La vida breve
| Manuel de Falla |
|---|
 |
|
Operas
|
La vida breve (Life is Short, also: The Brief Life) is an opera in two acts and four scenes by Manuel de Falla to an original Spanish libretto by Carlos Fernández-Shaw. The first performance was given at the Casino Municipal in Nice on April 1, 1913.[1]
The complete opera, only an hour in length, is seldom performed today, but its dances are, especially the famous Interlude and Dance, played often at orchestral concerts of Spanish music. Also, the Danse Espagnole, part of the wedding celebrations, is well-known among the violin-playing world as a violin showpiece arranged by Fritz Kreisler. The opera is unusual for having as much purely instrumental as vocal music. Its opening scene effectively portrays a typical morning in the village, with a male chorus of anvil workers plying their trade in the local forge.
The soprano Victoria de los Ángeles and mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza have each sung the role of Salud in recorded versions of the opera.
Contents |
[edit] Roles
| Role[2] | Voice type[2] | Premiere Cast, 1 April 1913[3] (Conductor: Jacques Miranne) |
|---|---|---|
| Salud | soprano | Lillian Grenville |
| Paco | tenor | David Devriès |
| Uncle Salvador | bass | Édouard Cotreuil |
| Grandmother | mezzosoprano | Renée Fanty |
| Carmela | mezzosoprano | Mlle Gerday |
| Manuel | baritone | Termany |
| Singer | baritone | |
| First saleswoman | contralto | Daurelly |
| Second saleswoman | mezzo-soprano | A Bernard |
| Salesman | bass | |
| Voice from the forge/Voice from afar | tenor | Rouziery |
[edit] Synopsis
The story concerns a beautiful young gypsy, Salud, who is passionately in love with a young man named Paco. She does not know, and Paco does not tell her, that he is already engaged to "una de su clase" (a woman from his own, supposedly more elevated, class). However, her uncle and her grandmother have discovered this, and they unsuccessfully try to prevent her from interrupting her lover's wedding after she learns the truth. When Salud confronts Paco before the astonished bride and the wedding guests, he denies knowing her and, her heart broken, Salud literally drops dead at his feet - in what is said to be the ultimate gesture of contempt for a former lover.
[edit] Recordings
- Victoria de los Ángeles, Carlo Cossutta, Juan de Andia, Ana Maria Higueras, Jose Maria Higuero, Gabriel Moreno, Victor de Narké, Ines Rivadeneyra, Luis Villarejo - Spanish National Orchestra, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
- Marta Senn, Fernando de La Mora, Cecilia Angell, Ignacio Clapes, William Alvarado, Claudio Muskus, Elizabeth Almenar - Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, Eduardo Mata
[edit] References
- ^ Ronald Crichton: "La vida breve", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed June 18, 2009), (subscription access)
- ^ a b La vida breve at operissimo.com
- ^ amadeusonline.net
[edit] External links
- Danse Espagnole, performed by dancer Nuria Pomares and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducting, in Tel Aviv, June 6, 2009
- Danse Espagnole, arrangement Fritz Kreisler, performed by Itzhak Perlman (violin) and Ken Noda (piano) at the White House
- Short clip from La vida breve with Victoria de los Ángeles
