Cyrano (Damrosch)
| Opera dates | |
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| Title: | Cyrano |
Title page of the libretto, New York 1913 |
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| Shape: | Opera in four acts |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Walter Damrosch |
| Libretto : | William James Henderson |
| Literary source: |
Edmond Rostand : Cyrano de Bergerac |
| Premiere: | February 27, 1913 |
| Place of premiere: | Metropolitan Opera New York |
| Place and time of the action: | France 1640 |
| people | |
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Cyrano is an opera in four acts by Walter Damrosch (music) with a libretto by William James Henderson based on Edmond Rostand's verse drama Cyrano de Bergerac . It premiered on February 27, 1913 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
action
The following table of contents is a translation from the Opera Book by Edith Bertha Ordway (1877–1944).
first act
The interior of the Hotel de Bourgogne
A theatrical performance is planned in a large hall of the Hotel de Bourgogne and the audience is arriving. Cavaliers, marquis, a musketeer, a flower girl and pages arrive and take their seats as spectators. Christian and Le Bret also come. The latter asks about the lady who normally sits in a particular box. He confesses that he fell in love with her. Le Bret replies that it is Roxane, a cousin of the brave Cyrano de Bergerac - a lady of remarkable spirit and wit. Ragueneau appears and, when he hears the name Cyranos, tells of his skill with both the mind and the sword. He also mentions the unusual size of his nose. More people arrive, and soon Roxane appears and is besieged by admirers. She doesn't listen to any of them, but when De Guiche arrives, she lets him lead her to her box. The game begins.
Montfleury, whom Cyrano had banned from appearing for a month because of his lack of talent and a suspicion about Roxane, was just declaiming when Cyrano came in and ordered him to stop. De Guiche tries to confront Cyrano and insults him with allusions to his nose. Cyrano challenges him and improvises a ballad during the fight that follows. He hits his opponent at the same time as the end of the chorus. The wounded De Guiche withdraws. The audience goes too. Only Cyrano and Le Bret are left when Roxane and her companion (the Duenna) come out of their box. She greets the winner and goes out. Cyrano reveals to Le Bret that he only fought to get a look from her. He confesses his love for Roxane and mentions the shame he felt at the thought of his own big nose. A message is brought in from Roxane asking for a meeting with her cousin - she will be waiting for him in Ragueneau's kitchen shop the next day. Le Bret goes out, but returns immediately to report that De Guiche is looking for Cyrano with a hundred men to challenge him to fight. In the meantime, actors and actresses have arrived to rehearse on stage. Cyrano invites them all to watch the fight.
Second act
“The Poet's Eating House”, Ragueneau's kitchen and pastry shop
In Ragueneau's kitchen shop, while waiting for Roxane, Cyrano writes a letter in which he reveals his love for her. When he sees her companion approaching, he drives the people present - mostly hustlers and apprentices - out of the shop and orders a meal that she has to eat on the street while he talks to Roxane. Roxane thanks him for rebuking De Guiche. She asks him if he still wants to be the kind older brother to her as he was when they were growing up when they played together. When she notices that he is wounded, he explains that he had an argument with a large number of fools. She then tells him that she loves a man who has not yet confessed his love for her - a good-looking Gascon cadet in Cyrano's company. She asks Cyrano to protect him from harm. Cyrano finds out that it is Christian and promises that he will save him from duels for her sake. Then he sadly destroys his letter.
Shortly after Roxane leaves, the Gascon cadets, including Le Bret and Christian, arrive and congratulate Cyrano on his victory. Shortly afterwards, De Guiche appears with his entourage and announces that he wants to forget the past as they have to fight side by side due to the war situation. After he leaves, the cadets ask Cyrano to tell the story of his fight with the hundred men. One of the cadets cautiously informs Christian that no one would dare mention Cyrano's nose because everyone knew that this would lead to an immediate fight. When Cyrano reports the incident in a few words, Christian shows his courage by brazenly interrupting the story with a reference to Cyrano's nose. Cyrano only now realizes that the handsome fellow is the man Roxane loves. So he ignores the insult at first. Christian repeats it two more times. Cyrano then throws everyone else out of the room. The cadets go out in anticipation of a serious fight. Cyrano, on the other hand, approaches Christian in a friendly manner, who is surprised to learn that the lady he loves reciprocates his affection and expects a letter from him. Christian admits that he is a fool, has no talent for speech and cannot write. Cyrano wishes that he had only half of Christian's beauty himself, but then selflessly offers that he would be Christian's wit and help him win it. Christian agrees to the plan. The cadets return, surprised that Christian and Cyrano are unharmed and friendly to each other.
Third act
A small place in the old Marais
Music can be heard in the square in front of Roxane's house. Shortly afterwards she and the Duenna come from the house across the street. Roxane goes to the well alone. De Guiche comes to say goodbye to her before going to war. He informs her that the Gascon cadets, including their cousin Cyrano, are under his command. She speaks to him kindly because she cares about Christian. He takes the opportunity to try to hug her. When she notices his thirst for revenge against Cyrano, she uses it to protect Christian by telling De Guiche that Christian will be happy to go to war. If De Guiche really wanted to get revenge on Cyrano, he would have to leave him inactive at home while he left himself. De Guiche, who is delighted with their help, pretends that he wants to move out without the Gascon cadets and wants to meet Roxane a little later in a nearby monastery. Roxane retires to her house when he leaves. She believes the right thing to do is to meet De Guiche to keep Christian's safety.
Meanwhile Cyrano and Christian have arrived on the pitch. The former asks Christian to go through the speeches he is supposed to give Roxane again. But Christian is tired of being guided in love. Cyrano sees Roxane coming and walks away. Roxane, who was expecting De Guiche, is surprised and delighted to meet Christian. He tries to explain his love to her. But he is so clumsy in his speech that she loses patience and goes to her house. When Cyrano returns, the desperate Christian begs him for support. Cyrano hesitantly promises to prompt him to Roxane in a serenade. You stand under her window and she appears at Christian's call. Cyrano's witty speech is so successful that it ends the dispute and announces that she will come out again. However, since that would end badly, Christian has to persuade her not to do that. Finally she invites him to climb onto her balcony. Cyrano urges Christian to go up and take his kiss.
The alert but sorrowful Cyrano hears someone approaching and calls Roxane. As she and Christian enter the square, a monk approaches with a letter for Roxane. In it De Guiche writes that he wants to meet her alone here in an hour. Roxane, who notices that the priest does not know the contents of the letter, claims that De Guiche tells her to marry Christian immediately. She re-enters the house with Christian and the monk, while Cyrano stays outside to intercept De Guiche and keep him away from the house. When the latter arrives, Cyrano falls to the ground in front of him as if he had fallen from a great height. He gives De Guiche a fantastic explanation about it that De Guiche takes long enough to claim. Then Cyrano reveals himself. Roxane and Christian appear at the front door, followed by the monk and the companion, and Cyrano informs De Guiche that the two are now married. Angry, De Guiche orders Christian to say goodbye to his wife and go to war. He shows Cyrano the marching orders so that the lovers have no choice but to separate. Cyrano is secretly happy about this, and when Roxane entrusts him with Christian's protection, he promises that she will receive a letter every day.
Fourth act
First picture. Redoubt at the siege of Arras. Dawn
In the camp of the Gascogner cadets all sleep except for Le Bret on guard and Cyrano, who has just arrived. Le Bret rebukes him for risking his life to deliver a letter for one of the other men. However, Cyrano tells of his promise and goes into his tent to write another letter. Christian comes to him there. He wishes he had the time to write one last letter before they go into battle. Cyrano gives him a letter that has already been written and asks him if it is enough. Christian discovers a tear on it, which Cyrano explains with the fact that he had convinced himself that the letter was meant seriously. He also tells Christian that because Roxane was so eager for the letters, he had sent more than Christian knew - sometimes two a day. Christian realizes the danger he must have put himself into to send it off and looks at him in amazement when a king's carriage arrives. Roxane appears in the presence of the saluting cadets and De Guiches, accompanied by Ragueneau. She has come to see her beloved husband and turns to Christian. Cyrano insists she cannot stay, and De Guiche announces that in an hour the battle will begin where they are. Roxane sends him away and Cyrano goes to his tent. Roxane then tells Christian that his wonderful letters have revealed his soul to her and that she now loves him twice. He protests, but can only tear himself away from her by asking her to speak to his comrades, who will soon have to take on the luck of the war. When she leaves, Cyrano comes and Christian asks him that he (Cyrano) is the one Roxane loves, not himself. Cyrano replies that Christian now has to tell her about their agreement and let her choose between them - yes Christian hurries away. Roxane comes back looking for Christian. As she talks to Cyrano, a shot is fired and Christian's body is brought. In her grief, Roxane throws himself on him and finds his last passionate letter to her in his pocket. Cyrano realizes that now more than ever she will love the man she believes is her husband and that after his death it will be impossible to reveal the true author of the letters to her. Roxane is taken away and Cyrano fights hard in battle until he is eventually badly wounded.
Second picture. A monastery garden near the battlefield
A few miles from the battlefield, nuns gather in prayer when Roxane, pale and in disarray, arrives with Ragueneau to seek protection. The head of the abbey welcomes her and tells her that two refugees have already arrived. When they all go to the monastery, the seriously wounded Cyrano steps into the garden and sits down on a stone bench. Roxane comes out of the monastery and, when she recognizes him, complains of his poor condition. But he speaks of Christian and she takes out his last letter. Cyrano picks it up and starts reading it out loud at her request. It is now night and although he continues reading Roxane knows he can no longer see the pages. His tone of voice and his words his words remind them of their past affection for one another. She tells him that she knows that he is reciting and not reading the contents of the letter and that it must therefore be his own letter. Then she realizes what he did and that she loved his rival for Cyrano's spirit and virtues. However, he still has the strength to deny everything - including that he loves her. Then he delirious from the pain and laboriously talks about past battles. After he has regained his strength, he speaks of his impending death and is pleased that when his soul entered heaven, at least his soldier honor remained unsullied. In this joy and with Roxane's kisses on his lips, he dies.
layout
Richard Aldrich , the New York Times reviewer , described the music as "post-Wagnerian". The characters mainly sing in more or less melodious ariosi, which occasionally expand into firmly formed arias. There are many ensemble movements, trios, quartets and choirs. Great importance is also assigned to the orchestra. There are several leitmotifs from which a large part of the musical material is derived. They are assigned to the different characters and are easy to recognize. The motif for Cyrano's nose, a scale of whole-tone intervals, is particularly noticeable, as it is the only theme in the opera in which this modern formula appears - just as outstanding as the protagonist's nose.
Work history
At the beginning of the 20th century Giulio Gatti-Casazza , the artistic director of the Metropolitan Opera , planned to present the audience a great American opera by an American composer with an original English-language libretto. In May 1911, Horatio Parker's opera Mona was chosen , which won a prize and premiered the following year. Walter Damrosch was one of the three judges . A little later , he asked Gatti and the conductor Arturo Toscanini to come to his house to introduce him to his own opera Cyrano , which had been composed several years earlier ( according to the memoirs of Gatti's wife Frances Alda , seven or eight years, according to the performance announcement of the New York Times twelve years) , which he had recently revised. After Damrosch had played the work for them, they asked him to rewrite the fourth act. They then accepted the opera for the Metropolitan Opera. Since during the rehearsals it turned out that the work was still too long, Damrosch had to reluctantly make cuts, which caused some confusion during rehearsals.
Damrosch Opera Cyrano is based on the award-edited verse drama Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand . The libretto wrote William James Henderson , music critic for the New York Sun . Apparently Henderson and Damrosch did not obtain a license for their editing from Rostand, because Rostand complained in a public interview that his text was used without consulting him first. He had to admit, however, that he had not obtained any copyright for America and would therefore have to limit himself to a protest. He will therefore never give his consent to this opera and prohibit a performance in any other country, as he holds the copyright for it. Damrosch himself had intended from the start to share his royalties from the opera with Rostand after deducting Henderson's fee.
The world premiere took place on February 27, 1913 in the Metropolitan Opera New York under the musical direction of Alfred Hertz . Directed by Jules Speck. The stage design came from Antonio Rovescalli and the costumes from Maison Muelle. The leading roles were sung by Pasquale Amato (Cyrano de Bergerac), Frances Alda (Roxane), Riccardo Martin (Christian), Albert Reiss (Ragueneau), Vera Curtis (Lise), Marie Mattfeld (Duenna), Putnam Griswold (De Guiche), William Hinshaw (Le Bret), Louise Cox (Flower Girl), Florence Mulford (Mother Superior) and Lambert Murphy (Montfleury). There were a total of six performances.
- Singer from the premiere in 1913
Pasquale Amato
(Cyrano)
Frances Alda
(Roxane)
Riccardo Martin
(Christian)
Albert Reiss
(Ragueneau)
Putnam Griswold
(De Guiche)
The opera was warmly received by the audience at the premiere. There was applause after each act, and the composer gave a short acceptance speech after the third act. Richard Aldrich , the reviewer of the New York Times and longtime friend and work colleague of the librettist, said that the work deserves more than just the expected success. He particularly praised the librettist's operational flair and literary skills, as well as the structure and versification of the text. The music is skillful, lively and in many parts characterized by spontaneity, but cannot be described as inspired, original or powerful. The musical characterization of the people was successful. In contrast, Aldrich assessed the representation of the individual scenes in a differentiated manner. The reviewer of the Boston Evening Transcript also praised the quality of the libretto. Damrosch's music, on the other hand, is appropriate and imaginative, but setting Cyrano de Bergerac to music would require more. He missed romantic exuberance and greetings ("romantic exuberance and swagger"), exuberant humor and fantasy ("the music should have humor and fantasy and have it wildly").
On February 20, 1941, there was a concert performance of a revised version in Carnegie Hall . The work was then forgotten.
Web links
- Cyrano : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Libretto (Italian), New York 1913. Digitized in the Internet Archive
- Piano reduction, New York 1913. Digitized by HathiTrust
- Costume sketches by Betant or Betaut (?) In the archive of the Metropolitan Opera
- Photos of the world premiere production in the archive of the Metropolitan Opera
- Damrosch's 'Cyrano' This Week's Opera Novelty. Performance announcement and work information (PDF). In: The New York Times . February 23, 1913
Individual evidence
- ^ Edith B. Ordway: The Opera Book. 1917, pp. 71-77 ( online in the Internet Archive).
- ^ A b Richard Aldrich: "Cyrano" Applauded at its premiere. In: The New York Times . February 28, 1913.
- ↑ Frances Alda : Men, Women and Tenors. 1937 ( limited preview in Google Book Search).
- ^ Damrosch's 'Cyrano' This Week's Opera Novelty. Performance announcement (PDF). In: The New York Times . February 23, 1913.
- ↑ Rostand Indignant at 'Cyrano' Here. In: The New York Times . February 21, 1913.
- ↑ Details on the world premiere in the Archives of the Metropolitan Opera , accessed on March 19, 2018.
- ^ Obituary for Richard Aldrich. In: Time . June 14, 1937. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
- ↑ HTP: Mr. Damrosch's New Opera. In: Boston Evening Transcript. February 28, 1913.
- ^ Margaret Ross Griffel: Operas in English: A Dictionary. Scarecrow Press, Plymouth 2013, ISBN 978-0-8108-8272-0 , p. 130 ( limited preview in Google Book Search).