The demon
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The demon |
| Original title: | Demon |
Angel and demon with Tamara's soul by Mikhail Alexandrowitsch Wrubel, 1891 |
|
| Shape: | Fantastic opera in three acts and five pictures |
| Original language: | Russian |
| Music: | Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein |
| Libretto : | Pavel Alexandrovich Wiskowatow |
| Literary source: | Mikhail Jurjewitsch Lermontow : Demon. Vostochnaja powest |
| Premiere: | January 25, 1875 |
| Place of premiere: | Mariinsky Theater , Saint Petersburg |
| Playing time: | approx. 2 ¾ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | in the Caucasus |
| people | |
|
|
The Demon is a fantastic opera in three acts and five pictures by the composer Anton Grigorjewitsch Rubinstein . The libretto was created by Pawel Alexandrowitsch Wiskowatow based on the poem Demon. Wostotschnaja powest by Michail Jurjewitsch Lermontow . Their first performance experienced the Opera on January 25, 1875 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.
action
During the introduction the choir is hidden on the stage, which is animated by light effects.
first act
Mountain landscape of the Aragwa near Prince Gudal's castle
The angel asks the demon to endeavor to get to heaven through better behavior (especially through charity). This proposal is mockingly rejected by the demon. The unearthly powers are disappearing and the storm is also subsiding. Tamara, the daughter of Prince Gudal, appears with her servants. The demon appears to her alone and tries to confuse her soul.
Rugged mountainous area near a chapel
The Prince of Sinodal is on his way to meet his bride Tamara. When the caravan rests, the prince also rests and falls asleep. The demon has been waiting for it and is now attracting wild Tartar warriors. They attack the caravan and kill the Prince of Sinodal.
Second act
Ballroom in Prince Gudals Castle
The wedding is imminent and final preparations are being made for it. Suddenly a messenger appears and brings the news that the prince has been murdered by Tartar warriors. Unnoticed by everyone, the demon appears again in front of Tamara, but this time too she withstands the temptation. In her grief, she wants to enter a monastery as a "widow". Meanwhile her father, Prince Gudal, is preparing for war to avenge the prince.
Third act
Forecourt and garden of a monastery
Again the demon steps in front of Tamara to win her soul for himself, but an angel steps in and drives the demon out of the monastery.
Metamorphosis - Tamara's monastery cell
The demon appears to Tamara again, but this time begs for her love. She can no longer resist. When the demon kisses her, she sinks dead to the ground with a sigh. Angels appear, drive the demon out of the monastery forever and lead Tamara to heaven.
Instrumentation
The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:
- Woodwinds : piccolo , two flutes , two oboes , English horn , two clarinets , bass clarinet , two bassoons
- Brass : four horns , two trumpets , three trombones , tuba
- Timpani , percussion : bass drum , cymbals , triangle , tam-tam , tambourine , cymbals , bell in e
- harp
- Pianino (or harp)
- Glass harmonica
- organ
- Strings
Work history
.jpg)
The first performance on January 25, 1875 at the Mariinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg was conducted by Eduard Nápravník . Osip Afanasievich Petrov (Gudal), Wilhelmina Ivanovna Raab (Tamara), Fjodor Petrovich Kommissarievskij (Sinodal), OE Schroeder (wet nurse), Vladimir Ivanovich Vasiljev I (servant), Vasilj Vasiljev (messenger), Ivan Aleksandrovich Melnikov (demon), Alexandra Pavlovna Krutikowa (angel) and Leonid Witaljewitsch Sobinow (Zephir).
The demon first appeared on a German stage in 1880 in Hamburg in a translation by the librettist Alfred Offermann under the musical direction of the composer.
literature
- Leo Melitz: Guide through the operas . Globus-Verlag, Berlin 1914, p. 59.
- Horst Seeger : Opera Lexicon . Heinrichshofens Verlag, Wilhelmshaven 1978, ISBN 3-7959-0271-1 , p. 137.
- Michail Lermontov: The demon . Feuervogel-Verlag, Frankfurt / M. 2005, ISBN 978-3-921148-40-2 (1 CD-ROM).
Web links
- The Demon : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Kadja Grönke: Demon. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 5: Works. Piccinni - Spontini. Piper, Munich and Zurich 1994, ISBN 3-492-02415-7 , pp. 470-472.
- ↑ January 25, 1875: "Demon". In: L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia ..