Farinelli (film)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Farinelli |
| Original title | Farinelli |
| Country of production | France , Italy , Belgium |
| original language | Italian , French |
| Publishing year | 1994 |
| length | 111 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Gérard Corbiau |
| script |
Marcel Beaulieu Andrée Corbiau Gérard Corbiau |
| production | Véra Belmont |
| music |
Riccardo Broschi Georg Friedrich Händel Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Johann Adolph Hasse Nicola Antonio Porpora |
| camera | Walther van den Ende |
| cut | Joëlle Hache |
| occupation | |
| |
Farinelli , also known as Farinelli, the castrato , is a film by the Belgian director Gérard Corbiau from 1994, which thematizes the life of the famous 18th century Italian singer Carlo Broschi, known as Farinelli . However, this is not a film biography , rather the life of the castrato forms the loose basis for the music and costume film .
action
Farinelli, actually Carlo Broschi, castrated since the age of 10 due to a riding accident, makes music together with his brother, the composer Riccardo Broschi , all over Europe. Riccardo composes the pieces that Farinelli performs. The two brothers are related in their music, especially the less talented Riccardo needs Farinelli's singing so that the works he composed become as famous as Farinelli himself. Farinelli, on the other hand, dreams of singing arias by George Frideric Handel, whom he greatly admires however, do not separate from his brother, with whom he not only shares the music, but also the lovers.
The film begins in Farinelli's childhood. At that time a choir boy, he had to watch a castrato throw himself off a railing into his death, not without warning him beforehand that the “danger is in your throat”. This is followed by a rehearsal with the two brothers' teacher, Nicola Antonio Porpora , during which Farinelli refuses to sing. The film jumps to the year 1740, Farinelli is at the Spanish royal court and Riccardo comes to him after three years of searching. Farinelli does not want to speak to him, however, and Riccardo is led away by guards.
The film jumps back 18 years to Naples, the birthplace of the two brothers. Handel happens to be in town and hears a competition between a trumpeter and Farinelli, which Farinelli wins with his voice. In the ensuing conversation with Handel, Farinelli refuses an offer from him, since as a condition he would have to make music without his brother. Time goes by, Farinelli and Riccardo have more and more successes all over Europe and receive invitations to Vienna , Dresden and Bologna . Handel is also in Dresden, who wants to convince him again, this time in a conversation without Riccardo, to perform for him and the English royal court in Covent Garden . At the same time, especially during his many journeys, Riccardo is composing again and again on Orpheus , his greatest opera, which, however, he will apparently never complete because he cannot complete countless passages.
In 1734 the two brothers come to London to support Farinelli's former teacher, Nicola Antonio Porpora. Porpora heads the Opera of the Nobility , which is sponsored by the Prince of Wales and competes with the opera company George Frideric Handel, which is supported by King George II , but is financially almost ruined. Thanks to Farinelli's voice and fame, the opera was successful again within a very short time. The tables turn and Handel, still revered by Farinelli, is on the verge of ruin. Handel and his music are despised by the nobility and also by the Prince of Wales. Farinelli, who still admires Handel, then breaks with Porpora. He appears at Handel's with the original Rinaldo score stolen from Alexandra, his lover, and offers him his services. However, he refuses, he despises the art of the brothers, considers Riccardo an untalented composer and Farinelli his artificial puppet. By chance, Handel and Riccardo meet in the theater and Riccardo tells him the secret of Farinelli's voice: Farinelli's unique voice was not retained by a riding accident, but by a deliberate castration. Riccardo himself arranged for the castration so that Farinelli can perform his works forever.
Farinelli finally convinces Porpora to perform Rinaldo in the Opera of the Nobility . Initially started by boos, the hall is quiet as soon as Farinelli begins to sing. In the break after the first act, Handel appears with him and explains the truth of his castration. Farinelli continues to sing and during the aria Lascia ch'io pianga you can see the process of castration in flashbacks. Handel sits in the audience and is impressed by Farinelli's furious appearance.
After the performance, the plot jumps back to 1740. Riccardo has finally completed Orpheus , but Farinelli doesn't want to know anything about his brother. Only when he steals Orpheus' score and sings an aria from it does he forgive him. At the end of the film Riccardo gets Alexandra, Farinelli's lover, pregnant and gives them a child.
criticism
The lexicon of international films rated the film as follows: “A colorful music film, whose synthetically produced castrato voice gives an idea of the magical fascination of this song. Cinematically, however, the approach to the phenomenon lags far behind the soundtrack. "
singing
Since the range of a castrato is unlike any natural human voice and in the case of Farinelli, more than three octaves included, which was voice of the American countertenor Derek Lee Ragin with the Polish coloratura - soprano Ewa Malas-Godlewska mixed electronically to get a sense of To produce Farinelli's singing voice.
music
The score consists of contemporary compositions and was recorded by the Les Talens Lyriques orchestra under the direction of Christophe Rousset .
Awards
Farinelli, the castrato received the Golden Globe for best foreign language film in 1995 and was also nominated for an Oscar in this category , which he did not receive.
Locations
The scenes played in the London Opera House were created in the Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth , which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012 .
literature
- Johanna Dombois: Farinelli's skinned voice. Voice design as a cultural technique. In: Music & Aesthetics. Volume 13, Issue 51, 2009, pp. 54–72.
Web links
- Farinelli in theInternet Movie Database(English)
- Farinelli atrotten tomatoes(English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Farinelli. In: filmportal.de . German Film Institute , accessed on October 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Farinelli. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed October 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Renate Hellwig-Unruh: The virtuoso singer of the 18th century. Deutschlandfunk , January 24, 2005, accessed October 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Sometimes grotesque, sometimes charming in: Nordbayerischer Kurier of April 9, 2018, p. 16.
- ^ Farinelli, il Castrato. In: Nordbayern.de . March 27, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2019 .