The Prophetess
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Original title: | The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian |
Title page of the libretto, London 1690 |
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| Shape: | Semi-opera |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Henry Purcell |
| Libretto : | Thomas Betterton |
| Literary source: |
The Prophetess by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger |
| Premiere: | 1690 |
| Place of premiere: | Dorset Garden Theater , London |
| Place and time of the action: |
Rome , late antiquity (around 284) |
| people | |
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The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian ( Z 627 ), better known today as Dioclesian , is a tragicomic semi-opera in five acts by Henry Purcell with a libretto by Thomas Betterton . The opera is about the mythical rise and fall of the Roman emperor Diocletian . It premiered in the early summer of 1690 at London's Dorset Garden Theater .
action
By a fulfilled promise of the prophetess Delphia, the soldier Diocles becomes Emperor of Rome. However, he breaks his promise to take Delphia's sister Drusilla as wife. Only through blows of fate brought about by the prophetess does he learn of his arrogance.
first act
Scene 1, a palace
Drusilla complains to her aunt, the prophet Delphia, that her affection for the soldier Diocles finds no reciprocation. The seer urges her to be patient and reminds her of her prophecy to Diocles: If he kills a huge boar, he should become emperor. The fulfillment is as certain as day and night - the only thing that Diocles has not yet met is the real boar. But then he would take Drusilla as his wife.
Emperor Charinus and his sister Aurelia are shocked when the commanding officer Niger tells them about the murder of their brother Numerianus , with whom Charinus shares the reign. They promise everyone who kills the murderer Volutius Aper, Aurelia's hand and partnership as emperor.
Scene 2, a country house on the edge of the forest
Diocles has spent most of his time hunting wild boar since the prophecy. His nephew Maximinian and his servant Geta, hauling the latest booty, joke about the chances of success of this venture, but Diocles remains convinced. When Delphia enters, Maximinian tries to throw a spear at her to expose her as a con man, but is instantly paralyzed. After this demonstration, Diocles renews his vow to marry Drusilla.
When Niger appears with the proscription through its General Volutius Aper, everyone involved immediately recognizes that it must be the fateful "boar" ( Latin aper "boar", "boar").
Second act
Scene 1, continued
Delphia assures the worried and lovesick Drusilla that Diocles will keep his oath or "find a quick grave in his ingratitude".
Scene 2, in the woods
Aper lets his captain know of his plan to seize power when the time is right. He only wants to reveal himself as Numerianus's murderer when the positions of the tribunes and centurions have been clarified. Until then he leaves the soldiers in the belief that the emperor has simply retired into his litter to mourn his father, who was struck by lightning .
Diocles, Maximinian and Geta appear armed. The soldiers present make Diocles their new leader after he kills the captain and exposes Aper's deception.
Scene 3, Rome
To fulfill the prophecy, Diocles kills the captured, confessed Aper in front of the Senate. Delphia and Drusilla, who attend the scene unnoticed in a chariot pulled by flying dragons, let music sound, which is understood by everyone as a divine sign. The senators appoint Diocles as emperor, who henceforth gives himself the name Dioclesian .
The beautiful Aurelia appears together with Charinus and offers her hand to Diocles. As feared by Drusilla, a Flemish man is promptly called to marry. When he comes, Delphia darkens the sky and conjures up a monster, but can only postpone the wedding until after Numerianus' funeral.
Third act
Scene 1, a room with chairs
Delphia casts a spell over Maximinian to use his jealousy against Diocles. Geta, who already sees himself as Aedil Getianus , is already enjoying bribes from various petitioners. He hardly remembers the women, but lets them pass to Diocles.
Scene 2, Diocles' palace
Delphia threatens to turn Diocles' fate if he does not keep his promise. Although Diocles knows about Delphia's power and remembers his oath, he rejects Drusilla: “I am now for Queens, for none but Divine Beauties; […] I grant I made a Vow; what was I then? ”( Thomas Betterton : The Prophetess). He leaves the two women standing.
Delphia swears revenge:
"Mean time I'll haunt you. Cry not Child, be confident.
'Ere long thou shalt more pitty him, (observe me)
And pitty him in truth, than now thou seekst him.
My Art shall fail me else; come, no more weeping. "
“Until then, I will visit you. Don't cry, child, be safe.
Soon you should pity him more, (
wait and see ) Truly pity than you desire him now.
Or let my power leave me; Come on, don't cry anymore. "
Scene 3, the previous room
The two women come in handy for the power-drunk Geta to try out his arbitrariness. Only when Delphia animated the ornamental figures and the seating in the room to dance does he flee.
Scene 4, a magnificent palace
Charinus and Aurelia are in an argument with Persian ambassadors. They ask for the release of their Princess Cassana, but Aurelia wants to keep her as a servant. The ambassadors declare war on this and leave.
Maximinian appears. To his surprise, Aurelia returns his love and not only declares it extravagantly, but also denies Diocles completely when he comes to it.
Delphia and Drusilla find the unfortunate Diocles alone. While Delphia mocks him, Drusilla feels pity and is happy when Diocles kneels to beg her forgiveness. Diocles' disposition quickly changes, however, when Aurelia returns and is apparently herself again. He mocks Delphia's witchcraft and wants to die rather than marry Drusilla.
Fourth act
Scene 1
In an ambush arranged by Delphia, Aurelia, Charinus and Maximinian were captured by the Persians. Diocles pulls troops together to take up the chase, but suspects that Delphia was behind his setbacks:
"The chearfulness of my Soldiers, gives assurance
Of good success abroad, if first I make
My Peace at home here; there is something chides me,
And sharply tells me, that my breach of Faith,
To Delphia, and Drusilla, is the ground
Of my misfortunes; she was my better Angel,
And thus I do invoke her. All-knowing Delphia!
Thou more, much more than Woman,
Look on your Creature.
And as thou twice hast pleas'd to shew thy self
To reprehend my falshood; now vouchsafe
To see my low submission. "
“The courage of my soldiers ensures
success abroad, if only
I find reconciliation at home; Something admonishes me,
And tells me clearly, my betrayal,
To Delpha, and Drusilla, is the reason
for my strokes of fate; she was my dear soul,
and that's how I call her. Omniscient Delphia!
You more, much more than a woman,
look at your work.
And how you would show yourself twice
To rebuke my falsehood; now
deign to see My deep submission. "
With Drusilla's help, he can convince her of his sincerity. For Diocles' final purification, Delphia demonstrates in an impressive illusion what she would still have been capable of. She swings her staff and Aurelia lies dead in a lifelike tomb. The picture disappears as quickly as it appeared. Diocles joins Drusilla.
Scene 2, a forest
Geta takes no pleasure in the war drive. He explains to Niger and the soldiers who want to persuade him to fight that his position requires integrity and that he has weaned himself from the privations of his previous life.
Scene 3, Persian tent camp
The Persian King Cosroe welcomes his sister and threatens the Romans who mistreated her. Cassana is ready to forgive Aurelia. She promises her good treatment, but the Romans are unbending, which impresses the Persians around. Cosroe vows to break them when Niger enters. He brings Dioclesian's request to treat the prisoners well until the end of the war, which Cosroe accepts.
Scene 4
Geta is wounded and wants to flee, but is forced to fight by his soldiers. He fends off the advancing Persians. Niger appears and blows the attack on the last remaining Persian formation, in which Cosroe himself is fighting. The Romans are sure of victory.
Scene 5, tents in the forest, in the middle the Dioclesians
Singers and dancers celebrate Dioclesian's triumph. He is humble, gives Cosroe and the captured Persians freedom and leaves Maximinian his half of the throne and the willing Aurelia. He holds out for Drusilla's hand and retires to his father's simple homestead.
Fifth act
Scene 1, a palace
Maximinian is dissatisfied with his undeserved and shared fame. He fears that Dioclesian only approves of his power and can just as easily withdraw it. Aurelia and he openly oppose Charinus.
Scene 2, a forest path to Dioclesian's homestead
Dioclesian and Drusilla live happily ever after. While their rural neighbors as well as Delphia and Geta visit them and entertain them with music, Maximinian and Aurelia appear with some soldiers. They declare their intention to get Dioclesian out of the way. When their soldiers want to attack, it thunders and thunders that the earth shakes. Delphia calls Maximinian and Aurelia to their senses with their supernatural acting; Dioclesian grants forgiveness to the two intimidated. The reconciliation is accompanied by exuberant celebrations and magical performances by Delphia. Finally, Charinus and his troops join them, who had set out to rescue Dioclesian.
Work history
The libretto was based on the drama The Prophetess by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger from 1622, which was adapted by the renowned actor and theater director Betterton "with changes and additions, like an opera". Betterton hired Purcell to write the music and added extended scenes for it. Except for a few streamlining of the plot and wording, large parts of the libretto are identical to the original.
The first performance was preceded by a spoken prologue by John Dryden , but due to its very direct reference to the war of the two kings of William III. and the reign of Mary II fell victim to censorship by the Earl of Dorset .
background
The fact that The Prophetess was adapted in this form at all can be understood as evidence of Henry Purcell's high reputation. The premiere was an expensive spectacle and, in view of the falling number of visitors, a daring attempt by Thomas Betterton to renew interest in the theater: each performance required the entire company and made use of elaborate stage machinery , some of which was developed by Betterton himself .
In Purcell's score, all solo parts are notated in the treble clef. It is not specified whether the individual pieces should be sung by a woman or a man. The singers are also not assigned to specific roles, but merely appear generally as vocalists. However, there is more precise information on the instrumentation than is usual in contemporary manuscripts. A quartet of two oboes , alto oboe and bassoon is required in some movements .
Web links
- Dioclesian : Sheet Music and Audio Files in the International Music Score Library Project
- The prophetess, or, The history of Dioclesian. Libretto (English), London 1690. Digitized in the Internet Archive
- The vocal and instrumental musick of The prophetess, or The history of Dioclesian. Score, London 1691. Digitized in the Internet Archive
- The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian. Libretto (English), London 1690. Full text from Early English Books Online, hosted by the University of Michigan
- The drama The Prophetess by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger in Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 on Project Gutenberg
- Work data for The Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian based on MGG with discography at Operone
Individual evidence
- ^ A b W. Barclay Squire: Purcell's Dramatic Music . In anthologies of the International Music Society , Volume 5, 1904, p. 514. Archive.org . Retrieved June 19, 2017
- ↑ a b c d Thomas Betterton: The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian; With alterations and additions, after the manner of an opera , London, 1690. Early English Books Online / Text Creation Partnership . Retrieved June 19, 2017
- ^ A b Robert Etheridge Moore: Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theater , Cambridge (MA), 1961. Harvard University Press. Archive.org . Retrieved October 11, 2017
- ^ Edward J. Dent: Opera , 1953, p. 169. Penguin Books. Archive.org . Retrieved June 19, 2017
- ↑ John Dryden: Prologue to The Prophetess . In The Poetical Works of John Dryden , Volume 3, London, 1857, p. 100. Bell and Daldy. Archive.org . Retrieved October 12, 2017
- ^ Martin Adams: Henry Purcell - The Origins and Development of his Musical Style , Dublin, 2009. Trinity College. Retrieved October 12, 2017
- ^ Curtis Price: Henry Purcell . In The New Grove Dictionary of Opera , Volume 3, London, 1992. Macmillan Press.
- ^ William A. Armstrong: The Acting of Thomas Betterton . In English: Journal of the English Association , Volume 10, Issue 56, 1954, p. 55. Retrieved October 12, 2017
- ^ Clifford Bartlett: Henry Purcell: Dioclesian. In: Supplement to CD Chandos 0569, p. 16.