Atalia (Mayr)
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| Title: | Atalia |
Title page of the libretto, Naples 1822 |
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| Shape: | Dramma sacro per musica in two acts |
| Original language: | Italian |
| Music: | Johann Simon Mayr |
| Libretto : | Felice Romani |
| Literary source: | Old testament |
| Premiere: | March 10, 1822 |
| Place of premiere: | Naples, Teatro San Carlo |
| Place and time of the action: | Jerusalem, partly in the palace of Atalia, partly in the temple of Solomon, 9th century BC Chr. |
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Atalia is a sacred opera or oratorio with stage design (original name: “dramma sacro per musica”) in two acts by the composer Johann Simon Mayr . The libretto is by Felice Romani . The work was premiered during Lent on March 10, 1822 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples . The main character is Atalja , the biblical cruel queen of Jerusalem , who contested the throne of the city from Joash .
action
The content is based on a story from the Old Testament ( 2 Chr 22.10–23 EU and 2 Kings 11 EU ). Atalja (here "Atalia") was the daughter of the Israelite king Ahab , who lived from about 871 to 852 BC. Ruled and, like his wife Jezebel, turned to the Baal cult. Atalja also paid homage to this idol. As Ahab's successor, his (or Atalja's own) son Ahaziah took over government. However, he was murdered after a short time. Now Atalja herself seized power. In order to secure her rule, she had all of the royal descendants murdered. Only her grandson Joas (Gioas) survived the massacre and was raised undetected by the priest Jojada (Gioada) in the temple.
In the course of the opera Atalia discovers that Gioas has survived and tries to take control of him. At the same time, Gioada is planning a Levite revolt to establish Gioas as the rightful successor to the ancient kings. Since Gioas is well protected in the temple, Atalia takes Gioada's biological son Azaria hostage and threatens his murder if Gioas is not extradited. The orthodox officer Abner frees Azaria and brings him to his father in the temple, which Atalia then has attacked. The Levites are victorious in the battle that follows, and Gioada crowns Gioas as the new king of Israel.
first act
In front of the Atalias palace
In front on both sides an implied row of columns of the palace, behind it a symmetrical row of trees, which forms a kind of holy forest in front of the temple of Baal, the front of which can be seen with an accessible door in the background. Everything gives the appearance of a great festival.
Scene 1. Atalia's courtiers, Syrian guards, and a mixed race of strangers and Hebrews praise the god Baal. The high priest Matan steps out of the temple with other Baal priests and gives the reason for the celebration: Queen Atalia has secured her power over the kingdom of Judah after defeating her opponents. The ambitious Matan hopes to benefit from it too.
Scene 2. There is a dispute between Matan and the officer Abner, who has remained true to the Jewish faith. Abner recalls that when Atalia came to power seven years ago, she murdered her own grandchildren. The arrival of the queen and her greeting by the choir interrupts the conversation.
Scene 3. Atalia thanks the people for their loyalty. Although she tries hard to hide her worries, Matan speaks to her about them. She tells him about a dream repeated three times, in which her mother Gezabele appeared to her. Dressed as on the day of her death, she warned of the wrath of the Jewish god and then crumbled into a pile of bones and flesh for which dogs wrestled. In the Hebrew temple, she then noticed a meek child in a white robe. But when she tried to hug it, it stuck a dagger into her heart. Matan suspects that the background to this dream is a conspiracy by the Hebrews as well as rumors that their high priest Gioada is looking after another child of apparently noble origins in addition to his own son Azaria. Atalia is shaken. She asks Matan to accompany her to the temple to find out more.
Enclosed space next to Solomon's Temple leading to the priests' rooms
Scene 4. Levite girls and boys sing, prepare flowers and fruits for the Primiz festival and then leave.
Scene 5. The high priest Gioada commemorates the cruel assumption of power at Atalia seven years ago. He prays that he may succeed in saving the prince so that the "throne of the ancestors can rise again".
Scene 6. Levites and people, including Gioada's son Azaria and the young prince Gioas, known as Eliacin, gather in front of the temple. Gioada asks them to prepare for the service. Gioas is happy to have found a good foster father in Gioada after his parents were murdered.
Scene 7. Abner, alarmed by Gioada, tells Gioada that Atalia is going to visit the temple to investigate the rumors about the child. Gioada has the temple gates locked and takes Gioas by the hand to bring him to safety.
Scene 8. Atalia appears with Matan and her entourage and, to everyone's horror, immediately discovers Gioa's heir to the throne among those present. She tries not to show anything and asks about his identity. She learns from young Gioas himself that he is an orphan and that he wants to dedicate his life to temple service. Atalia sees no danger in him. She assures him of her affection and declares that she will take him in like a mother. But Gioas rejects her because she has erected a pagan altar and despises his God and his father. Atalia and Matan leave the place under threats.
Scene 9. Gioada is relieved by the boy's steadfastness and loyalty. In return, he affirmed that he would give his life for the Israelite faith at any time. The two make their way to the temple.
Temple of Solomon
Scene 10. Levitical girls and boys wreathed with flowers place their offerings on the altar and sing a song in praise of God to the sound of the “Levitical harp”.
Scene 11. Gioada, Gioas, Abner and other Levites enter the temple. Gioada asks God for help in avenging the kings of Israel and for the sending of a worthy hero. Then he explains to those present that such a hero has already come. He takes Gioas by the hand, but is interrupted by the noise outside the temple gates.
Scene 12. Matan storms the temple with his soldiers and demands the surrender of the boy Gioas.
Scene 13. While those present are preparing for the defense, Atalia and her entourage appear, as well as an officer who leads in little Azaria, Gioada's biological son. Atalia offers to exchange this for Gioas. If Gioada does not consent, she will have Azaria killed. Despite Gioas and the others begging him to give in to save his son, Gioada remains tough.
Second act
Royal palace with throne
Scene 1. Atalia sits on the throne, surrounded by her courtiers. She is inwardly troubled, descends, paces restlessly and sits down again. Her courtiers try to reassure her by saying that the Levites trapped in the temple will soon submit to her.
Scene 2. Matan reports that Gioada has agreed to negotiate. Atalia has him demonstrated.
Scene 3. After Atalia has sent the courtiers away, she asks Gioada again to surrender Gioas. After her death, he should rule over Judah, since she had no descendants of her own. When Gioada points out her own guilt for the murder of her grandchildren, she assures her that she regrets the past. She wished nothing more than that at least one of them would have survived. Gioada recognizes the trap. He continues to refuse to exchange. When Atalia threatens to murder Azaria again, he warns her of the wrath of God. He goes.
Scene 4. Atalia decides to act on the threat and have Azaria killed in front of his father.
Scene 5. Matan reports that Azaria has been freed by her own officer, Abner, and is now with the Levites in the temple. Atalia names Matan as the traitor's successor.
Enclosed room next to the temple of Solomon as in the first act
The doors of the temple are locked. On one side there is an arch covered with a large curtain.
Scene 6. Gioada thanks Abner for saving his son and shares his plan for the uprising.
Scene 7. The Levites enter with their wives and children. They bring a tripod, the law book, and a sword. In the middle, Eliacin / Gioas wears a diadem on a tray. Gioada announces that he now wants to crown the real King Judas and reveals to those present the identity of Gioas, whom he had saved after the massacre of his parents and brought up in the temple. Gioas swears to keep the holy law. In return, those present swear their love and loyalty to him.
Scene 8. A Levite reports that the opposing army, led by Matan, was already preparing to attack the temple when Adonia intervened in Gioada's name and offered peace negotiations. Atalia then rushed to the temple to demand the surrender of Gioas. Gioada divides his people. A part is supposed to protect the new king and a part to keep hidden in the temple. Meanwhile, Abner is to signal the troops to attack. Gioada leads Gioas with some of the Levites behind the curtain.
Scene 9. Atalia enters the temple and demands the surrender of the child. Gioada opens the curtain, presents her the crowned Gioas and asks her to kneel in front of him. After Atalia has overcome her horror, she orders her soldiers to take action against Gioada and Gioas. At a call from Gioada, the armed Levites rush to the guards and drive them to flight. But when trumpets sound outside, Atalia thinks this is a sign of the victory of her people.
Scene 10. Abner announces the victory of the Levites. The enemy leader Matan had fallen. Atalia begs Gioas for pity. However, when the Levites took him away, she cursed him: He should worship idols and destroy the kingdom of Judah. The Levites drive them out of the temple.
Scene 11. Gioas hopes that he will never see Atalia's curse fulfilled again. However, Gioada is confident that God will thwart their curses. In the final chorus, everyone compares the security of Jerusalem to the steadfastness of a cedar tree and its beauty to a rose on the edge of a spring.
Work history
Atalia, like Rossini's Ciro in Babilonia (1812) and Mosè in Egitto (1818) or Donizetti's Il diluvio universale (1830), belongs to the “fasting opera” type. The Italian opera houses remained closed during the Passion period or had to confine themselves to biblical themes. Opinions diverge as to whether these works can be described as operas or oratorios.
Felice Romani's libretto deals with the Atalja episode of the Old Testament, which has already been dramatized and set to music many times. Romani was mainly based on Jean Racine's drama Athalie from 1691. Both works have in common, for example, the nightmare monologue Atalia (first act, scene 3) and the interrogation of the young Eliacin / Gioas (first act, scene 8). The political allusions of Racine's proposal, however, were no longer relevant. Instead, Romani placed more emphasis on the "tragic sublime".
After negotiations with Domenico Barbaja , the impresario of the Teatro San Carlo , and Gioachino Rossini , the head of the two Neapolitan opera houses at the time, and several changes of date, Mayr composed the work for Lent in 1820. However, since Romani had not yet finished the libretto by the end of January Mayr also did not deliver the composition on time. Barbaja therefore replaced the opera with Pietro Raimondis Ciro in Babilonia.
It was not premiered until March 10, 1822. Since Mayr was no longer in Naples, Gioachino Rossini undertook the rehearsal. He left Naples on March 7th, three days before the premiere. Gaetano Donizetti , who had come to Naples from Rome in February, reported to his teacher Mayr about the rehearsals in a letter dated March 4th. Accordingly, the work went very carelessly: "During the rehearsals he lazes around with the singers who don't follow him properly, like a Jesuit, and then during the orchestra rehearsals he talks to the prime donne instead of conducting". There were also problems with the singers, for which some pieces had to be shortened or rewritten. Isabella Colbran , originally intended for the title role, left for Vienna with Rossini - the two married during a stopover on March 16 in Castenaso near Bologna. Since Giuseppina Fabbré sang the part of Atalia instead of Colbran, Rossini had to revise it for her lower voice. For Fabbré, Rossini added the cavatine "Alma fide" (originally: "Cara Patria invitta Roma"), which he had composed in Rome in 1817 as an insert for a performance there of Giuseppe Nicolini's opera Quinto Fabio Rutiliano (1811).
Nicola Festa took over the musical direction of the premiere. The set was designed by Francesco Tortoli. Giuseppina Fabbré (Atalia), Girolama Dardanelli-Corradi (Gioas), Domenico Donzelli (Gioada), Michele Benedetti (Abner) and Giuseppe Ciccimarra (Matan) sang . A total of only seven performances in the Teatro San Carlo can be proven in 1822. This small number compared to other Mayr operas is probably due to the absence of the impresario Barbaja and the better singers who had left for Vienna with Rossini.
In 1826 Rossini processed a slow march ("marcia religiosa") from Atalia in the overture of his opera Le siège de Corinthe .
Before the premiere, Mayr himself had taken over some numbers in his oratorio Samuele , composed in 1821 . The chorus “Chi di sì” became “Chi di purpurea chioma”, the accompaniment recitative “O sol” became “Delle festose turbe”, and the duet “Che sento” received the text “Che tento!”
Mayr's fully reconstructed original version was premiered in Ingolstadt in September 2003 under the direction of the conductor Franz Hauk .
Recordings
- September 19, 2003 (live, in concert from the Asamkirche Maria de Victoria in Ingolstadt): Franz Hauk (conductor), Neue Düsseldorfer Hofmusik, Simon Mayr Choir. Rebecca Martin (Atalia), Maria Jette (Gioas), Thomas Cooley (Gioada), James Taylor (Matan), Jacek Janiszewski (Abner). Guild GMCD 7268/70 (3 CD).
literature
- Simon Mayr - Atalia - program booklet (= special edition of the Simon Mayr-Mitteilungen from September 2003). International Simon Mayr Society V., Ingolstadt 2003. Also contains the libretto with a German translation.
Web links
- Atalia (Giovanni Simone Mayr) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna
- Libretto (Italian), Naples 1822. Digitized version of the Munich digitization center
- Work information (Italian) on nonsolobelcanto.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ James P. Cassaro: Gaetano Donizetti: A Research and Information Guide. Routledge, 2009, p. 136 ( online in the Google book search).
- ^ Helen M. Greenwald: The Oxford Handbook of Opera. Oxford University Press, 2014. p. 733 ( online in Google Book Search).
- ^ Paolo Fabbri: Mayr and the subimtragic. In: Simon Mayr - Atalia - program booklet (= special edition of the Simon Mayr-Mitteilungen from September 2003). International Simon Mayr Society V., Ingolstadt 2003, p. 61.
- ↑ Francesco Bellotto, Piera Ravisio, Lucio Benaglia (transl.): Atalia in the Fondazione Donizetti. In: Simon Mayr - Atalia - program booklet (= special edition of the Simon Mayr-Mitteilungen from September 2003). International Simon Mayr Society V., Ingolstadt 2003, pp. 62-65.
- ↑ a b c d Iris Winkler: Correspondents in Naples. In: Simon Mayr - Atalia - program booklet (= special edition of the Simon Mayr-Mitteilungen from September 2003). International Simon Mayr Society V., Ingolstadt 2003.
- ^ Herbert Weinstock : Rossini - A biography. Translated by Kurt Michaelis. Kunzelmann, Adliswil 1981 (1968), ISBN 3-85662-009-0 , p. 131
- ^ Richard Osborne: Rossini - life and work. Translated from the English by Grete Wehmeyer. List Verlag, Munich 1988, ISBN 3-471-78305-9 , p. 67.
- ^ March 10, 1822: "Atalia". In: L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia ..
- ^ Record of the performance on March 10, 1822 in the Teatro San Carlo in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
- ^ Richard Osborne: Rossini - life and work. Translated from the English by Grete Wehmeyer. List Verlag, Munich 1988, ISBN 3-471-78305-9 , p. 277.
- ^ Franz Hauk: Occasion and templates. In: Supplement to CD Mayr, JS: Samuele, Naxos 8.572721-22.
- ↑ Mayr, Giovanni Simone. In: Andreas Ommer: Directory of all opera complete recordings. Zeno.org , Volume 20, p. 9700.