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Medea (Benda)
Encyclopedia
Medea is a melodrama in one act with five scenes by composer
Georg Benda
with a German
libretto by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter
. The work was first performed in Leipzig
at the Theater am Rannstädtertor on 1 May 1775.
. Among those inspired by the work include Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
. Mozart in a letter to his father dated November 12, 1778 wrote, "The piece I saw was Benda’s Medea. He has composed another one, Ariadne auf Naxos
, and both are really excellent. You know that of all the Lutheran Kapellmeisters Benda has always been my favorite, and I like those two works of his so much that I carry them about with me." Although Mozart never wrote a full melodrama, he did create a miniature melodrama within his unfinished operetta, Zaide
(1780), that is highly reminiscent of the style of Benda's Medea.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Georg Benda
Georg Benda
Jiří Antonín Benda, also Georg Anton Benda or J.A. Benda was a Czech kapellmeister, violinist and composer of the classical period.-Biography:...
with a German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
libretto by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter
Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter
Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter was a German poet and dramatist.He was born at Gotha. After the completion of his university course at Göttingen, he was appointed second director of the Gotha Archive. He subsequently went to Wetzlar, the seat of the imperial law courts, as secretary to the...
. The work was first performed in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
at the Theater am Rannstädtertor on 1 May 1775.
Historical impact and musical analysis
Medea is considered to be one of Benda's best works and the composition had a significant impact on other composers of the late eighteenth century by popularizing the emerging genre of melodramaMelodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
. Among those inspired by the work include Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
right|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. Mozart in a letter to his father dated November 12, 1778 wrote, "The piece I saw was Benda’s Medea. He has composed another one, Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos (Benda)
Ariadne auf Naxos is a duodrama in one act by composer Georg Benda with a German libretto by Johann Christian Brandes. The opera's first performance was at the Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha, on 27 January 1775....
, and both are really excellent. You know that of all the Lutheran Kapellmeisters Benda has always been my favorite, and I like those two works of his so much that I carry them about with me." Although Mozart never wrote a full melodrama, he did create a miniature melodrama within his unfinished operetta, Zaide
Zaide
Zaide is an unfinished opera, K. 344, written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1780. Emperor Joseph II, in 1778, was in the process of setting up an opera company for the purpose of performing German opera. One condition required of the composer to join this company was that he should write a...
(1780), that is highly reminiscent of the style of Benda's Medea.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 1775 (Conductor: – ) |
|---|---|---|
| Medea | speaking role | Charlotte Brandes |
| Jason | speaking role | |
| Their son | speaking role | |
| Kreusa (Creusa) | speaking role | |
| Housekeeper | speaking role | |
| Follower | speaking role | |
Discography
- Medea (Melodrama) with conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
Christian BendaChristian BendaChristian Benda is a Czech cellist, composer, and conductor, descended from the 18th century Benda family of composers.He performs worldwide both as a soloist and a conductor....
and the Prague Chamber Orchestra. Cast includes: Brigitte Quadlbauer, Hertha Schell, and Peter Uray. Released on the Naxos label in 1996.