Semele (Handel)

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Peter Paul Rubens : "Death of Semele", before 1640

Semele ( HWV 58), actually The Story of Semele , is an oratorio in three acts by Georg Friedrich Handel . Alongside Hercules , it is Handel's second dramatic oratorio on a secular theme.

Emergence

Handel began on June 3, 1743 with the composition of the first act and completed it on June 13. The second act was finished seven days later. With the composition of the third act and filling in the middle parts, he finished the work on July 4th.

It premiered on February 10, 1744 at the Theater Royal in Covent Garden . Then there were three repetitions. After that, Handel recorded the oratorio only twice in December 1744.

The genre type of the Story of Semele is controversial in research. Handel himself announced the work with the reference After the Manner of an Oratorio , thus distancing himself somewhat from the term oratorio that he otherwise used. This differs from the other oratorios besides Hercules in that it uses secular, mythological material. The choir also has a relatively small part and only acts as a commentary without intervening in the action.

Handel always performed Semele in concert despite the scene instructions in the libretto . Nonetheless, it has often been called an opera , making it one of the first true English-language operas , after Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas . In the 20th century she was successfully staged several times (first in Cambridge in 1925 ).

libretto

The libretto for Semele was originally written by William Congreve in 1705/06 for an opera composed by John Eccles , but it was never performed. It was probably revised for Handel by Newburgh Hamilton . The plot is based on the Greek myth of Semele , as described by Ovid in the Metamorphoses in Book 3.

people

The roles were sung by the following singers at the premiere:

action

first act

In the Temple of Juno : On the occasion of a sacrifice at the Altar of Juno , Kadmos and Athamas demand that Semele no longer oppose the already agreed marriage. She conjures Jupiter, her secret lover, to come to her aid. This expresses his displeasure and the sacrifice to Juno is canceled.
Ino tries to confess her love to Athamas, but he only thinks of his bride; Kadmos enters and tells the two that Semele has been stolen by an eagle, and the priests of Jupiter announce that she is now experiencing endless joys with him.

Second act

In a pleasant landscape : Iris tells Juno that Semele lives on Mount Kithairon in a palace built by a volcano and guarded by two dragons. She decides to spoil Semele and turn to Somnus , the god of sleep, for help.
In the palace : Semele experiences the joys with her lover. She indicates that she would like to be elevated to the rank of immortal; to distract them, Jupiter has Ino brought into the palace. The sisters celebrate a joyful reunion.

Third act

In the cave of sleep : Juno promises Somnus the hand of Pasithea , whereupon he gives her his leaden rod of sleep. She is now able to put the dragons and Ino to sleep.
In the palace : Juno approaches Semele in the form of Inos, hands her a mirror and convinces her that she will become immortal when Jupiter shows himself to her in his true form. Semele makes Jupiter swear that he will grant her a wish and demands that he show himself to her as God. Jupiter tries to dissuade her, but she insists. Juno enjoys the success of her vengeance and Semele, burning in the rays of Jupiter's power, realizes her mistake too late.
On earth : The Thebans mourn, Ino announces that she should marry Athamas on Jupiter's command. This agrees.
Final scene : Apollon appears and announces that a phoenix has risen from Semele's ashes, who is destined to live as a god among the gods. A final chorus pays homage to Bacchus .

literature

  • Winton Dean : Handel's Dramatic Oratorios and Masques . Clarendon, Oxford 1989, ISBN 0-19-816184-0 , (Original edition: Oxford University Press, Oxford 1959).
  • Hans Joachim Marx : Handel's oratorios, odes and serenatas. A compendium. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1998, ISBN 3-525-27815-2 .
  • Albert Scheibler, Julia Evdokimova: Georg Friedrich Händel. Oratorios guides . Edition Cologne, Lohmar 1993, ISBN 3-928010-04-2 .

Web links