Fernand Cortez
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Fernand Cortez, or La conquête du Mexique |
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House smoke: Telasco in Spontinis Fernand Cortez |
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| Shape: | Opera in three acts |
| Original language: | French |
| Music: | Gaspare Spontini |
| Libretto : | Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy and Joseph Esménard |
| Premiere: | November 28, 1809 |
| Place of premiere: | Paris, Académie Royale de Musique |
| Playing time: | about 3 hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Mexico, around 1534 |
| people | |
Fernand Cortez, ou La conquête du Mexique ( Fernand Cortez or The Conquest of Mexico ) is an opera in three acts by Gaspare Spontini . It was premiered on November 28, 1809 at the Académie Royale de Musique and fundamentally revised for the Paris performance in 1817.
History and background
The opera was originally intended as political propaganda to support Napoleon's invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in 1808. The figure of Cortez stands for Napoleon, while the bloodthirsty Aztec priests are supposed to represent the Spanish Inquisition . The emperor himself is said to have suggested the theme of the opera to Spontini, and the premiere took place in his presence. With the French Army's increasing difficulties in holding Spain and Portugal , the play quickly lost its popularity.
The premiere in 1809 became famous for its spectacular stage effects, including the presentation of 17 live horses. Étienne Lainez (Cortez), François Lays (Télasco), Laforêt (Alvaro), Henri Étienne Dérivis (Grand prêtre), Jean-Honoré Bertin (Moralèz) and Caroline Branchu (Amazily) sang. Critics complained about the adventurous harmony and volume of the music. The effort involved in staging, the extensive use of ballets and the treatment of a historical subject make Spontini's work the forerunner of the French grand opéra . The Cortez was u. a. greatly admired by Hector Berlioz .
For a re-performance in Paris on May 28, 1817, Spontini prepared the first comprehensive revision of the opera. Two other major revisions were undertaken in 1824 and 1832 for performances in Berlin .
In the 19th century, Cortez was played a lot in Europe. In 1951 an excavation (Amazily: Renata Tebaldi ) was undertaken in Naples , which was also recorded on sound carriers. From the 1970s onwards, there were repeated staged and concert performances. A critical edition by the conductor Jean-Paul Penin has existed since 1998 , which he also recorded on CD and musically rehearsed and directed in several concert and staged performances (including at the Erfurt Theater in 2006). The first version was played again in Florence in 2019.
Plot (version 1809)
The opera goes back to the historical facts of the Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés and his invasion of the Aztecs in Mexico .
first act
At the beginning of the opera, Cortez persuades his mutinous troops not to go home. His brother, Alvaro, is already a prisoner of the Aztecs and Cortez is also in love with the Aztec princess, Amazily. Amazily's brother Telasco arrives and claims the Spaniards are about to leave Mexico. Cortez then lets fire on his own ships to prevent a return.
Second act
The Spaniards advance to the Aztec temple with Telasco their prisoners. They succeed in liberating Alvaro. Telasco accuses his sister Amazily of treason and the Aztecs threaten to behead her if the Mexicans do not release Alvaro. Amazily decides to sacrifice herself and surrenders to the Aztecs. Cortez orders his people to attack the temple.
Third act
In the temple, the priests are preparing the sacrifice when Alvaro and Amazily arrive. An oracle of the deity proclaims that the blood of the enemy should flow. Now comes the news that the Aztec ruler Montezuma was imprisoned by the Spanish. The high priest decides to proceed with the offering of Amazily. The Spaniards come just in time to save them. Amazily and Cortez can now get married.
Plot (version 1817)
first act
Three captured Spaniards are in the hands of the Mexicans, they are threatened with death. King Montezuma, however, would rather keep Alvar, Cortez's brother, hostage. The Mexican princess Amazily stands up for peace and also for Cortez, the leader of the Spaniards, with whom she has entered into a love affair. However, she is sent to the Spaniards to tell them how things are with Alvar.
Second act
Telasko appears as a messenger for the Mexicans at Cortez and offers to release Alvar if the Spaniards withdraw. However, these in turn take Telasko hostage. Although an exchange of hostages is to take place, the Mexican people demand the sacrifice of Alvar. Cortez no longer hesitates to attack the Mexican capital. Their king now has his capital set on fire himself so that it cannot fall into the hands of the enemy.
Third act
Cortez succeeds in extinguishing the flames, and at the request of Amazily he also releases her brother Telasco and father Montezuma. Mexico is conquered and the Amazily, who has converted to Christianity, extends her hand to Cortez.
literature
- Charles Bouvet: Spontini. Paris 1930
- Hans Engel: Wagner and Spontini. In: Archives for Music Science. Volume 12. 1955
- Dennis Albert Libby: Gaspare Spontini and His French and German Operas. Dissertation Princeton 1969
- Paolo Fragapane: Spontini , Bologna 1954, new edition: Florence 1983
Web links
- Fernand Cortez, ou La conquête du Mexique (Gaspare Spontini) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna
- Version 1809 Text print (German), Munich 1816 Translation: Ignaz Franz Castelli
- Version 1817 - performance material from Elpe-musique (PDF; 770 kB)
- Fernand Cortez at Zazzerino
Individual evidence
- ↑ Klaus Heinrich Kohrs : Ardente Impeto. Review of the performance in Florence 2019. In: Opernwelt , January 2020, p. 38.