The Legend (opera)
Encyclopedia
The Legend is a one-act tragic opera
composed by Joseph Breil to an English libretto
by Jacques Byrne. It premiered at the Metropolitan Opera
in New York City on March 12, 1919 in a triple bill with two other one-act operas, John Hugo
's The Temple Dancer and Charles Cadman
's Shanewis. Its melodramatic story is set in Muscovadia, a mythical country in the Balkans
, and involves an impoverished nobleman turned bandit, his daughter Carmelita, and her lover Stephen, a captain in the hussars. The action unfolds over a single night at the end of which both lovers are dead—Stephen stabbed to death by Carmelita and Carmelita shot by Stephen's fellow hussars. The only one of Breil's six operas to be performed by a major opera company, The Legend received scathing press reviews and after its three performances at the Met disappeared from the repertory.
scores including those for D. W. Griffith
's Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance
(1916), Joseph Breil had also written several short operas prior to The Legend. His Orlando of Milan was composed when he was 17 and given an amateur performance in Pittsburgh. Three comic operas were to follow later, Love Laughs at Locksmiths (performed in Portland, Maine
, 1910); Professor Tattle (performed in New York City, 1913); and The Seventh Chord (performed in Chicago
, 1913). He began composing The Legend, his first attempt at a serious opera, in 1916 and finished it a year later. He had originally written it for the American soprano Constance Balfour, who was living in Los Angeles
at the time, and dedicated the work to her. His approach to the opera was influenced by his own film work and that of his librettist, Jacques Byrne who wrote screenplay
s for early Hollywood films. Breil argued at the time that: "An opera libretto should be chockfull of action. Action, action all the time. The story should be simple and straightforward like a film play, only more so."
Shortly after becoming General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera
in 1908, Giulio Gatti-Casazza
had set a goal of producing at least one new English language opera by an American composer each season. The Legend and Hugo
's The Temple Dancer were chosen to premiere in the 1918/1919 season along with a revival of Cadman
's Shanewis to form a triple bill. Four months earlier, the Met had staged the world premiere of Puccini's Il trittico
(a triptych
of three one-act Italian operas). Gatti-Casazza billed the Legend/Temple Dancer/Shanewis production as an "American Triptych". However, while all three operas were by American composers, only Shanewis had an American subject. The Legend is set in the Balkans
and The Temple Dancer in India
. The triple bill premiered at the Metropolitan Opera on March 12, 1919. All three works were conducted by Roberto Moranzoni and directed by Richard Ordynski. Norman Bel Geddes
designed the sets and costumes for both The Legend and Shanewis. Rosa Ponselle
, who had made her Met debut four months earlier in La forza del destino
and the American tenor Paul Althouse
, who had been singing at the Met since 1912, created the roles of the lovers, Carmelita and Stephen. Althouse also sang the leading male role in Shanewis later that evening.
The opening night reviews, especially for The Legend, were scathing. The New York Times critic James Gibbons Huneker, described it as being "as heavy as unleavened dough". The critic in Theatre Magazine wrote: "Straight across the plank and into the sea of oblivion where it deserved to rest went The Legend." Its star, Rosa Ponselle was openly contemptuous of the opera. When she was asked in an interview fifty years later if she had ever looked at the score again to see if her opinion had changed, she replied that she could not do so because she had burned it. The Legend had two more performances that season and then disappeared from the repertory completely.
The voice type for Carmelita is described more specifically in the printed libretto as dramatic soprano
. Although the libretto specifies Stackareff as a bass role, it was sung in the premiere by a baritone
. Similarly, the contralto role of Marta was sung by a mezzo-soprano
. The role of Stephen Pauloff can also be sung by a high baritone.
.
The action opens on a stormy night. Count Stackareff an impoverished nobleman who leads a double life as the notorious bandit, "Black Lorenzo" and his daughter, Carmelita are in their hunting lodge. Stackereff has kidnapped a wealthy merchant and is awaiting a messenger with the ransom. Carmelita is fearful that her lover, Stephen Pauloff, a captain in the hussars whom she had met in Vienna, will discover the true identity of her father and cast her off. Her servant, Marta, arrives with the news that Pauloff has been seen in the nearby woods. Carmelita is overjoyed, but Marta warns her that on that night the Evil One is said to stalk the area, knocking on doors. Whoever opens the door to him will die within a year. Carmelita asks Marta to tell her fortune with playing cards. The ace of spades
(the "death card") comes up each time.
The storm worsens and there are two knocks at the door. Carmelita opens it but finds no one there. A little while later, Stephen arrives and tells Carmelita that he has been sent to capture "Black Lorenzo" dead or alive. Carmelita asks him to swear that he will never abandon her and the couple make plans to elope. Count Stackareff enters, and Stephen tells him of his mission. Realizing that he will soon be unmasked, Stackareff escapes through the window and runs into the woods. Stephen attempts to follow him, but is held back by Carmelita, who reminds him of his oath never to leave her. He breaks away to rush off after Stackereff, whereupon Carmelita stabs her lover to death. Two soldiers enter carrying the wounded Stackareff. When they discover that Carmelita has murdered their captain, they level their musket
s at her. The curtain falls, and shots are heard as the opera's finale is played.
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...
composed by Joseph Breil to an English 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...
by Jacques Byrne. It premiered at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in New York City on March 12, 1919 in a triple bill with two other one-act operas, John Hugo
John Adam Hugo
John Adam Hugo was an American composer, born in Connecticut. He composed three operas, of which one, The Temple Dancer, was performed at the Metropolitan Opera in 1919. He also wrote a symphony and a piano concerto, some chamber music, and many songs.-References:...
's The Temple Dancer and Charles Cadman
Charles Wakefield Cadman
Charles Wakefield Cadman was an American composer.Cadman’s musical education, unlike that of most of his American contemporaries, was completely American. Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, he began piano lessons at 13...
's Shanewis. Its melodramatic story is set in Muscovadia, a mythical country in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, and involves an impoverished nobleman turned bandit, his daughter Carmelita, and her lover Stephen, a captain in the hussars. The action unfolds over a single night at the end of which both lovers are dead—Stephen stabbed to death by Carmelita and Carmelita shot by Stephen's fellow hussars. The only one of Breil's six operas to be performed by a major opera company, The Legend received scathing press reviews and after its three performances at the Met disappeared from the repertory.
Background and performance history
Although primarily known as a composer of silent filmSilent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
scores including those for D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
's Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance
Intolerance (film)
Intolerance is a 1916 American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith and is considered one of the great masterpieces of the Silent Era. The three-and-a-half hour epic intercuts four parallel storylines each separated by several centuries: A contemporary melodrama of crime and redemption; a...
(1916), Joseph Breil had also written several short operas prior to The Legend. His Orlando of Milan was composed when he was 17 and given an amateur performance in Pittsburgh. Three comic operas were to follow later, Love Laughs at Locksmiths (performed in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, 1910); Professor Tattle (performed in New York City, 1913); and The Seventh Chord (performed in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, 1913). He began composing The Legend, his first attempt at a serious opera, in 1916 and finished it a year later. He had originally written it for the American soprano Constance Balfour, who was living in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the time, and dedicated the work to her. His approach to the opera was influenced by his own film work and that of his librettist, Jacques Byrne who wrote screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
s for early Hollywood films. Breil argued at the time that: "An opera libretto should be chockfull of action. Action, action all the time. The story should be simple and straightforward like a film play, only more so."
Shortly after becoming General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in 1908, Giulio Gatti-Casazza
Giulio Gatti-Casazza
Giulio Gatti-Casazza was an Italian opera manager. He was general manager of La Scala in Milan, Italy and later the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.-Life and career:...
had set a goal of producing at least one new English language opera by an American composer each season. The Legend and Hugo
John Adam Hugo
John Adam Hugo was an American composer, born in Connecticut. He composed three operas, of which one, The Temple Dancer, was performed at the Metropolitan Opera in 1919. He also wrote a symphony and a piano concerto, some chamber music, and many songs.-References:...
's The Temple Dancer were chosen to premiere in the 1918/1919 season along with a revival of Cadman
Charles Wakefield Cadman
Charles Wakefield Cadman was an American composer.Cadman’s musical education, unlike that of most of his American contemporaries, was completely American. Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, he began piano lessons at 13...
's Shanewis to form a triple bill. Four months earlier, the Met had staged the world premiere of Puccini's Il trittico
Il trittico
Il trittico is the title of a collection of three one-act operas, Il tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi, by Giacomo Puccini...
(a triptych
Triptych
A triptych , from tri-= "three" + ptysso= "to fold") is a work of art which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works...
of three one-act Italian operas). Gatti-Casazza billed the Legend/Temple Dancer/Shanewis production as an "American Triptych". However, while all three operas were by American composers, only Shanewis had an American subject. The Legend is set in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and The Temple Dancer in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The triple bill premiered at the Metropolitan Opera on March 12, 1919. All three works were conducted by Roberto Moranzoni and directed by Richard Ordynski. Norman Bel Geddes
Norman Bel Geddes
Norman Melancton Bel Geddes was an American theatrical and industrial designer who focused on aerodynamics....
designed the sets and costumes for both The Legend and Shanewis. Rosa Ponselle
Rosa Ponselle
Rosa Ponselle , was an American operatic soprano with a large, opulent voice. She sang mainly at the New York Metropolitan Opera and is generally considered by music critics to have been one of the greatest sopranos of the past 100 years.-Early life:She was born Rosa Ponzillo on January 22, 1897,...
, who had made her Met debut four months earlier in La forza del destino
La forza del destino
La forza del destino is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino , by Ángel de Saavedra, Duke of Rivas, with a scene adapted from Friedrich Schiller's Wallensteins Lager. It was first performed...
and the American tenor Paul Althouse
Paul Althouse
Paul Shearer Althouse was an American opera singer. He began his career as a lyric tenor with a robust Italianate sound, excelling in roles like Cavaradossi, Pinkerton, and Turiddu. He later branched out into the dramatic tenor repertoire, finding particular success in portraying Wagnerian heroes...
, who had been singing at the Met since 1912, created the roles of the lovers, Carmelita and Stephen. Althouse also sang the leading male role in Shanewis later that evening.
The opening night reviews, especially for The Legend, were scathing. The New York Times critic James Gibbons Huneker, described it as being "as heavy as unleavened dough". The critic in Theatre Magazine wrote: "Straight across the plank and into the sea of oblivion where it deserved to rest went The Legend." Its star, Rosa Ponselle was openly contemptuous of the opera. When she was asked in an interview fifty years later if she had ever looked at the score again to see if her opinion had changed, she replied that she could not do so because she had burned it. The Legend had two more performances that season and then disappeared from the repertory completely.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, March 12, 1919 (Conductor: Roberto Moranzoni) |
|---|---|---|
| Count Stackareff, an impoverished nobleman and bandit | bass Bass (voice type) A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C... |
Louis D'Angelo |
| Carmelita, Stackareff's daughter | 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... |
Rosa Ponselle Rosa Ponselle Rosa Ponselle , was an American operatic soprano with a large, opulent voice. She sang mainly at the New York Metropolitan Opera and is generally considered by music critics to have been one of the greatest sopranos of the past 100 years.-Early life:She was born Rosa Ponzillo on January 22, 1897,... |
| Stephen Pauloff, a hussar Hussar Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century.... captain and Carmelita's lover |
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... |
Paul Althouse Paul Althouse Paul Shearer Althouse was an American opera singer. He began his career as a lyric tenor with a robust Italianate sound, excelling in roles like Cavaradossi, Pinkerton, and Turiddu. He later branched out into the dramatic tenor repertoire, finding particular success in portraying Wagnerian heroes... |
| Marta, Carmelita's servant | contralto Contralto Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above... |
Kathleen Howard Kathleen Howard Kathleen Howard was a Canadian-born opera singer , magazine editor and US film character actress from the mid-1930s through the 1940s. She spent her childhood in Buffalo, NY and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery there.She created the role of Zita in Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi at the... |
The voice type for Carmelita is described more specifically in the printed libretto as dramatic soprano
Dramatic soprano
A dramatic soprano is an operatic soprano with a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over, or cut through, a full orchestra. Thicker vocal folds in dramatic voices usually mean less agility than lighter voices but a sustained, fuller sound. Usually this voice has a lower tessitura than...
. Although the libretto specifies Stackareff as a bass role, it was sung in the premiere by a baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
. Similarly, the contralto role of Marta was sung by a mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
. The role of Stephen Pauloff can also be sung by a high baritone.
Synopsis
The opera is set in Muscovadia, a mythical country in the BalkansBalkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
The action opens on a stormy night. Count Stackareff an impoverished nobleman who leads a double life as the notorious bandit, "Black Lorenzo" and his daughter, Carmelita are in their hunting lodge. Stackereff has kidnapped a wealthy merchant and is awaiting a messenger with the ransom. Carmelita is fearful that her lover, Stephen Pauloff, a captain in the hussars whom she had met in Vienna, will discover the true identity of her father and cast her off. Her servant, Marta, arrives with the news that Pauloff has been seen in the nearby woods. Carmelita is overjoyed, but Marta warns her that on that night the Evil One is said to stalk the area, knocking on doors. Whoever opens the door to him will die within a year. Carmelita asks Marta to tell her fortune with playing cards. The ace of spades
Ace of Spades
At least in English-speaking countries, the ace of spades is traditionally seen as the highest card in the deck of playing cards, although the actual value of the card varies from game to game...
(the "death card") comes up each time.
The storm worsens and there are two knocks at the door. Carmelita opens it but finds no one there. A little while later, Stephen arrives and tells Carmelita that he has been sent to capture "Black Lorenzo" dead or alive. Carmelita asks him to swear that he will never abandon her and the couple make plans to elope. Count Stackareff enters, and Stephen tells him of his mission. Realizing that he will soon be unmasked, Stackareff escapes through the window and runs into the woods. Stephen attempts to follow him, but is held back by Carmelita, who reminds him of his oath never to leave her. He breaks away to rush off after Stackereff, whereupon Carmelita stabs her lover to death. Two soldiers enter carrying the wounded Stackareff. When they discover that Carmelita has murdered their captain, they level their musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
s at her. The curtain falls, and shots are heard as the opera's finale is played.
Sources
- Breil, Joseph and Byrne, Jacques. The Legend: A lyric tragedy in one act. Chappell & Co.Chappell & Co.Chappell & Co. was an English company that published music and manufactured pianos.-History:It was founded in 1810 by Samuel Chappell in partnership with music professors Francis Tatton Latour and Johann Baptist Cramer. Cramer was also a well-known London composer, teacher and pianist...
(1919) - Hipsher, Edward Ellsworth. American Opera and Its Composers. Theodore Presser CompanyTheodore Presser CompanyThe Theodore Presser Company is an American music publishing and distribution company located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and formerly based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest continuing music publisher in the United States.-Theodore Presser:...
(1934) - Huneker, James Gibbons, "Opera: A Triple Bill at the Metropolitan". New York Times (March 13, 1919)
- Key, Pierre. "New Operas at the Metropolitan". Theatre Magazine, Vol. XXIX, No. 219 (May 1919) p. 268
- Kirk, Elise Kuhl. American opera. University of Illinois Press (2001). ISBN 0252026233
- Metropolitan OperaMetropolitan OperaThe Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
Archives. The Legend. MetOpera Database - New York Times. "New American Operas, March 12". (March 3, 1919)
- New York Times. New Native Operas Foreign in Scene". (March 9, 1919)
- Phillips-Matz, Mary Jane. Rosa Ponselle: American Diva. UPNE (1997). ISBN 1555533175
- Ponselle, RosaRosa PonselleRosa Ponselle , was an American operatic soprano with a large, opulent voice. She sang mainly at the New York Metropolitan Opera and is generally considered by music critics to have been one of the greatest sopranos of the past 100 years.-Early life:She was born Rosa Ponzillo on January 22, 1897,...
(with James A. Drake). Ponselle, A Singer's Life. Doubleday (1982). ISBN 0385156413 - Sanchez, Nellie Van de Grift. California and Californians, Volume 4. Lewis (1930)
External links
- Complete vocal score of The Legend (in PDF formatPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
) from the University of RochesterUniversity of RochesterThe University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
.