The giant baby
| Opera dates | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The giant baby |
| Original title: | Az óriáscsecsemő |
| Shape: | Opera in two acts |
| Original language: | Hungarian |
| Music: | Gregory (Gergely) Vajda |
| Libretto : | Gregory Vajda, Péter Horváth |
| Literary source: |
Tibor Déry : Az óriáscsecsemő |
| Premiere: | 1) November 3, 2002 2) July 3, 2018 |
| Place of premiere: | 1) Budapest Puppet Theater 2) MuTh Vienna |
| Playing time: | approx. 1 ¼ hours |
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The Giant Baby (Hungarian: Az óriáscsecsemő ) is a chamber opera for four singers, a three-part puppeteer choir and chamber ensemble in two acts by Gregory Vajda (music) with a libretto by Gregory Vajda and Péter Horváth based on the 1926 play of the same name by Tibor Déry . The premiere took place on November 3rd, 2002 in the Budapest Puppet Theater . On July 3, 2018, a revised second version was premiered as a production by the Budapest Kolibri Theater in MuTh in Vienna .
action
first act
With great effort, the mother has a huge hermaphroditic baby. She dies in childbirth. Since father does not have enough money for the medical expenses, he has no choice but to accept an offer from Nicodemos, the vice-president and director of the Society for the Perfection of Souls, Races and Ethics. The latter offers him 1000 gold pieces if he leaves the child to be brought up under the strictest moral guidelines. He wants to turn him into an “ultra-conservative citizen, believer and patriot”.
The child who can speak from the beginning gradually begins to perceive his surroundings. It is extremely selfish, only thinks about its own needs and defends itself against the influences of other people. Nicodemos informs him that he bought it from his father, which the child accepts after some pressure. The father makes every effort to meet the needs of his always hungry child. It doesn't think it has to die eventually. When the father is presented with a large bill that he cannot pay, the child kills the bearer and magically makes the body disappear.
The child has grown into a young man. Nicodemus appears in the form of a ringmaster to train it. He wonders how he could best use the child's magical powers. When the father makes some suggestions for the common good, Nicodemos points out that he has ceded the rights of education to his society. Together they present the child and their abilities to the public for an entrance fee. But when it threatens to make the audience disappear, everyone is horrified and demands their money back.
Although the father has ever stronger remorse, Nicodemos insists on his goal of raising the child to be a model citizen. He has the idea of influencing his love affairs and offers the father money for the child's virginity. After some hesitation, he accepted, and Nicodemos soon organized a suitable woman to teach the young hermaphrodite about love. At the first encounter he shows little interest and complains about everything possible. But the woman doesn't give up and finally gets him to confess his love to her.
Second act
The hermaphrodite receives a visit from Nicodemus and his eldest daughter Stefania, who praises Nicodemus exuberantly. The hermaphrodite casually confesses that he has already been in bed with her and callously describes the merits and drawbacks of her various parts of the body. But when Nicodemos wants to give her to him as a wife, he replies that he feels strange, has not eaten for a long time and that his freedom is more important to him. Nicodemus gives him a moral sermon.
Then the father arrives and accuses Nicodemus of having failed with his modern upbringing. His child was on the verge of starvation, and Nicodemus had to give him something to eat immediately, otherwise he would hang himself by his own beard. Suddenly the hermaphrodite feels old and lies down to die. Stefania can bring him back to life with her love vows. Hermaphrodite still has difficulty understanding the essence of love. When Stefania tells him that she is expecting a child, he runs away. But Nicodemos correctly predicts that he will return after a few minutes. The hermaphrodite now owes a lot to Nicodemus and cannot pay a midwife. Therefore, like at the beginning, Nicodemus offers his father 1000 gold pieces in order to be able to raise the child in his sense. The hermaphrodite doubts, but eventually accepts.
The hermaphrodite wants to sit on a rock out of desperation and cry - but it is snowing. Nicodemus gives him a straw hat with which to go through the streets. During this time Stefania has her child - another giant baby. The hermaphrodite returns seriously injured: he was beaten up by angry people while he was out for a walk because he wore a straw hat in winter. He dies after talking to his child.
Nicodemos tells his audience that the giant baby died half an hour ago and was resurrected. It is immortal, "the greatest blessing, the most beautiful gift of humanity". Stefania calls her child over to show him her motherly love.
layout
In the first version from 2002 a flute , a saxophone , a trombone , a keyboard , drums and a double bass played .
The instrumental line-up of the second version consisted of flute, saxophone, trumpet , keyboard, drums, violin , viola and double bass at the premiere in Vienna .
As a three-part choir, the puppeteers also act and sing in the performance. Vajda therefore has three, six or nine puppeteers. In contrast to the other three roles, the child is a character role and does not need a trained opera singer.
Work history
The chamber opera The Giant Baby is Gregory Vajda's first opera. He wrote the libretto himself for the first version. It is based on the play of the same name by Tibor Déry from 1926. It is a surrealist story that has life in general as its theme. The target group are young people aged 16 and over and adults alike.
The premiere of the first version took place on November 3, 2002 as part of the Budapest Autumn Festival in the Budapest Puppet Theater under the musical direction of the composer. It was directed by Balázs Kovalik . Mariann Falusi, Gábor Lengyel, Péter Bárány and Judit Rajk sang .
After composing three more operas, Vajda decided to revise the giant baby to apply his new knowledge. For the new version of the libretto, he won the support of the writer Péter Horváth. He completely rewrote the music.
The second version was premiered on July 3, 2018 as a production by the Budapest Kolibri Theater in Vienna's MuTh as part of the Armel Opera Festival . Vajda himself conducted the chamber ensemble. Directed by János Novák. The choreography was by János Lakatos, the stage by István Farkas, the costumes and puppets by Klaudia Orosz. György Philipp (the child), Agathe De Courcy (the mother, as a competitor of the festival), Ákos Ambrus (the father) and József Csapó (Nikodemos) sang. A video recording was made available on Arte Concert on the Internet. The production was also shown in Budapest on July 7th and 8th, 2018.
Web links
- Photos of the first version on theater.hu
- “The giant baby” by Gergely Vajda at the Armel Opera Festival at Arte Concert , video available until January 2nd, 2019
- Beginning of the piano reduction (PDF) on the Armel Opera Festival website
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Information on the 2002 performance at muzsikalendarium.hu, accessed on July 15, 2018.
- ↑ a b Information on the 2018 performance on the Armel Opera Festival website , accessed on July 15, 2018.
- ↑ Compositions on the composer's website , accessed July 16, 2018.
- ↑ Éva Mikes: Mi köze a lószőrnek a Klarinéthoz? Portré Vajda Gergelyről on epa.osk.hu (Hungarian), accessed on July 16, 2018.
- ↑ a b website of the composer , accessed on July 16, 2018.
- ↑ “Das Riesenbaby” by Gergely Vajda at the Armel Opera Festival at Arte Concert , accessed on July 15, 2018.
- ↑ Music on the composer's website , accessed July 16, 2018.