 page work was written for performance by the nine-year-old composer's family.-Origins:...
which he composed at the age of eight and was written down by the composer's mother), Maddalena is the first of his works in this genre to which he gave an opus number
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
(op. 13). The opera was written in the summer of 1911 while Prokofiev was still a student at Saint Petersburg Conservatory
Saint Petersburg Conservatory
The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory is a music school in Saint Petersburg. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty members and 1,400 students.-History:...
and abandoned with only one of its four scenes orchestrated. The plot centres on a torrid love triangle in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in the fifteenth century. Prokofiev wrote in his autobiography that 'the action abounded in conflicts, love, treachery and murder' but added that 'Baron Lieven' was 'more charming in appearance than talented in dramaturgy' .It was to wait 70 years for its premiere.
History
Prokofiev began to orchestrate the opera in 1912, hoping to arrange a performance at the Conservatory. He had shown the piano score to Miaskovsky who commented '[the music] is at times startling in in its sombre power, the volcanic quality of [Prokofiev's] temperament is astonishing'.. The Conservatory turned down the opera, according to the composer because the libretto had too many overtones of the symbolist poet Konstantin BalmontKonstantin Balmont
Konstantin Dmitriyevich Balmont was a Russian symbolist poet, translator, one of the major figures of the Silver Age of Russian Poetry.-Biography:Konstantin Balmont was born in v...
rather than because of any musical difficulties.
With the prospect of a theatre production in 1913, Prokofiev revised the music and dedicated the second version to Miaskovsky. However this production fell through, as did a further potential Moscow production in 1916. When Prokofiev left Russia in 1918 he left the manuscript in the care of his Moscow publishing house, and thereafter it was put to theback of his mind, although Miaskovsky wrote to him in Paris in 1924 to ask about it. Possibly this motivated him to collect the score when he visited Russia in 1927 to hear the Moscow production of his Love for Three Oranges. When Prokofiev finally returned to Russia permanently in 1936, the score was left behind in Paris. It finally found its way to the publishers Boosey and Hawkes in London in 1960. The composer's widow, Lina Prokofiev, who was established as being the rightful owner of the manuscript, asked the English musician Edward Downes
Edward Downes
Sir Edward Thomas "Ted" Downes, CBE was an English conductor, specialising in opera.He was associated with the Royal Opera House from 1952, and with Opera Australia from 1970. He was also well known for his long working relationship with the BBC Philharmonic and for working with the Netherlands...
to create a performing version. Originally this was to have been premiered by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 1980. But because of contractual problems, following Maddalenas premiere in a studio recording broadcast by BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
on 25 March 1979, its first staging was at the Opernhaus, Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
on 28 November 1981, conducted by Downes. The American premiere, using a re-scored version by Downes, was given by the St. Louis company on 9 June 1982, conducted by Bruce Ferden..
Roles
| Role | Voice type | US Premiere Cast, 9 June 1982 |
|---|---|---|
| Maddalena | 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... |
Stephanie Sundine |
| Duenna | soprano | |
| Genaro | tenor | James Schwisow |
| Romeo | tenor | |
| Stenio | 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... |
Edward Crafts |
| Chorus of gondoliers |
Synopsis
- Place: VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
- Time: About 1400
Maddalena is married to the artist Genaro, but is having an affair (in disguise) with Genaro's friend, the alchemist
Alchemist
An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist may also refer to:-People and groups:*The Alchemist , a hip hop music producer and rapper*Alchemist , an Australian progressive metal band...
Stenio. Stenio tells Genaro of the mysterious woman who has seduced him, and then recognises Maddalena as his seductress. Initially both men turn on Maddalena but she encourages them to fight each other; Genaro kills Stenio, but is wounded himself in the process. As he dies he invites Maddalena to kill herself. She however speculates which, if either, of the two corpses she really loved. Then she rushes to the window and calls out for help, claiming a stranger has killed her husband.
Reception
Although, in a 1979 Radio TimesRadio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
article, Rita McAllister
Rita McAllister
Margaret 'Rita' McAllister is a Scottish musicologist and composer. She is the Director of Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and is renowned as an authority on the works of Sergei Prokofiev.She undertook her undergraduate studies at the University of Glasgow, graduating BMus...
called the piece 'substantial and stage-worthy' and praised its Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
ian qualities, the critic Jeffrey Joseph wrote 'there is scarcely any plot to speak of [...]This is a most accomplished piece for a twenty year old [but] it is a bundle of effects tacked onto an arbitrary and therefore rather unpleasant tale'.