Werther
Template:Massenet operasWerther is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann based on the German epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Although Massenet wrote and completed his opera in 1887, it did not receive any performance until it premiered at the Imperial Theatre Hofoper in Vienna on February 16, 1892, in a German version translated by Max Kalbeck.[1] It had a great success. The French-language premiere followed in Geneva on December 27, 1892,[1] and the first performance in France was at the Opéra-Comique, Paris on January 16, 1893.
Performance history
The United States premiere at Metropolitan Opera took place in Chicago on March 29, 1894, and then in the company's main house in New York City three weeks later[2]. The UK premiere was at Covent Garden, London, on June 11, 1894.[1]
Werther is regularly performed and has been recorded many times. Although written for a tenor, Massenet adjusted the role of Werther for a baritone, when Mattia Battistini sang it in Saint Petersburg in 1902.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, February 16, 1892 (Conductor: Wilhelm Jahn ) |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, a young woman | mezzo-soprano | Marie Renard |
| Sophie, her sister | soprano | Ellen Foster-Brandt |
| Werther, a young poet | tenor | Ernest van Dyck |
| Albert, betrothed to Charlotte | baritone | Fritz Neidl |
| Le Bailli, Charlotte's father | bass | Mayerhofer |
| Schmidt, a friend of the Bailli | tenor | Schlittenhelm |
| Johann, a friend of the Bailli | baritone | Felix |
| Bruhlmann, town fool, young poet | tenor | |
| Katchen, Bruhlmann's fiancée of seven years | mezzo-soprano |
Synopsis
Act 1
The widowed Bailiff teaches his younger children a Christmas carol in July. Charlotte dresses for a ball. Since her intended, Albert, is away, she is escorted by Werther whom they find gloomy. Werther arrives and watches as Charlotte prepares her young siblings' supper, just as her mother had before she died. Werther greets Charlotte and they leave for the ball. Albert returns unexpectedly after a six month trip. He is unsure of Charlotte's intentions and disappointed not to find her here, but is reassured and consoled by Sophie. He leaves after promising to return in the morning. Werther and Charlotte return very late, and he is already enamoured with her. His declaration of love is interrupted by the announcement of Albert's return. Charlotte recalls how she promised her dying mother she would marry Albert. Werther despairs.
Act 2
It is three months later, and Charlotte and Albert are now married. They walk happily to church, pursued by the gloomy Werther. Sophie tries to cheer him up. When Charlotte exits the church, he speaks to her of their first meeting. Charlotte begs Werther not to try to see her again until Christmas Day. Werther contemplates suicide. Charlotte comforts the tearful girl who does not understand his cruel behavior. Albert now realizes that Werther loves Charlotte.
Act 3
Charlotte is at home alone on Christmas Eve. She spends time rereading Werther's letters to herself, wondering how the young poet is and how she had the strength to send him away. Suddenly Werther appears, and while he reads her poetry, he realizes that she returns his love. They embrace for a moment, but she quickly bids him farewell. He leaves with thoughts of suicide. Albert returns home to find his distraught wife. Werther has sent a message to Albert requesting to borrow his pistols, explaining he is going on an extended trip. A servant is sent to deliver the pistols. Charlotte has a terrible premonition and hurries to find Werther.
Act 4
At Werther's apartment, Charlotte has arrived too late. Werther is dying. She consoles him by declaring her love. He asks for forgiveness. After he dies, Charlotte faints. Outside children are heard singing a Christmas carol.
Noted arias
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Act 1
Act 2
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Act 3
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Recordings
A well-regarded recording of the complete opera was made in January 1931 by French Columbia with a French cast and the orchestra and chorus of the Opéra-Comique under the direction of Élie Cohen. Henry Fogel of Fanfare magazine, writing in 1992, counted 14 complete recordings and considered it the finest of the lot.[3] His colleague, James Camner, reviewing the Opera d'Oro reissue in 2003, called it "one of the treasures of recorded opera. ... Unfortunately, the transfer is over filtered. The high frequencies are lost, giving the performance an unwarranted flatness. Happily, Naxos offers the same recording expertly transferred by Ward Marston, and acquiring it is a must."[4] Alan Blyth, while giving a very positive review of the reissue of the recording with Albert Lance as Werther and Rita Gorr as Charlotte in 2004, nevertheless pointed out that "neither quite has the ideal subtlety of the best Massenet singers, such as Vallin and Thill on the classic, pre-war set, now on Naxos".[5]
In addition, many of the greatest French and Italian singers of the past century or more have recorded individual arias from Massenet's masterwork.
Notes
- ^ a b c Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed., 1954
- ^ MetOpera database
- ^ Fogel, Henry (September/October 1992). Review of the recording with Georges Thill as Werther (EMI CHS 7 63195 2). Fanfare, 16 (1). Accessed November 16, 2010. Subscription required.
- ^ Camner, James (July/August 2003). Review of the recording with Georges Thill as Werther (OPERA D’ORO OD 1366). Fanfare, 26 (6). Accessed November 16, 2010. Subscription required.
- ^ Blyth, Alan (March 2004). "Werther's Return". Gramophone, p. 83. Accessed November 16, 2010.
- ^ Recordings of Werther on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
- ^ Details of this recording of Werther on amazon.com
- ^ Details of this recording of Werther on amazon.com
References
- Upton, George (1928). The Standard Opera Guide. Blue Ribbon Books, N.Y. pp. 187–88.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Kobbé, Gustav (1976). The Complete Opera Book. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 864–869.
- Werther at Bob's Universe
- Huebner, Steven (2006). French Opera at the Fin de Siecle: Werther. Oxford Univ. Press, US. pp. 113–134. ISBN 9780195189544.
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