Hagith (opera)
| Karol Szymanowski |
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Operas
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Hagith is an opera in one act by Karol Szymanowski. The German libretto was written by the Viennese secessionist poet Felix Dörmann.
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[edit] Background and performance history
Szymanowski wrote the opera in 1912-1913 while living in Vienna, Austria. The piano-vocal score was published by Universal Edition A.G. Vienna in 1920.[1][2] Musically and dramatically, Hagith has been compared to Richard Strauss's Salome. The opera was premiered on 13 May 1922 at the Great Theatre, Warsaw, Poland,[1][3] and it has been produced only four times. Szymanowski commissioned a Polish translation of the text (by Stanisław Barącz), but the project was not successful.
[edit] Roles
| Role[1][2] | Voice type[1][2] | Premiere cast[3][4] 13 May 1922 (Conductor: Emil Młynarski) |
|---|---|---|
| The aged king | tenor | Ignacy Dygas |
| The young king | tenor | Stanisław Gruszczyński |
| Hagith | soprano | Maria Mokrzycka |
| The high priest | bass | |
| The physician | baritone | |
| A servant | silent actor | |
| Chorus: the people | ||
[edit] Instrumentation
The orchestral score calls for:
- 4 flutes (4th doubling piccolo), 3 oboes, English horn, 4 clarinets (3 in B-flat, 1 in E-flat doubling clarinet in A), bass clarinet in B-flat, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon;
- 6 horns in F, 4 trumpets in C, 4 trombones, bass tuba;
- timpani, percussion6, 2 harps, celesta, harmonium, organ
- strings (violins I, violins II, violas, violoncellos, double basses).
On stage music: 4 trumpets in D, 4 trombones, timpani, triangle.[1]
[edit] Synopsis
The libretto is based on the Biblical story of King David (the aged king), Abishag (Hagith) and Solomon (the young king) in chapter one of the First Book of Kings.
Priests tell the aged king that the love of the young girl Hagith will bring him a new lease of life. But Hagith and the young king, the aged king's son, love each other, and Hagith refuses to make a sacrifice on behalf of the aged king. The aged king eventually dies, and Hagith is stoned to death.
[edit] Recordings
The only recording of the opera is on DVD Video, with Tomasz Szreder conducting the chorus and orchestra of Wrocław Opera.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e "Karol Szymanowski - Hagith - Opera in 1 act - op. 25". Universal Edition A.G. Vienna. http://www.universaledition.com/Karol-Szymanowski/composers-and-works/composer/713/work/2707. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ a b c "Karol Szymanowski - Op. 25 - Hagith". Universal Edition A.G. Vienna / IMSLP. http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/4/4c/IMSLP29201-PMLP64788-Szymanowski_op.25_Hagith_UE_vs.pdf. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ a b "Almanacco 13 May 1922" (in Italian). AmadeusOnline. http://amadeusonline.net/almanacco.php?Start=0&Giorno=13&Mese=05&Anno=1922&Giornata=&Testo=&Parola=Stringa. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ "Polish culture: Karol Szymanowski, Hagith Op. 25". Polish Culture in the World (www.culture.pl). http://www.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/dz_szymanowski_hagith. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ "Szymanowski: Hagith". Presto Classical. http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/154642/Karol-Szymanowski-Hagith. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
