Winter's Tale (Boesmans)
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| Title: | Winter fairy tale |
| Shape: | Opera in four acts |
| Original language: | German , English |
| Music: | Philippe Boesmans |
| Libretto : | Luc Bondy and Marie-Louise Bischofberger |
| Literary source: | William Shakespeare , The Winter's Tale |
| Premiere: | December 10, 1999 |
| Place of premiere: | Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie , Brussels |
| Playing time: | approx. 2 ¼ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | fictional Sicily and Bohemia |
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Winter's Tale is an opera in four acts by Philippe Boesmans (music) with a libretto by Luc Bondy and Marie-Louise Bischofberger . It is based on the play The Winter's Tale ( The Winter's Tale ) by William Shakespeare . The world premiere took place on December 10, 1999 at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. The German premiere took place in 2001 at the Braunschweig State Theater .
action
first act
A cold winter in Sicily. King Leontes tries in vain to prevent his childhood friend Polixenes, who is visiting his court, from leaving. Only his pregnant wife Hermione succeeds in persuading him to stay after reminding him of their childhood together. Leontes jealously watches the good relationship between Polixenes and his wife. Then he caresses his son Mamillius. His madness of jealousy becomes noticeable when he looks for inherited horns on his head that he believes he has. When his confidante Camillo arrives, he accuses this of treason because he watched the relationship between Polixenes and his wife inactive. He orders Camillo to poison Polixenes. However, Camillo tells Polixenes about it and escapes with him from Sicily.
The now heavily pregnant queen is cared for by her helpers. Leontes accuses her of infidelity and Polixenes and Camillo of treason. He has Hermione thrown into dungeon, although Antigonus and other courtiers swear their innocence. The Oracle of Delphi is supposed to prove their guilt.
Second act
Leontes worries about his frail son. Paulina brings him his newborn daughter Perdita. Leontes doesn't want to see the child because he thinks he's a bastard. Although Paulina points out the family resemblance to him, he orders it to be thrown into the fire. When his people refuse, he lets the child out in the wilderness: "Chance should calm it." Antigonus takes it away.
The court proceedings requested by Leontes begin before the oracle of Apollo. Green brings the charges: Hermione cheated on Leontes with Polixenes, fathered a bastard child and planned his death with Camillo. Hermione invokes her innocence and calls Apollo to witness. The voice of the oracle relieves her with unequivocal words, calls Leontes a jealous tyrant and prophesies that he “will be without an heir until what is lost is found”. Leontes accuses the oracle of lying. Immediately afterwards, his dead son is brought to him. Hermione breaks down in despair and is carried away. Paulina reports her death shortly afterwards. Leontes is desperate.
Third act
Green introduces herself as "Mistress of Time". She “mixes good and bad” and has been taking care of Perdita, who was thrown on the Bohemian coast, for sixteen years. Their protector Antigonus was killed by a bear. Perdita is mute and nobody in Bohemia knows her ancestry. Nevertheless, Florizel, the son of Polixenes and Prince of Bohemia, fell in love with her. He spends his life with a group of pickpockets. Camillo is also in exile in Bohemia near Polixenes. He longs for his home. Florizel and Perdita enjoy their love and want to get married. To celebrate, the thieves distribute the booty from their last raid. Perdita dances to the sounds of the jazz rock band Aka Moon . The wedding is roughly interrupted by Florizel's father Polixenes, who does not want the prince to marry a foundling. He beats up Perdita. Florizel doesn't want his father to tell him anything. Camillo persuades the two of them to flee to Sicily.
Fourth act
Spring has started in Sicily. King Leontes meanwhile regrets his actions. Since he does not yet have an heir, Paulina and the courtiers try to persuade him to marry again. Green reports on the arrival of the Bohemian Prince Florizel, who is in the company of the mute daughter of a mute king from "Libya". This is possibly a suitable candidate. The two are brought in. However, Perdita is far too young for Leontes. Paulina notices a chain on her neck. Meanwhile, a messenger from Polixenes appears, demanding that Florizel be arrested and Perdita drowned. Leontes is painfully reminded of his own crimes. He wishes to see Polixenes and Camillo again. Both had already arrived. They reveal themselves and are reconciled with Leontes. Paulina shows Leontes the chain that she once put on little Perdita. He recognizes her as his daughter. Polixenes now also agrees to the wedding of his son and Perditas.
Paulina leads Perdita to a lifelike statue of her mother, a supposed masterpiece by Giulio Romano . She suddenly comes to life, reconciles with Leontes and welcomes her daughter. Finally, Leontes unites Camillo with the widowed Paulina.
layout
The content of the text differs only slightly from Shakespeare's original. The scenes set in Sicily are in German, while those of the third act in Bohemia are largely in English. The latter are musically accompanied by the jazz rock group Aka Moon. Boesmans' music contains allusions to Gustav Mahler , Richard Strauss and Alban Berg . Also Claudio Monteverdi is quoted verbatim.
occupation
In addition to the named roles, the opera provides for a soloist ensemble of two sopranos, two mezzo-sopranos, one alto, two tenors and three baritones.
The orchestral line-up includes the following instruments:
- 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, cor anglais, E-flat clarinet, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon
- 3 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones
- 5 drummers
- Harp, piano, celesta, accordion
- Strings
History of origin
The opera is dedicated to Bernard and Annick Foccroulle and Harry Halbreich .
The world premiere took place on December 10, 1999 at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. The musical direction was Antonio Pappano , the direction was Luc Bondy , the set was by Erich Wonder and the choreography by Lucinda Childs . It sang Dale Duesing (Leontes), Susan Chilcott (Hermione), Anthony Rolfe Johnson (POLIXENES), Franz-Josef Selig (Camillo and voice of the oracle), Cornelia Kallisch (Paulina), Heinz Zednik (Green / time), Juha Kotilainen (Antigonus), Johanne Saunier (Perdita), Kris Dane (Florizel) and Arthur Debski (Mamillius). There were eleven performances in Brussels and six subsequent performances in January and February 2000 in Lyon. You were a great success. In November 2000 the production was performed at the Festival d'Automne in Paris.
There were further performances in 2001 in Braunschweig, in 2002 in the Neue Oper Vienna and in Nuremberg and in 2004 in the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona.
A recording of the Brussels performance is available on CD. It was shown on TV on November 29, 2000 on Arte and was shown on the Internet on ARTE Concert in 2015/2016.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Birgit Popp: Winter's Tale - Teatre del Liceu - Barcelona Part 2. Performance report on medianotes.com , accessed on December 23, 2015.
- ↑ a b c Michael Oliver: Boesman's Wintermärchen CD review on gramophone.co.uk , accessed December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Christopher Thomas: CD review in MusicWeb (UK) , accessed on December 23, 2015.
- ↑ a b c d Winter's Tale, Philippe Boesmans. Work information at IRCAM , accessed on December 23, 2015
- ↑ Winter's Tale, 1999–2000. Performances in Brussels and Lyon , accessed 23 December 2015.
- ^ "Winter fairy tale" at the Festival d'Automne. Press release on ots.at , accessed on December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Winter's Tale at operinwien.at , accessed on December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Boesmans, Philippe. Biography on umpgclassical.com , accessed December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Reinhard Schulz: A fine ear for sound and effect. Review of the Nuremberg performance in the Neue Musikzeitung , accessed on December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Work data on Winter Tales based on MGG with discography in Operone
- ↑ Winter Tales by Philippe Boesmans on ARTE Concert , accessed on December 23, 2015.