Mária Bátori
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Mária Bátori |
| Original title: | Bátori Mária |
| Original language: | Hungarian |
| Music: | Ferenc Erkel |
| Libretto : | Béni Egressy |
| Literary source: | Bátori Mária by András Dugonics |
| Premiere: | August 8, 1840 |
| Place of premiere: | pest |
| Playing time: | about 2 hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Buda and Leányvár (German: Mädchenburg), 12th century |
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Mária Bátori ( Hungarian Bátori Mária ) is a romantic opera by the Hungarian composer Ferenc Erkel that premiered in 1840 .
Names of the opera, history and historical persons
The opera is played almost exclusively in Hungary and at the Cluj-Napoca Hungarian State Opera and is known under the Hungarian name of Bátori Mária . Mária is a fictional person. King Kálmán is Koloman (Hungary) and István is Stephen II (Hungary) . The opera premiered on August 8, 1840 in the Hungarian National Theater. It was a great success. It was back in the program in 1846, 1852 and 1858. The opera was last performed in 1860. It was not played again until 2000 by the Cluj-Napoca Hungarian State Opera.
action
I. act
King Kálmán and his court await the victorious Heimker of Crown Prince István. The two advisors to the king are in trouble because they dislike the crown prince and fear for their place in the royal court. When István arrives, his father tells him that it is time to marry again because his first wife has died. Mária Bátori is said to be his wife. The two advisers protest and accuse Mária of immoral living. István doesn't listen to them and goes to see Mária in Leányvár. The spies follow him and report every step he takes. Maria is sad because she has no news from István. The joy is great when István arrives and he asks her for her hand. At first she is hesitant because she knows about intrigues on the farm, but in the end she agrees. The wedding will be celebrated soon.
II. Act
Stephen and Mária's brother Miklós go hunting unsuspecting, Mária is left without protection. At the castle in Buda, the two royal advisors demand a penalty for the newlyweds because they should have held the wedding in Buda. The king calls Maria to him. She bravely answers all questions and refutes the allegations. The king forgives her. Nevertheless, she is insidiously murdered by advisors. István and Miklós return from the hunt and swear vengeance.
music
The music has the influence of Italian opera, the Hungarian elements are more in the background.