Danton's death (opera)

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Work data
Title: Danton's death
Production design for the Hamburg production, 1948

Production design for the Hamburg production, 1948

Shape: Opera in two parts
Original language: German
Music: Gottfried von One
Libretto : Boris Blacher and Gottfried von One
Literary source: Danton's death of Georg Büchner
Premiere: August 6, 1947
Place of premiere: Salzburg
Playing time: approx. 2 ½ hours
Place and time of the action: Paris 1794
people
  • Georges Danton ( baritone )
  • Camille Desmoulins ( tenor )
  • Hérault de Séchelles (tenor)
  • Robespierre (tenor)
  • St. Just ( bass )
  • Hermann, President of the Revolutionary Tribunal (baritone)
  • Simon (bass)
  • His wife ( old )
  • A young man (tenor)
  • Lucile Desmoulins ( soprano )
  • A lady (soprano)
  • Two executioners (tenor and bass)
  • Julie, Danton's wife ( mezzo-soprano )
  • Men and women from the people ( choir )

Dantons Tod is an opera in two parts (six pictures) by Gottfried von Eine . Boris Blacher wrote the libretto together with the composer. It is based on the drama of the same name by Georg Büchner . The work was premiered on August 6, 1947 at the Salzburg Festival under the debut direction of Ferenc Fricsay . With this, his first opera, the composer immediately achieved his international breakthrough.

orchestra

Three flutes (3rd also piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets (Bb and A), two bassoons, four horns (F), three trumpets (C), three trombones, a bass tuba, percussion (triangle, cymbals, military drum, tambourine , Stirring drum, bass drum) and strings. A tam-tam (deep) behind the scene is required for stage music.

Stage sets

First part

  • 1st picture: room
  • 2nd picture: An alley in Paris
  • 3rd picture: room

Second part

  • 4th picture: On one side a place in front of the prison and on the other side a room in the prison
  • 5th image: The Tribunal
  • 6th picture: Revolution Square with guillotine

action

The opera is set in Paris in 1794.

First part

Danton has withdrawn from the political scene and enjoys life, while Robespierre feels himself to be the guardian of the revolution and leads a reign of terror. Camille Desmoulins tells his friends Danton and Hérault de Séchelles that two innocent people have just been executed. Danton, Robespierre's former comrade-in-arms, must do something about him. Danton urges caution.

In a dark alley, a young man is almost lynched by the people just because he is in possession of a handkerchief.

Danton visits Robespierre and begs him to end his reign of terror. But he falls on deaf ears. After Danton leaves, the hothead St. Just Robespierre wants to believe that Danton, Hérault de Séchelles and, last but not least, his loyal friend from his youth, Camille Desmoulins, could be dangerous to him. He incites the revolutionary leader to arrest all three and try them. Robespierre takes the advice.

Second part

Danton and Camille stare through the prison bars. With the latter you can tell that he has become a broken man through imprisonment. A lot of people gather in the square in front of the prison. Sections of the people sided with Danton and sections against him. There is a great commotion.

The prisoners are brought before the Revolutionary Tribunal. Its president accuses them of making common cause with the enemies of the revolution. In a fiery defense speech, Danton initially seems to succeed in getting the people on his side. But its success did not last long. Two witnesses hired by the devious St. Just finally seal that the voices of the people will turn against him and that he and his allies will be sentenced to death.

There is a lively atmosphere on Revolution Square. While the people begin to sing the Carmagnole , Danton and his friends on the scaffold sing the Marseillaise . After the execution, the people move away. In the final scene, Camille's wife Lucile - gone mad - enters the steps of the scaffold and sings with tears in her eyes " It's a reaper , his name is death ...".

music

The music is only moderately modern and is relatively easy to understand even for the inexperienced listener. The musical highlights are the choirs, which are often powerful, even if they are essentially just declamatory. Its dramatic force is most impressive in the scene before the Revolutionary Tribunal and in the finale of the second act, when parts of the people sing the Carmagnole and others the Marseillaise and try to outdo each other.

Cast of the premiere

Discography

Web links

Commons : Dantons Tod  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
  • Story of Danton's death (opera) on Opera-Guide landing page due to URL change currently unavailable