Cyrano (Beeson)
| Opera dates | |
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| Title: | Cyrano |
Cyrano de Bergerac |
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| Shape: | Heroic comedy for music in three acts |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Jack Beeson |
| Libretto : | Sheldon Harnick |
| Literary source: |
Edmond Rostand : Cyrano de Bergerac |
| Premiere: | September 10, 1994 |
| Place of premiere: | Theater Hagen |
| Playing time: | about 3 hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Paris, 17th century |
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Cyrano is an opera (original name: "Heroic comedy in music", "Heroic comedy for music") in three acts by Jack Beeson (music) with a libretto by Sheldon Harnick based on Edmond Rostand's verse drama Cyrano de Bergerac . It was completed in 1990 and premiered on September 10, 1994 in a German version by Astrid Rech-Richey in the Hagen Theater.
action
first act
Paris 1640. Hall of the Hotel de Bourgogne
The hall was transformed into a theater for a performance of the play Clorise by Balthazar Baro . Three waitresses serve drinks. Two dandies, the Marquis Valvert and Brisaille, are annoyed that they came too early. A pickpocket instructs three apprentices in their tasks. Candles are lit. Lignière and Christian de Neuvillette, who had only arrived in Paris three weeks earlier, enter. Christian intends to join the Guard as a cadet. He's hoping to see a lady here again, with whom he fell in love without knowing her name. The Marquis de Cuigy greets his friends Valvert and Brisaille, and the three join Christian and Lignière. They talk to the intellectual ladies present about the spectacle to be expected. The women don't think much of Baro's work and prefer Corneille . Ragueneau joins them and asks the others about Cyrano, an eccentric guard cadet who is also a poet, philosopher and musician, who is characterized by his pride and his oversized nose and who challenges anyone who makes fun of the latter to a duel. The actor Montfleury wants to appear today even though Cyrano banned him from the stage for thirty days.
Then Christian notices his beloved in a box. Lignière identifies her as Roxane, a cousin of Cyrano. The Count de Guiche is with her. A rumor circulates in Paris that the married Count fell in love with Roxane and made sure that she entered into a marriage of convenience with Valvert so that the two could spend the nights together undisturbed. Lignière wrote a mock song about it that is now sung everywhere. He says goodbye to go to the pub. When the count shortly afterwards invites Valvert to his box, Christian wants to challenge him. But then the pickpocket informs him that the count has hired assassins to murder Lignière because of his verses. Christian rushes off to help his friend. The performance begins with the appearance of Montfleury. After the first few words, a voice from the crowd interrupts him - Cyrano does not want to allow his ban on appearing to be disregarded. He does not allow himself to be deterred by the angry shouts of the guests, but threateningly suggests that everyone who is on Montfleury's side should step forward. Montfleury flees, and Cyrano generously reimburses the guests for the entrance fee. Spurred on by de Guiche, Valvert tries to provoke Cyrano with the words "Your nose is quite big". He answers with a long list of more ingenious mockery, draws his sword and improvises a poetic ballad while fencing. The crowd cheers him.
In order to create space for a drama rehearsal, theater director Bellerose clears the hall. Ragueneau asks Cyrano to speak to him. Since the latter has used up all his assets for the reimbursed entrance fees, one of the waitresses treats him to a small meal, which Cyrano modestly accepts. Ragueneau points out Cyrano's list of enemies, which has now grown considerably, including Valvert, de Guiche, Baro and Montfleury. Cyrano admits that he fell in love with his cousin Roxane, but didn't dare speak to her because of his nose. Montfleury, on the other hand, imitates her, "like a worm sticks to a flower". Ragueneau points out to him that many women are impressed by his courage and wit, and reminds him of the praises of the intellectual ladies and the generosity of the waitress. Roxane also followed his fight with Valvert with concern. Roxane's maid appears and tells Cyrano that her mistress wants to meet him the next morning. Now Cyrano's “fighting spirit is kindled”. He promises Lignière, who does not dare to leave the house because of the count's threat, protection against the two dozen murderers whom he has announced and who he wants to defeat alone. Lignière cheerfully sings his mocking song about the Count, to which the others join.
Second act
First Scene. Ragueneau's shop
Early in the morning of the next day, Ragueneau reenacts Cyrano and Valvert's duel with a meat skewer. Meanwhile, his apprentices present him with various foods they have prepared. One after the other, Cyrano and Ragueneau's wife Lise appear with a "handsome musketeer". They talk about Cyrano's victorious battle against the assassins. Finally, Roxane and her duenna also enter the shop. Cyrano manages to get the others to leave the room to talk to Roxane alone. Roxane thanks him for his help and then admits that she secretly loves someone who doesn't dare to speak to her. Cyrano's hope that she could mean himself, however, is disappointed when she gives him Christian's name. Although she has never spoken to him, his eyes seem to shine “with wisdom” and his face shine with “reason and wit”. Articulation and poetry are more important to her than outward beauty. She asks Cyrano to protect Christian because he is new in his company and she is afraid for him because of the rough initiation rituals. Cyrano hides his own feelings for Roxane and promises her to take care of Christian. After she leaves, Captain Carbon de Castel Jaloux appears with the cadets. They want to know more about Cyrano's fight. The Marquis Cuigy and Brisaille report the Count de Guiche, who tries in vain to lure Cyrano into his own retinue. A cadet brings in the perforated hats of the count's assassins defeated by Cyrano. De Guiche reminds Cyrano of Don Quixote's fight against the windmills and leaves indignantly with the two marquis. Some of the cadets point Christian to Cyrano, whom he can use as an example. Cyrano now begins his story of what happened last night. To make an impression in front of his comrades, Christian interrupts him several times with mocking allusions to Cyrano's nose. After ignoring this for a while, he sends the other cadets onto the street, who are already afraid for Christian's life. But when Cyrano is alone with Christian, he gives him a friendly hug and tells him about the love of his cousin Roxane. They hope to receive a love letter from Christian tomorrow. When Christian confesses his clumsiness with words, Cyrano offers to write the letter for him himself. They will court Roxane together, and Cyrano can secretly express his feelings under the name of Christian. The others return - amazed at Cyrano's indulgence. A musketeer gives an allusion to Cyrano's nose on a trial basis and immediately receives a black eye.
Second scene. In front of Roxane's house
Cyrano appears in front of Roxane's house, accompanied by a trumpeter. She raves about the witty words in Christian's love letter (which Cyrano actually wrote). She expects Christian to improvise on his own topic at the next rendezvous. Christian initially dares to do it without the help of Cyranus. However, Roxane acknowledges his attempts with a slap in the face because she feels mocked by him. Cyrano again promises his help. The two go away.
Shortly afterwards, de Guiche informed Roxane that he would go to war that night. He had been appointed colonel and thus the superior of the cadets, including Christian, on whom he would take revenge at the front. Pretending to regret de Guiche's departure, Roxane gains enough confidence to persuade him to leave the cadets behind. He leaves, but wants to go back to her in the evening.
Christian and Cyrano appear again in front of Roxane's balcony. They instruct the trumpeter to keep watch and give a signal if anyone should approach. At the rendezvous, Cyrano first prompts his friend, but then takes over the tender words himself with a disguised voice. Roxane is so enthusiastic about it that she gives in to Christian's courtship and demands a kiss. Then the trumpeter gives the agreed signal. A priest brings a message from de Guiches in which he asks Roxane for a night of love. Roxane pretends to the priest that de Guiche gives his consent to her marriage to Christian in the letter. She goes into the house with Christian and the priest to hold the ceremony. Cyrano stops de Guiche outside with a report of an alleged trip to the moon until the newly married couple comes out of the house. The duped de Guiche angrily orders Christian and Cyrano to leave immediately for the front. Cyrano promises Roxane to take care of Christian.
Third act
First Scene. The siege of Arras
Captain Carbon Jaloux's cadets hold an outpost outside the French- besieged town of Arras . In the meantime Spanish troops have arrived, which in turn cut off the besiegers from supplies. Carbon keeps watch while the cadets sleep. Cyrano, on the other hand, smuggles alleged letters from Christian through enemy lines to Roxane every night despite the danger. Gradually the cadets are waking up. To distract attention from hunger, a piper plays a melancholy song from Gascon. De Guiche appears and brags that the day before he managed to penetrate the siege and defeat a squad of enemies. However, he had to leave his sash behind in enemy territory. Cyrano is unimpressed - after all, he won back this sash on his own excursion. With the Spaniards intending to break the siege shortly, everyone must prepare for battle. Christian asks Cyrano to write a farewell letter to Roxane for him. A carriage approaches. It is Roxane who managed to penetrate the enemy camp. She wants to stay with Christian even in the moment of danger. While Carbon introduces her to the individual cadets, Cyrano informs Christian that he has written far more letters than expected. Carbon asks Roxane for her scarf, which he wants to use as a flag. Ragueneau also gets out of the carriage. He has brought plenty of groceries and everyone celebrates one last time before the battle. Roxane explains to Christian that he was so impressed by his letters that she absolutely had to see him again. She is no longer interested in external beauty, but only in his spirit and soul. Carbon sends her to the cadets who want to thank her personally. Christian now knows how much Cyrano loves Roxane. He asks his friend to admit his feelings so that she can choose between the two of them. When Roxane returns, he retires to give Cyrano the opportunity to talk. Roxane swears to Cyrano that she would love Christian even if his appearance was repulsive and grotesque. Just as Cyrano finds hope for himself, the battle begins. Christian already falls through the first volley. Roxane throws himself over his corpse, sobbing. Cyrano resolves never to reveal the truth about the letters to her.
Second scene. Epilogue. A few years later. Park of the Convent of the Sisters of the Cross in Paris
In mourning over Christian's death, Roxane has retired to a monastery. At the beginning of the scene, the sisters Marthe and Claire talk to mother Marguerite about everyday things. They expect Cyrano in the evening. Only he is still able to dispel Roxane's grief, at least for a short time. De Guiche and Ragueneau also visit Roxane. They tell her that Cyrano is getting more and more bitter and that his caustic writings are constantly making new enemies. There are even rumors of a planned assassination attempt on him. Lignière also comes to visit. While Roxane de Guiche is escorting out, Lignière tells Ragueneau that Cyrano was badly injured by a piece of wood dropped from the window by a leek. Nevertheless, Cyrano comes to the agreed visit. He hides his wound from Roxane and tells her about the events of the past week despite brief fainting spells. Then he asks her to read Christian's last letter again. He reads it aloud and so soulfully that Roxane realizes the truth: They are Cyrano's own words and he has always loved them. Ragueneau and Lignière rush over, shocked that Cyrano has come despite his injury. Cyrano concludes his weekly report: “Saturday: Today. In the evening, Monsieur de Bergerac was murdered. ”His death did not come in battle but by a servant's stake. He even failed in his death. Roxane finally realizes her love for Cyrano. But it is too late. He collapses dying.
layout
The music of the opera contains many allusions to music history, including 17th century French court music. In terms of composition, there are both free atonality and "the spirit of counterpoint of the [19] 30s" as well as passages with expanded tonality.
orchestra
The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:
- Woodwinds : three flutes (2nd also alto flute and piccolo , 3rd also piccolo), two oboes (2nd also cor anglais ), three clarinets (2nd also E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet , 3rd also bass clarinet), two bassoons ( 2nd also English horn ) also contrabassoon )
- Brass : four horns , two trumpets (2nd also Clairon behind the stage), Clairon I on the stage, two trombones , euphonium , tuba
- Timpani , percussion (two to three players): glockenspiel , xylophone , celesta , tubular bells , snare drum , snare drum , bass drum , Rototoms , pool , suspended cymbals, tam-tam , Triangle , bell tree, glass wind chime , wood block , slapstick, tambourine attached, castanets
- harp
- Strings
Work history
Cyrano is Jack Beeson's eighth and also his greatest opera. In contrast to all of his previous operas, it has no American subject, but is based on the French comedy Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand . Beeson got the idea on the subject in 1979 from his librettist Sheldon Harnick , with whom he had already written two operas. Work on the work began in 1980 and lasted more than ten years. The libretto was completed in the mid-1980s. Beeson then needed a lot of time for the orchestration. The composition was not completed until 1990. In order to adapt the large-scale drama to their opera, the authors made various cuts. For example, the figure of Le Bret was merged with that of Ragueneau. The character of Roxane caused particular trouble, who did not come across as "a bit simple-minded" in opera, but was supposed to go through a development.
A world premiere at the New York City Opera was temporarily in prospect. However, that did not happen. Instead, on September 10, 1994, the Hagen Theater took over the premiere in a German version by Astrid Rech-Richey. Two years earlier, Beeson's opera Lizzie Borden had its European premiere in Hagen . The opera choir and extra choir of the theater and the Hagen Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Gerhard Markson played at the premiere of Cyrano . The production was done by Rainer Friedemann and the equipment by Olaf Zombeck. The singers were Werner Hahn (Cyrano de Bergerac), Eva Pettersson (Roxane), Marylin Bennett (Duenna), Rudi de Vries (Christian de Neuvillette), Horst Fiehl (Lignière), Andreas Haller (Graf de Guiche), Peer-Martin Sturm (Marquis de Valvert), Jürgen Dittebrand (Marquis de Brisaille), Stefan Adam (Marquis de Cuigy), Thierry Migliorini (Ragueneau), Celeste Barrett (Lise, his wife), Peter Pietzsch (Bellerose), Peter Bisang / Jean Schmiede (Montfleury ) and Sergio Gomez (Captain Carbon de Castel Jaloux).
The performance received mixed reviews. One critic called it a "stunning theatrical event". In his review in the Berliner Zeitung , Frieder Reininghaus remarked that the libretto was still “too much bogged down in historical episodes [...]” despite the cuts, but the opera “despite all the aesthetic (and sometimes tangible technical) deficiencies” was a “respectable success “Could show. Jörg Loskill wrote in the opera world , that the evening could easily cut back by one hour. The music has "too little clout, too little flashy irony, too little lyrical foundation to memorize". However, this may also have been due to Markson's conduct, who did not optimally implement “Beeson's tonality, the witty sound and rhythmic capers”. Beeson used "almost every opportunity for operatic gestures" and assigned "major tasks" to the choir in particular. The star of the evening was the singer in the title role, Werner Hahn, who "differentiates between the emotional moods of the knight". He was nominated as "Singer of the Year" for his performance in the 1995 Opera World Critics' Survey .
Hoping to arouse interest in the opera, Beeson processed excerpts from it in 1997 into a concert piece entitled Interludes and Arias from Cyrano. In his memoirs of 2008 he quoted some notes by the librettist Harnick about the poetic structure of the libretto, which for example dispenses with the Alexandrian dimension of the original.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Frieder Reininghaus : Jack Beeson's opera "Cyrano" premiered in Hagen. The nose is not bad. In: Berliner Zeitung . September 14, 1994. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ^ Work information from the music publisher Boosey & Hawkes . Retrieved February 17, 2018.
- ↑ a b c Jack Beeson in conversation. In: Program for the premiere at the Hagen Theater, 1994, pp. 12–15.
- ^ A b Philip Lambert: To Broadway, To Life! The Musical Theater of Bock and Harnick. Oxford University Press, New York 2011, ISBN 978-0-19-539007-0 , pp. 257-258 ( limited preview in Google Book Search).
- ^ Program booklet for the premiere at the Hagen Theater, 1994.
- ^ Susan Hawkshaw: Master of the Opera. Feature article from the University of Rochester . Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ↑ Jörg Loskill. Nose as fate. In: Opera world . November 1994, p. 44 f.
- ↑ A theater man with body and soul. In: Westfälische Rundschau. September 3, 2007. Accessed March 6, 2018.
- ^ Opernwelt - Oper 1995. The yearbook.