First Half Program Notes

First Half Program Notes Procession of the Nobles from century. In the second act, a condensed the mixed-voice choral Mlada Act II, Scene III by midsummer festival’s dancing and parts into parts for our men’s voices. Rimsky-Korsakov singing is punctuated by the Procession of the Nobles, wherein In spite of the irony of the situation Mlada has a long and convoluted the locals welcome their rulers: at this point in the libretto, and the history. It began with a ballet by tragedy that is to follow, Procession Filippo Taglioni entitled The All hail Princess Voyslava! of the Nobles is a regal and stirring Shadow, which premiered in 1839 in Hail to Yaromir, mighty ruler of work. We will do our best to honor Saint Petersburg. In 1870, Stepan Arkon! Mlada’s spirit as we welcome you to Gedeonov, director of the Russian Glory! Glory! Glory! our Spring Concert. Imperial Theatres, conceived an Hail Mstivoi, Prince of Retra! TW adaptation of Taglioni’s work, with Noble Polabians, all hail! the plot moved to a new time and Glory! Glory! Glory! The Verdi and Wagner place. It was to be a ballet Sing in praise of all our nobles! Bicentennial Year choreographed by Marius Petipa Hail to all Slavonic people! with music by Aleksandr Serov. Glory! Glory! Glory! It is a strange coincidence, one in However, Serov died in 1871 before which some ways mirrors the composing anything for the work. Unfortunately, the praising locals implausibility of many opera plots, are unaware that Yaromir’s bride but 2013 is shared as a birth year by Gedeonov revised his conception as Mlada has been murdered by two 19th century musical titans who an opera-ballet, with a libretto by Voyslava, who has entranced define the world of grand opera Viktor Krïlov, and in 1872 proposed Yaromir with the help of Morena, today. a collaborative effort by Nicolai godess of the underworld. Somehow Rimsky-Korsakov, César Cui, it all works out, in a tragic sort of Sons of Orpheus joins the music Modest Mussorgsky and Alexander way. Shown the truth by Mlada’s world in celebrating the two Borodin, who were to write music restless spirit, Yaromir confronts hundredth anniversary of the births for the sung portions of the libretto Voyslava. She confesses, whereupon of Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813) and dramatic action. However, he kills her. In retaliation, Morena and Giuseppe Verdi (October 10, Gedeonov's scheme was not destroys the city of Retra, killing 1813), arguably the two greatest realized. Soon he left the post of Yaromir. In the end, Yaromir is opera composers of the 19th century. Director of the Imperial Theatres united with Mlada in heaven. Their lives and personalities were and Mlada dropped into oblivion. strangely parallel and yet wildly Whatever the four composers had Thomas Wentzel assembled this different. They were born at a time created for Mlada found its way into arrangement for Sons of Orpheus to when Europe was convulsed by their later compositions (such as perform, starting with a piano four- Napoleonic wars, when the nation Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald hands reduction of the orchestral states of Germany and Italy did not Mountain). score by Garry Laycock, which he yet exist. These two musical giants located in Mitchell Library, State shared a revolutionary zeal. Both Eighteen years later, in 1889, Library of New South Wales, played huge roles in shaping their Rimsky-Korsakov was greatly Australia (MLMSS 8053), via the respective nation’s identities. Each influenced by a traveling production magic of the Internet. The Mitchell went through three periods of of Wagner’s Ring Cycle visiting St. Library holds a collection of composition which were roughly Petersburg, and from that point Laycock's music manuscripts from parallel in time. Each emerged from onward, he devoted his career to the 1970s and 1980s when Laycock the prevailing Romanticism of the composing operas. For one of the worked with the Australian Ballet age to become pioneers of the new first, he drew upon Viktor Krïlov’s and Australian Opera. Thomas era. Both brought music forward unused Mlada libretto to create an requested and received a limited from the classical world of Mozart opera-ballet in four acts. Rimsky- permission from the library to use into the future and the 21st century. Korsakov’s Mlada premiered in St. the reduction in our performances. Petersburg in 1892. Since Laycock had only transcribed Verdi saw art as a source of comfort about three-quarters of the piece, for the human spirit. Of his twenty In Krïlov’s libretto, the action takes Thomas filled in the gaps with his nine works, twelve live today at the place in the city of Retra on the own four-hands reduction, and then very heart of the repertory. Wagner Baltic seacoast in the 9th or 10th pursued his Teutonic obsessions with gods and heroes and thought- did the opera come into its own. and gladly greet thy smiling hoped- that his music might drive Gradually, other German theaters meadows; men mad. A conceited egomaniac produced Tannhäuser. The U.S. now I lay down my pilgrim’s staff, who exploited his supporters and premiere took place at the for, faithful to God, I have made my exemplified the way great artists Stadttheater, New York, on April 4, pilgrimage. rarely prove to be great human 1859. The second season of the By atonement and repentance I have beings, Wagner once complacently Metropolitan Opera, 1884-85, made my peace announced that, “the whole German opened with Tannhäuser, Leopold with the Lord, to whom my heart empire is only created to aid me in Damrosch conducting. bows down. attaining my object”. And yet, ten Wagner was frustrated with what He has crowned my remorse with of this titanically selfish man’s he saw as the outmoded artistic blessing, thirteen operas rank among the practices of his time. He railed the Lord to whom I raise myh song. supreme cultural achievements of all against the opera of the day The grace of salvation is granted to time. (embodied in Meyerbeer) and saw the penitent. himself as the “artist of the future,’ He shall enter into the peace of Wagner died with hardly a single battling the uncomprehending heaven! friend. One by one he had used them academy. For Wagner, Tannhäuser Hell and death cannot frighten him; all for his own purposes. One by one comprised a revolutionary Therefore I will praise God all the he had lost them by his egoism. transitional moment, a turning point. days of my life. In Tannhäuser the composer Hallelujah, for evermore! As a human being Verdi far emerges “struggling to utter TW outclassed Wagner. Not for nothing himself.” was his funeral the largest public With Tannhäuser, Wagner took Giuseppe Verdi assembly of its kind ever recorded another step away from the on Italian soil. Two hundred conventional opera of the period – Giuseppe Verdi set about thousand people lined the black- with its division into set arias, composing his 17th opera, Il draped streets of Milan to say ensembles and recitatives – toward Trovatore, in November, 1852. farewell to the greatest and most music drama, in which words, music Though probably long pondered and beloved Italian of the 19th century. and action form a dramatic whole. planned, the actual putting of music None of his other works was subject to paper is said to have taken place At the end of their lives, each man to so many changes. Twice more in between the 1st and 29th of that left an enduring testament. From the 1847 and in 1861, Wagner revised month. Only 28 days to write down perspective of their musical legacies, the opera. His revisions were aimed the music of Il Trovatore? One can these dual colossi were geniuses. at making the opera a hardly believe it. But then the Today, both men have the capacity Gesamtkunstwerk, a total work of mysteries of so great a genius are to engross and enthrall us. Both have art. not easily fathomed. It is certain that the unique power to take over our The story of Tannhäuser is laid in the full score was finished by the lives. and near Eisenach where, early in 14th of December. Rehearsals began GH the 13th century, the Landgraves of immediately after Christmas. the Thuringian Valley held sway. Verdi had selected the Teatro Beglückt darf nun dich, o Heimat They were lovers of poetry and Apollo, Rome’s leading opera house from Tannhäuser, Act III, Scene 1 music and at the Wartburg many during the 19th century, to stage the peaceful contests between the first performance of his Trovatore. Wagner completed his libretto for famous minnesingers took place. The opera received its premiere Tannhäuser on his 30th birthday, In the first scene of Act III, near on January 19. 1853. And what an May 22, 1843 and the musical the Castle of Wartburg, in a valley opening night it was! The eagerness setting two years later, on April 13, dark with the shadows of an autumn of the Roman public to hear Verdi’s 1845. Composed between The evening, the approach of a band of new work was extraordinary. The Flying Dutchman and Lohengrin, pilgrims returning from Rome is Tiber had overflowed its banks and Tannhäuser was first performed on heard in the distance. The procession invaded the whole district near the October 14, 1845 at the Dresden nears, then the pilgrims march by. theater. Even so, the public would Hofoper where the 32 year old Triumphant in their faith, they not be deterred; lines began to form composer was court conductor.

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