The Duchess of Malfi (Opera)
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| Title: | The Duchess of Malfi |
| Original title: | The Duchess of Malfi |
| Shape: | composed large form, number opera |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Torsten Rasch |
| Libretto : | Ian Burton |
| Literary source: | John Webster |
| Premiere: | July 13, 2010 |
| Place of premiere: | London |
| Playing time: | about 2 hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Amalfi, Ancona and Loreto towards the end of the 15th century |
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The Duchess of Malfi is an opera by Torsten Rasch based on the drama of the same name by John Webster . Ian Burton wrote the libretto. The work commissioned by the English National Opera was premiered on July 13, 2010 by the innovative theater group Punchdrunk in various rooms of a warehouse in London's Docklands . The German premiere took place on March 23, 2013 in the Chemnitz Opera House . For the first time the original ending can be seen, which could not be realized in London for technical reasons. The composer used musical motifs from the opera to create a concert suite entitled Das Haus der Temperamente , which premiered on April 17, 2013 in the symphony concert of the Robert Schumann Philharmonic in Chemnitz .
action
The Duchess of Malfi, a young, recently widowed Aragonese noblewoman, has two brothers: her twin brother Ferdinand, the Duke of Calabria, and her older brother, the Cardinal of Aragon. For unspecified reasons, you have expressly forbidden your sister to remarry. However, at least with Ferdinand, this prohibition seems to go back to a hidden incestuous passion for his sister. The brothers place Daniel de Bosola, a contract killer who has just been released from prison, in the service of the Duchess. At first he is supposed to spy on the Duchess on behalf of the brothers, but eventually he becomes the young woman's executioner.
1st chapter
1st scene: Introduction by the orchestra
2nd scene: At the court of Malfi: The court is enjoying the dance. Bosola introduces his clients, the Duchess's brothers, to the audience and describes their depraved characters. In contrast, he extols the duchess's grace. The brothers implore their sister not to remarry. Ferdinand goes so far as to threaten her with death in the event of a new marriage. The Duchess replies stoically: "I will not get married."
Scene 3: In the Duchess' apartments: She secretly marries her steward Antonio. Cariola, the Duchess's maid, witnessed the ceremony, which became legally binding.
Scene 4: Julia, a courtesan at Malfi's court, is the cardinal's mistress. She mourns the transience and loneliness.
Scene 5: Nine months later, at Malfi's court in the garden: Bosola suspects that the Duchess is pregnant. He encourages them to eat the apricots he has brought with him. She greedily devours the fruit. Soon after, labor starts.
6th scene: In Julia's apartments: She receives a visit from the cardinal, who assures her of his affection with a threatening undertone.
7th scene: In the Duchess's bedroom: A love-teasing game of hide-and-seek with Antonio. The Duchess is not aware that after a while Antonio has left the room and Ferdinand has now secretly entered her apartment - without knowing who her lover or husband is. He stands in front of her furious with anger and threatens her and her lover, whoever he is, with death. The Duchess begs her brother to understand her youth: She doesn't want to be locked in a shrine like a relic. Ferdinand does not allow himself to be softened and leaves with the vow never to see his sister again.
8th scene: Ferdinand alone: He is torn between his love for his sister and his delusion to kill her. The first signs of his lycanthropic disease are evident.
Scene 9: Four years pass in time-lapse during which the Duchess gives birth to two more children Antonio. Your situation at the Malfi court is becoming unbearable. The couple and the children flee to Ancona. The cardinal achieved through his influence that they were banished from there. So they flee on to Loreto, to the shrine of Our Lady. The cardinal's worldly power is evident in a ritual act in which his regalia is replaced by armor.
Part 2
10th scene: At the court of Malfi: Julia sits indecisive and lonely in her rooms.
11th scene: Bosola, accompanied by soldiers, enters the Duchess's hostel in Loreto and takes her prisoner. Antonio and the eldest child escape. The Duchess, her two youngest children and Cariola are brought back to Malfi.
Scene 12: Bosola goes to Juliet's apartment. He intends to learn more about the cardinal's machinations and his strange mood changes - he knows that Julia is the mighty man's mistress. He believes the cardinal wants to use his services for more than just espionage. Julia is on the one hand entranced by Bosola's male being, on the other hand she accuses him of having given her a secret love powder and threatens him with a gun. Bosola disarms her and the two give themselves up to each other.
Scene 13: Ferdinand has an appointment with his twin sister, albeit in complete darkness, since he swore earlier that he would never see her again. She thinks he wants to make up with her when he offers her a hand. But it is the hand of a dead man with Antonio's wedding ring. In addition, wax figures appear that the Duchess perceives as the corpses of her children. In her desperation over the alleged death of her family, she no longer wants to live. In Bosola, who observed all this and also helped with the 'installation' of the torture, regrets arise.
14th scene: In the cardinal's chambers: he gives Bosola the job of eliminating the duchess. After Bosola has left the room, Julia appears and tries to find out the reason for the cardinal's gloomy mood. He finally admits that the Duchess and her children are to be murdered on his behalf. He makes Julia swear on the Bible with a kiss, to be silent like a grave. The book was poisoned. Julia dies.
15th scene: Ferdinand goes mad. Again and again he imagines himself going to kill his sister. The madness seems to turn him into a werewolf.
Scene 16: In the Duchess's apartments: Ferdinand arrives with a horde of confused people whom he has released from the madhouse to drive his sister insane. The Duchess remains completely immobile - she seems to have finished with her life.
Scene 17: Bosola appears disguised as an old man and tells her that he is the one who will prepare her grave. The Duchess welcomes her death; Immediately there are executioners who strangle them. The children and Cariola are also killed. Ferdinand has observed everything and asks Bosola to cover his sister's face. Finally, Bosola's conscience awakens. Accusingly, he sees the spilled blood rise and cover the whole sky.
Scene 18: The cardinal comes to see the fruits of his diabolical machinations. Bosola kills him, Ferdinand stabs Bosola, but he can also deal a fatal blow to Ferdinand when he dies. When he dies, Ferdinand is also gripped by remorse.
Musical highlights
- "Love aria" by the Duchess in the 3rd scene
- Hide & Seek duet between the siblings in the 7th scene
- Ferdinand's “lycanthropy aria” in the 15th scene
- "Madmens Ball" in the 16th scene
- Death of the Duchess in the 17th scene
- Ferdinand's great lament in the 18th scene