Il Muzio Scevola

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Work data
Original title: Il Muzio Scevola
Title page of the libretto of the Hamburg performances, 1723

Title page of the libretto of the Hamburg performances, 1723

Shape: Opera seria
Original language: Italian
Music: Filippo Amadei (1st act), Giovanni Battista Bononcini (2nd act), Georg Friedrich Händel (3rd act)
Libretto : Paolo Antonio Rolli
Premiere: April 15, 1721
Place of premiere: King's Theater , Haymarket, London
Playing time: unknown
Place and time of the action: Rome and environs, 508 BC Chr.
people

Il Muzio Scevola ( HWV 13) is an opera ( Dramma per musica ) in three acts, premiered in London in 1721, with music by Filippo Amadei (1st act), Giovanni Battista Bononcini (2nd act) and Georg Friedrich Händel (3rd act) .

Emergence

After the founding of the Royal Academy of Music (the so-called first opera academy) in 1719 and Handel's first compositional contribution to it, the Radamisto in the following year, there was initially a resumption of the at the beginning of the second season, which ran from November 1720 to July 1721 Radamisto , while the opera management's plans for an unusual project were taking shape: presumably to save time, an opera, Il Muzio Scevola , was to be awarded to three composers. For this purpose, the text by Paolo Antonio Rolli was divided into acts by drawing lots and each composer was allowed to write his own overture for his act . The first act fell to Filippo Amadei, called “Pippo” (also known as Filippo Mattei), the first cellist at the Haymarket Theater , the second to Giovanni Battista Bononcini and the third to Handel, “… qui l'a emporté haut à la main ”(“ ... who easily triumphed over the other two, ”said the Chamberlain of the Prince of Wales , Friedrich Ernst von Fabrice ). This strange solution fueled the already existing competition between the composers of the Opera Academy and worsened the situation as the season progressed.

libretto

All attempts to find the model possibly used by Paolo Antonio Rolli for his libretto have so far failed. The material has been very popular since Nicolò Minato brought out Il Mutio Scevola in Venice in 1665 with music by Francesco Cavalli . Further arrangements were made by the poets Silvio Stampiglia and Agostino Piovene . Handel, too, probably came across the material in Hamburg, as Friedrich Christian Bressand had written a German text that had already been set to music by Reinhard Keizer in 1695 and Johann Mattheson in 1702 and performed there.

Perhaps Rolli wrote his libretto based on the original source of the material written by Titus Livius : Ab urbe condita . In any case, he marked the text passages which he translated directly from Livius' historical source, including the speech of Horatius Cocles , who 507 BC. Chr alone is said to have defended the bridge over the Tiber leading to Rome against the Etruscans , while the Romans demolished the bridge behind him. With the help of the gods, swimming in full armor, he reached the other bank and reached Rome safely.

"'Tiberine pater,' inquit, 'te sancte precor, haec arma et hunc militem propitio flumine accipias.'"

“'Father Tiberinus,' he cried, 'I reverently ask you, accept these weapons and this warrior graciously in your stream!'"

- Titus Livius : Ab urbe condita. Rome or Patavium , about 30 BC. Chr.

Rolli leaves the original Latin text almost untouched and, when translated into Italian, forms a dramatically and metrically convincing aria from it, which has so much weight that it forms a worthy conclusion to the first act:

O Padre Tevere! O santo Nume!
Tu con propizio Amico fiume
quest'armi accogli, questo guerrier.

> O Father Tiber! O holy deity!
You, friend River, accept
these weapons, these warriors. "

As in the defense of the bridge by Horatius Cocles, Livius also makes use of the courageous deeds of Gaius Mucius Scaevola and Cloelias when writing , in order to give the Roman virtues such as loyalty, will to win, contempt for death and bravery their due place in his work. Rolli incorporated these stories into his opera, as did that of Lars Porsenna, king of the Etruscan clusium , who advanced on Rome after the fall of the Roman king Tarquinius Superbus (510 BC) and besieged the city (508 BC) .) to regain the throne for the displaced. Rolli explains his admiration and commitment to the Romans with his love for Cloelia. The central scene in which Scaevola stretches his right hand into an open flame in front of Porsenna's eyes and burns it without Scaevola showing the pain is literally translated from Livy. Five of the seven people in the libretto are mentioned in Livy, only Porsenna's daughter Irene and her confidante Fidalma are invented by Rolli.

Handel composed the third act of the opera in March 1721. At the end he noted in his score: “Fine. GFH | London March 23rd 1721. “In contrast to the Theater Royal Covent Garden specified in the Handel Works Directory by Bernd Baselt as the location of the premiere, this took place on April 15, 1721, as usual, in the King's Theater on Haymarket. The Covent Garden Theater did not open until 1732.

Cast of the premiere:

This season Il Muzio Scevola was played ten times up to June 7th and was added to the program again for three performances in the season after next, 1722/23. Instead, Fidalma's role was canceled and Lucio Tarquinio's role was set up for a bass voice. The information given by Otto Erich Deutsch about three performances in November 1721 represents an error in the number of the year: What is meant are the same performances that actually took place in November 1722.

In January 1723 Georg Philipp Telemann performed it at the Hamburg Gänsemarktoper under the title Mutius Scaevola six times with a purely German-language, allegorical prologue by Reinhard Keizer , while the three acts of the opera are presented in a way that is unusual for the Hamburg theater, namely only in Italian were.

The first modern production in a German text version by Rudolf Steglich took place on June 9, 1928 in Essen under the musical direction of Rudolf Schulz-Dornburg. However, only Handel's third act (together with Johann Sebastian Bach's dramma per musica The dispute between Phoebus and Pan, BWV 201 ) was performed here. In shortened form (version: Anthony Ford) all three acts could be heard on November 23, 1977 in Oxford . Denis Midgley Arnold was the musical director. The first concert performance of Handel's act (with excerpts from Bononcini's second act) in historical performance practice was on October 5, 1992 at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York with the Brewer Baroque Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Rudolph Palmer in connection with the below given CD production. All three acts have never been performed in their original form in modern times, but that would only be a purely museum idea, as the quality of the music in the three acts is very different.

action

Historical and literary background

In the “Argomento” (“preliminary note”) of the printed libretto, Rolli refers to the second book, chapters 10-13, of Titus Livius ' extensive Roman historical work Ab urbe condita ( From the foundation of the city ). The events described in it from the early mythological history of Rome form the historical background for the fictional love story between Muzio Scevola and Clelia (which in Livy's case have nothing more to do with each other than to have both been prisoners of Porsenna): the banishment of the last Roman-Etruscan King Tarquinius Superbus in 509 BC BC, which marked the end of the royal rule in Rome and the beginning of the Roman Republic and the attempt of Porsennas in 508 BC. To recapture Rome for the tyrannical Tarquinius Superbus.

first act

Due to his long-standing abuse of power, the Etruscan tyrant Tarquinio was deposed from the Roman throne and expelled. He allied himself with Porsenna, king of the neighboring Etruria , in order to reconquer Rome and restore his power together with him. He also wants Porsenna's daughter, Princess Irene, to be his wife. An attempt by Porsennas to achieve the reinstatement of Tarquinio through negotiations with the Roman Orazio fails. The war is inevitable. Porsenna goes off. Meanwhile, Irene stops Orazio. Since she detests Tarquinio and has no interest in marrying him, she assures Orazio of her help in the fight against the Etruscans. As her confidante Fidalma immediately discovers, Irene fell in love with the young Roman officer at first sight. Orazio is also impressed by its beauty.

Because of the impending war against the Etruscans, Muzio gives a speech to his soldiers in the Roman Forum . His lover Clelia also assures her that she wants to defend Rome's freedom. Thereupon she receives the order from Muzio to defend the Janus Hill together with the other Roman virgins . When a trumpet signal heralds the approaching battle, Clelia begs the gods to help her hero.

In a field camp outside Rome, Porsenna prepares for the impending storm in the city. When Irene tries to warn him about the superiority of the Roman army, Porsenna fights back and declares that he is sure of his cause.

Near the Pons Sublicius - the bridge over the Tiber - Clelia, unrecognizable in a soldier's armor, is surprised by Porsenna, who thinks she is an enemy warrior. It comes to a duel in which Clelia loses her helmet and Porsenna recognizes the woman. He falls in love with her instantly and, for the sake of her beautiful eyes, wants to end the war against Rome immediately. Clelia is impressed by his noble words when Muzio appears and sends her back to town because it is too dangerous for her on the battlefield. Not without contradiction, Clelia sets out anyway.

Orazio appears with the announcement that the Etruscans have advanced far and are now threatening Rome. He sends Muzio away to close the defensive lines again. Orazio remains behind with only two companions to single-handedly defend the bridge. Against a much larger number of invading Etruscans, he succeeds in keeping them away from the bridge, while the Romans tear down the bridge behind him to make it impossible for the enemy to cross the Tiber. Then Orazio jumps into the river and reaches the other bank by swimming.

Second act

Mucius Scaevola in front of Porsenna. Hans Baldung , 1531

While Irene worries about Orazio, Fidalma appears with the news of his happy rescue. Irene then asks her father to stop supporting the cruel Tarquinio and the Etruscans. That makes Porsenna thoughtful, even if his thoughts are mostly with Clelia.

The young Roman general Muzio is now anxious to prove that he is brave enough to risk his life for Rome. He praises Orazio's courage and at the same time informs him that he wants to go to the enemy's camp disguised as an Etruscan to murder Porsenna. While Orazio lets him go, not without worrying about Irene's fate, Clelia holds him back in fear. Muzio, however, is determined to take any danger, no matter how great, if it serves the freedom of Rome. King Tarquinio appears on a platform with several dignitaries to address his troops. He calls on the hesitant Porsenna to finally march into Rome. When Tarquinio left, Porsenna wanted to honor some soldiers for their bravery. Among them is Muzio, disguised as an Etruscan. But he doesn't know Porsenna and stabs the wrong person. After Porsenna arrested him, he interrogated him and Muzio proudly announced that he was ready to die for the freedom of Rome and that he was not afraid of any physical pain. When Porsenna threatens him with the stake, Muzio demonstratively burns his right hand in the fire of a sacrificial altar without showing any pain. Since then he and his family have been called "Scevola" ("left-handed"). Porsenna is so impressed by the young man's courage that he gives him freedom. Thereupon Muzio offers him his friendship and lets him in on the plans of the Romans.

Clelia is very worried about her lover Muzio when he comes with Etruscan escort and tells what happened. Not only does Clelia want to leave the fighting to the men, but she leads troops into battle herself to attack and kill Tarquinio. But she fails because of Porsenna, who takes her and Orazio prisoner and offers the Romans a truce if Clelia becomes his wife. Muzio is to be sent to Rome as negotiator, but Orazio and Clelia remain imprisoned by the Etruscans. So Muzio and Clelia have to separate for the time being and say goodbye full of hope and love.

Third act

Porsenna now offers his charming prisoners marriage. She hesitates, but rejects him, saying that she loves someone else. Since Porsenna doesn't know who the "other" is, he asks Muzio for help to win Clelia over. This hits Muzio to the core, but his friendship makes him feel obliged to help Porsenna, even though it is about his beloved. Bitter about the frivolous renunciation of her love, Clelia is ready to completely sacrifice herself for Rome and to marry Porsenna.

On the banks of the Tiber, Clelia awaits Porsenna and Muzio, whom she called in with a letter. But before they are both with her, she throws herself into the Tiber and reaches the safe Roman bank by swimming. Clelia's escape makes Porsenna angry and he demands that Muzio bring her back. Muzio suggests that Porsenna should repeat his peace offer before the Roman Senate and demand that Clelia be returned. He agrees. After they have left, Irene and Fidalma appear, who are now attacked by Tarquinio. When trying to take Irene by force, he is routed by Orazio. Orazio leaves for Rome with Irene.

Muzio is now accompanying Porsenna to the Senate. At the Capitol they meet Clelia, who is still angry about the alleged betrayal of Muzio: she is now ready to marry Porsenna. But Porsenna has realized that Muzio and Clelia really love each other and renounces them. When Porsenna finally learns the whole truth from Irene and Orazio about what a villain Tarquinio is, he decides to sign an unconditional armistice with Rome. He also gives his consent to a marriage of his daughter Irene, the Etruscan heir to the throne, with the Roman Orazio. Everyone celebrates the happy ending.

music

  • The composers

  • The 46-year-old Amadei, called “Pippo”, composed the first act.

  • Bononcini, 51 years old, wrote the second act.

  • The music of the 3rd act comes from the 36-year-old Handel.

Handel's third act is entitled: Ouverture pour Act 3 de Muzio and consists of an overture in French style , twelve arias , a duet , three accompaniments , a symphonia and the final chorus intended for the soloist ensemble.

Handel borrowed the thematic material of the aria A chi vive de speranza (No. 12) from the opera Porsenna of his old friend and rival in Hamburg, Johann Mattheson . This refers to this in his Critica musica (1722):

“In the Opera Porsenna, of my composition, as it was performed here 20 years ago / and was accompanied by Handel / under my direction / there is an aria whose opening = words: I want to kiss these cheeks. It may well be that Handel may not have liked the melody unevenly, for it was not only in his Agrippina, as it came out in Italy; but also in another new opera that was recently made in Engelland / and is about Mutio Scaevola / just the same modulation, almost note before note / recommended. "

- Johann Mattheson : Critica Musica , Hamburg 1722

In the same script, he also indicates that the music of the aria Lungo pensar e dubitar (No. 1) goes back to Antonio Lotti's aria Bramo aver, per più goder from his opera Giove in Argo (1717).

Although the opera has been handed down completely in the original by the three composers, it has only been performed once in the modern era in Oxford in 1977, albeit in abbreviated form, with all three acts. The music of the first act of Amadei was heard again for the moment, while Bononcini's second act could be heard a few times. On the only CD production to date (1991), this is only included in parts. In this respect, one can assume that the courtier Friedrich Ernst von Fabrice (see above) correctly assessed the qualitative differences between the three acts.

Orchestra (third act)

Two oboes , bassoon , two trumpets , two horns , strings, basso continuo (violoncello, lute, harpsichord).

Discography

  • Newport Classic NPD 85540-2 (1991): D'Anna Fortunato (Muzio), Julianne Baird (Clelia), John Ostendorf (Porsenna), Jennifer Lane (Irene), Andrea Matthews (Fidalma), Erie Mills (Orazio), Frederick Urrey (Tarquinio)
Brewer Baroque Chamber Orchestra; Dir. Rudolph Palmer (92 min, parts of the 2nd act, 3rd act)

literature

Web links

Commons : Muzio Scevola (Handel)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Tarquinio Vallese: Paolo Rolli in Inghilterra. Publishing house Albrighi, Segati & C., Milan 1938, p. 210 ff.
  2. ^ Editing management of the Halle Handel Edition: Documents on life and work. In: Walter Eisen (Hrsg.): Handel manual: Volume 4. Deutscher Verlag für Musik, Leipzig 1985, ISBN 978-3-7618-0717-0 , p. 99.
  3. ↑ Christopher Hogwood : Georg Friedrich Handel. A biography (= Insel-Taschenbuch 2655). Translated from the English by Bettina Obrecht. Insel Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2000, ISBN 3-458-34355-5 , p. 142.
  4. ↑ a b c d e Silke Leopold: Handel. The operas. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2009, ISBN 978-3-7618-1991-3 , p. 256 ff.
  5. ↑ Titus Livius: Ab urbe condita original text 2,10,9
  6. ↑ Titus Livius: Roman History. Volume 1. From the Latin by Konrad Heusinger , Vieweg-Verlag, Braunschweig 1821
  7. ^ Otto Erich Deutsch: Handel: a documentary biography. Adam and Charles Black, London 1955, Reprint Da Capo Press, 1974, ISBN 978-0-306-70624-0 , p. 129.
  8. ^ A b Winton Dean, John Merrill Knapp: Handel's Operas 1704–1726. The Boydell Press, Woodbridge 2009, ISBN 978-1-84383-525-7 , pp. 374 f.
  9. ^ Johann Mattheson: Critica Musica d. i. Thoroughly correct examination and assessment ... First piece. Hamburg 1722, p. 71.