Hérodiade

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Opera dates
Title: Hérodiade
Temple scene, third act, from The Victrola book of the opera from 1917

Temple scene, third act,
from The Victrola book of the opera from 1917

Shape: Opera in four acts
Original language: French
Music: Jules Massenet
Libretto : Paul Milliet , Henri Grémont
Literary source: Gustave Flaubert : Hérodias
Premiere: December 19, 1881
Place of premiere: Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels
Playing time: approx. 2 ¼ hours
Place and time of the action: Jerusalem, 30 AD
people
  • Hérode , King of Galilee ( baritone )
  • Hérodiade , his wife ( mezzo-soprano )
  • Salomé , her daughter ( soprano )
  • Jean , a prophet ( tenor )
  • Phanuel , an astrologer ( bass )
  • Vitellius , Roman proconsul (baritone)
  • The high priest (baritone)
  • A young Babylonian (mezzo-soprano)
  • Priests, Levites, soldiers, Galileans, Samaritans, Pharisees, Sadducees, Arabs, merchants, slaves, people, the executioner: ( chorus )

Hérodiade is an opera (original name: "Opera-ballo") in four acts by Jules Massenet (music) with a libretto by Paul Milliet and Henri Grémont based on the novella Hérodias (1877) by Gustave Flaubert . The same subject, but based there on a drama by Oscar Wilde , is also dealt with in the Richard Strauss opera Salome .

Work history

The premiere took place on December 19, 1881 in the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels . The role of Salomé was sung by Marthe Duvivier . In the productions that were performed a little later in France , this role was taken over by Emma Calvé . The work was first performed at La Scala in Milan in 1882.

Emma Calvé,
who has appeared as Salomé in performances in France
Marthe Duvivier,
the premiere of Salomé

The opera was performed at some European and North American opera houses at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, but never became part of the usual operatic repertoire. In New Orleans and New York City , the piece was on the repertoire in 1892 and 1909, respectively.

Occasionally the work is performed in concert or at opera festivals, for example in 1977 at the Wexford Festival Opera .

action

first act

In front of the palace of King Hérodes in Jerusalem , merchants from different sects quarrel. The astrologer Phanuel intervenes. Salomé appears looking for her mother. She had previously met Jean ( John the Baptist ) and fell in love with him. After Phanuel and Salomé leave the scene, Hérodes, who is in love with Salomé, enters. His wife, Hérodiade, follows him. She demands a punishment for Jean because she feels offended by him, but Hérodes tries to talk her out of this. While they are still arguing, Jean himself appears and insults Hérodiade again, but the royal couple withdraws unsettled. Salomé enters and confesses her love to Jean. But he rejects her and advises her to seek a spiritual love.

Second act

Hérodes thinks dreamily of the revered Salomé. Phanuel explains to the king that the people are calling for a Messiah in the form of Jean and tries unsuccessfully to persuade Hérodes to forget Salomé. While the two are forging revolutionary plans, the Roman proconsul Vitellus appears and promises to respect the faith of the Israelites and to open the temple, appeasing the crowd. When Jean appears in the company of Salomé, Hérodiade notices her husband's inflamed reaction at the sight of the young woman and accuses Jean of striving for power. Vitellus has the Prophet arrested, troubled by his popularity.

Third act

Phanuel asks the stars whether Jean is mortal or divine. Meanwhile, Hérodiade denies recognizing her daughter in the young woman and, however, wants to take revenge on the rival. In the temple, Salomé again declares her love for Jean and her desire to die with him. When Hérodes sees Salomé, he declares his love for her. She rejects him, whereupon he threatens to kill her and his rival. Meanwhile, the people gather for worship. The hierarchs of the temple appeal to Vitellus to convict Jean of heresy . Vitellus transfers the task to Hérodes, since Jean is a Galilean. Hérodes is about to pardon him, believing the prophet would be useful in his plans in the fight of the Galileans against the Romans. When Salomé reveals that she loves Jean, however, Hérodes sentences them both to death.

Fourth act

Jean prays in his cell and faces death calmly. When Salomé enters, they declare their love for one another. Jean asks Salomé to save herself, but she is determined to die with him. Salomé begs Hérodes and Hérodiade for Jean's life. Just as Hérodes is about to comply, the executioner appears with a bloody sword, indicating that Jean has already been killed. Salomé then pulls a dagger and tries to kill Hérodiade, who now admits that she is her mother. In desperation, Salomé stabs herself and curses Hérodiade.

orchestra

The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:

Sound carrier (selection)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ General information
  2. ^ Hérodiade in USA
  3. ^ Wexford Festival
  4. ↑ Gabriele Brandstetter : Erodiade. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 3: Works. Henze - Massine. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-492-02413-0 , pp. 739-742.

Web links

Commons : Hérodiade  - collection of images, videos and audio files