The Judgement of Paris (opera)
Encyclopedia
The Judgement of Paris is an operatic
libretto
written by William Congreve
. It was set by four British Baroque
composers - John Weldon
, John Eccles, Daniel Purcell
and Gottfried Finger
- as part of a music competition held in 1700-1701. Thomas Arne later composed a score to the libretto in 1742.
The god Mercury descends from the sky with the golden apple of Discord
and asks the shepherd Paris to award it to whichever of the three goddesses - Juno, Pallas and Venus - he finds most worthy. Juno offers him worldly power, Pallas victory in war, and Venus the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris gives the golden apple to Venus.
s mixing music and spoken drama). In an announcement in the London Gazette of 18 March 1700 they offered a "Musick Prize" for the best setting of Congreve's short libretto. First prize was 100 guineas, second 50, third 30, and fourth 20.
Four composers entered the competition: John Weldon, John Eccles, Daniel Purcell and Gottfried Finger. Their works were performed individually during the spring of 1701, then staged together in a grand final at the Dorset Garden Theatre
on 3 June 1703. The audience judged the winner. Eccles had been expected to win but in the event he came second to Weldon with Daniel Purcell third and Finger fourth. The competition had little long-term success in promoting all-sung opera in English. The London stage would soon be dominated by Italian opera and both Eccles and Daniel Purcell gave up writing theatre music.
The competition was re-staged in the Royal Albert Hall
as part of the 1989 BBC Proms season. Anthony Rooley
conducted the Consorte of Musicke and Concerto Köln in performances of the three surviving scores (Finger's has been lost). Once again, the audience decided the winner and this time they awarded first prize to Eccles.
's Semele would appear in 1744). Arne's version was first performed at Drury Lane Theatre on 12 March 1742, with the composer's wife Cecilia Young
in the role of Venus. Arne staged the work as a companion piece to his masque Alfred in June of the same year in Dublin.
, conducted by Christian Curnyn (Chandos, 1 CD, 2009)
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...
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...
written by William Congreve
William Congreve
William Congreve was an English playwright and poet.-Early life:Congreve was born in Bardsey, West Yorkshire, England . His parents were William Congreve and his wife, Mary ; a sister was buried in London in 1672...
. It was set by four British Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
composers - John Weldon
John Weldon (musician)
John Weldon was an English composer.Born at Chichester in the south of England, he was educated at Eton, where he was a chorister, and later received musical instruction from Henry Purcell...
, John Eccles, Daniel Purcell
Daniel Purcell
Daniel Purcell was an English composer, the younger brother of Henry Purcell.As a teenager, Daniel Purcell joined the choir of the Chapel Royal, and in his mid-twenties he became organist of Magdalen College, Oxford. He began to compose while at Oxford, but in 1695 he moved to London to compose...
and Gottfried Finger
Gottfried Finger
Gottfried Finger , also Godfrey Finger, was a Moravian Baroque composer. Many of his compositions were for the viol; he also wrote operas...
- as part of a music competition held in 1700-1701. Thomas Arne later composed a score to the libretto in 1742.
Roles
- MercuryMercury (mythology)Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
, messenger of the gods - ParisParis (mythology)Paris , the son of Priam, king of Troy, appears in a number of Greek legends. Probably the best-known was his elopement with Helen, queen of Sparta, this being one of the immediate causes of the Trojan War...
, a shepherd - JunoJuno (mythology)Juno is an ancient Roman goddess, the protector and special counselor of the state. She is a daughter of Saturn and sister of the chief god Jupiter and the mother of Mars and Vulcan. Juno also looked after the women of Rome. Her Greek equivalent is Hera...
, goddess of marriage - PallasAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, goddess of war - VenusVenus (mythology)Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
, goddess of love - Chorus
Synopsis
Setting: Mount IdaThe god Mercury descends from the sky with the golden apple of Discord
Apple of Discord
An apple of discord is a reference to the Golden Apple of Discord which, according to Greek mythology, the goddess Eris said that she would give "to the fairest" at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, sparking a vanity-fueled dispute between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite that eventually led to the...
and asks the shepherd Paris to award it to whichever of the three goddesses - Juno, Pallas and Venus - he finds most worthy. Juno offers him worldly power, Pallas victory in war, and Venus the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris gives the golden apple to Venus.
The "Musick Prize"
A group of English nobles headed by Lord Halifax had become interested in promoting all-sung English opera (most English operas of the day took the form of semi-operaSemi-opera
The terms Semi-opera, dramatic[k] opera and English opera were all applied to Restoration entertainments that combined spoken plays with masque-like episodes employing singing and dancing characters. They usually included machines in the manner of the restoration spectacular...
s mixing music and spoken drama). In an announcement in the London Gazette of 18 March 1700 they offered a "Musick Prize" for the best setting of Congreve's short libretto. First prize was 100 guineas, second 50, third 30, and fourth 20.
Four composers entered the competition: John Weldon, John Eccles, Daniel Purcell and Gottfried Finger. Their works were performed individually during the spring of 1701, then staged together in a grand final at the Dorset Garden Theatre
Dorset Garden Theatre
The Dorset Garden Theatre in London, built in 1671, was in its early years also known as the Duke of York's Theatre, or the Duke's Theatre. In 1685, King Charles II died and his brother, the Duke of York, was crowned as James II. When the Duke became King, the theatre became the Queen's Theatre in...
on 3 June 1703. The audience judged the winner. Eccles had been expected to win but in the event he came second to Weldon with Daniel Purcell third and Finger fourth. The competition had little long-term success in promoting all-sung opera in English. The London stage would soon be dominated by Italian opera and both Eccles and Daniel Purcell gave up writing theatre music.
The competition was re-staged in the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
as part of the 1989 BBC Proms season. Anthony Rooley
Anthony Rooley
Anthony Rooley is a British lutenist. He founded in 1969 and directs the early music ensemble the Consort of Musicke, which continues to be one of the chief vehicles for his inspiration, among many other activities and interests...
conducted the Consorte of Musicke and Concerto Köln in performances of the three surviving scores (Finger's has been lost). Once again, the audience decided the winner and this time they awarded first prize to Eccles.
Arne's version
Thomas Arne set The Judgement of Paris as part of a revival of interest in libretti by Congreve in the 1740s (HandelGeorge Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's Semele would appear in 1744). Arne's version was first performed at Drury Lane Theatre on 12 March 1742, with the composer's wife Cecilia Young
Cecilia Young
Cecilia Young was one of the greatest English sopranos of the eighteenth century, the wife of composer Thomas Arne, and the mother of composer Michael Arne...
in the role of Venus. Arne staged the work as a companion piece to his masque Alfred in June of the same year in Dublin.
Recording
The Judgment of Paris (Eccles' version) Benjamin Hulett, Roderick Williams, Susan Bickley, Claire Booth, Lucy Crowe, Chorus and Orchestra of Early Opera CompanyEarly Opera Company
The Early Opera Company is a British ensemble dedicated to the performance of baroque operas using period instruments. It was founded in 1994, by Christian Curnyn...
, conducted by Christian Curnyn (Chandos, 1 CD, 2009)
Sources
- The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (1993)
- Booklet notes to the Eccles recording by Lindsay Kemp
- "That strain again", article by Lindsay Kemp in Gramophone magazine (August, 2007, pages 28 and 29)