sign in sign up
<<
Home , Albert Vanloo, Burlesque, Charles Lecocq, Joseph (opera), La dame blanche, La nonne sanglante

Opéra-Comique Overtures

BOIELDIEU DELIBES • GOUNOD HALÉVY • HÉROLD LECOCQ • MAILLART MÉHUL • OFFENBACH

ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra

Michael Halász BOIELDIEU • DELIBES • GOUNOD • HALÉVY • HÉROLD LECOCQ • MAILLART • MÉHUL • OFFENBACH Opéra-Comique Overtures

All the in this collection were produced performance: Opéra, 18 October 1854) before in . being replaced by a short dramatic prelude. The scenario was considered by eight other Gluck, Mozart and Beethoven gave a general composers (including Verdi and Berlioz), before character to their overtures, as independent taken on by the young Gounod. The has preface to a dramatic composition. Cherubini and been revived with some interest in Osnabrück Méhul also wrote special pieces appropriate to the 2008 and Paris 2018. This overture comes genre of their works. The enterprising Boieldieu across as an abstract work, in the mode of was one of the first to introduce reminiscences, a Mendelssohn. (There is a suggestion of the foretaste of motifs drawn from the work in question. supernatural in allusion to the latter’s Die schöne Hérold, Auber and Adam followed his example, Melusine Overture, Op. 32, 1834.) It is in strict using a truncated sonata principle as developed sonata form, with a bland orchestral pallet. The by Rossini. The charming genre of opéra-comique introduction begins with a horn chord, over cello was an intermediary between grand opera and ruminations, rising to a quivering arpeggiated burlesque that emerged in the 1860s, woodwind motif often associated with water, with a radical change in tone after 1870. There is followed by mysterious fluttering triplet figures. a development of the opéra-comique genre from The first subject suddenly starts, rising figures, Boieldieu and Méhul in the early 19th century, upward runs over a deep . A leaping through the classic examples of Hérold, Halévy minor-keyed string motif leads into a somewhat and Maillart, into the operetta style of Offenbach, yearning woodwind melody, with a slow horn call Lecocq and Ganne – presenting a progression and answering winds. The quivering water figure and radical social change in style, wit and taste. returns to begin the development section with the aspiring string theme and responding woodwinds (1818–1893), the famous prominent. The recapitulation clearly enunciates composer of (1859) and Romeo et the returning motifs, with a drum toll leading into Juliette (1867). The Ouverture dramatique is an a quick coda. Gounod’s most famous works arrangement for smaller orchestra (orchestre have short preludes; his notable overtures were restreint) made in 1925 by Charles Delsaux. It provided for the opéras-comiques Le Médecin was intended as the overture to the unsuccessful malgré lui (1858) and (1864). Gothic opera (Eugène Scribe and Germain Delavigne, after an episode Fromental Halévy (1799–1862), composer of the in Matthew Lewis’s The Monk 1795; first tragic and sublime grand opera La Juive (1835).

8.574122 2 Les Mousquetaires de la reine is an opéra-comique contradict the king, adopts a peasant boy, who in three acts (: Jules-Henri Vernoy de leads a wild life, and is eventually presumed Saint-Georges; first performance: Salle Favart 2, dead in a duel. When the king expresses his 2 February 1846). The story is set in the 1620s, condolences, the marquis takes the opportunity when Louis XIII and his court temporarily moved to send the errant boy back to the fields. The to Poitou to await the start of the siege of La music is graceful, lively, skillfully written. The Rochelle. The Queen’s musketeers have been overture uses a gavotte and march in the archaic forbidden dueling. Bored, with no challenges or style. It begins with a bright sharp processional fighting to distract them, they drink, brag, brawl theme for full orchestra, shifting to a delicate and dream of beautiful damsels. The composer motif for the strings with woodwind counterpoint. depicted the characters with a thrilling veracity. After a return to the opening, a quiet meditative The overture has more verve and elegance than melody for the clarinet emerges, and is taken any other orchestral work by Halévy. It generates up by the strings. Staccato woodwind figures a certain febrile atmosphere in its use of loud lead into a bustling motif for the violins which outbursts and exuberant rhythms. The opening broadens out before the emergence of a new is bold, with lighthearted woodwind cascades. meditative idea which is developed at some Decisive chords lead into a suave horn solo length. The staccato motif returns before being with rushing commentary that transposes into swept away by the strong emphatic coda. The the skittish, mercurial main subject. A grandiose work was revived with revisions on 3 June 1885. passage with fanfares leads by tripping strings into a lighthearted march, woodwinds over Louis--Ferdinand Hérold (1791–1833), strings. More fanfare developments transpose composer of the ballet La Fille mal gardée (1828) into the recapitulation of both main themes, with and the charming Le Pré aux clercs (1832). the march whipped up into a preroration and Zampa, ou La Fiancée de marbre is an opéra- breathless coda. This was one of the composer’s comique in three acts (libretto: Mélesville [Anne- very best opéras-comiques, performed some 200 Honoré-Joseph Duveyrier]; first performance: times until 1860. Salle Ventadour, 3 May 1831). The story resembles Don Giovanni, with a statue taking Clément-Philibert-Léo Delibes (1836–1891), revenge on an inveterate seducer. Zampa renowned composer of Coppélia (1870) and is a marauding pirate chief in Sicily. When Lakmé (1883). Le Roi l’a dit is an opéra-comique he approaches his latest unfortunate victim, in three acts (libretto: ; first Camille, she eludes him, and he finds himself in performance: Salle Favart 2, 24 May 1873). The the embrace of the marble statue of his erstwhile Marquis of Moncontour has become the favourite love Alice Manfredi, who drags him into the of Louis XIV, who mistakenly observes that the sea with her. The opera was very popular and marquis has a son. The marquis, not daring to retained in the repertory until 1913. Hérold died

3 8.574122 just as his genius flowered in his two final works. to Pharaoh. Because of the widespread famine, The overture is a particularly fine example of ’s sons have come seeking food and its type, perfectly paced, orchestrated with a refuge for their tribe. Joseph now reveals his remarkable instrumental colour, and anticipating identity, and forgives his brothers. All praise the the story of seduction and the supernatural to God of goodness and mercy. The overture, with follow. It presents a suite of the most brilliant its chant-like motifs, establishes the setting, with motifs, magnificently exuberant and dramatic, its remote mood. It begins with a smooth adagio, optimally scored. There are five themes from the an effect produced by the purity of the harmony, work, immediately sweeping the listener away all the stringed instruments playing only two with its rushing opening allegro, the chorus of parts. This is followed by a four-bar theme of pirates from the Act I finale. The torrential music the greatest simplicity, developed in a masterly is pulled short by dramatic chords, and an eerie manner. This theme has a melodic formula descending chromatic passage that establishes borrowed from the eighth mode of plainchant, the the supernatural aura of the tale. The ballad of hypomixolydian. This is repeated throughout the Alice Manfredi follows, gentle and pathetic, before work, imparting a particular character of religion, being slowly taken up by a quickening pace that antiquity and grandeur. Méhul’s uses intervals builds into the explosively dramatic development, and cadences recalling the first impressions of suddenly again pulled short by a chordal sequence, his youthful sojourn in the abbeys of Récollets into complete silence, broken by a wistful recital for and Prémontrés where he functioned as organist. the clarinet. This deftly launches into a bouncing, Héléna is an opéra in three acts (libretto: bumptious skipping motif associated with Zampa Jacques-Antoine de Révéroni Saint-Cyr and himself, bursting into brassy fanfares and another Jean-Nicolas Bouilly; first performance: Feydeau, development sequence, the melody repeated with 1 March 1803). Constantin, Count of Arles, has strong horn syncopation, before the brilliant coda been accused of killing his father. He flees with his with its rushing strings. wife Héléna to escape the anger of the common people, egged on by the new count, Romuald. Étienne Méhul (1763–1817), encouraged by The couple wander through forests trying to Gluck, wrote Revolutionary music and was escape their pursuers. The people demand that influential in the development of . Héléna and her son should be executed unless Joseph is an opéra-comique in three acts (libretto: Constantin surrenders himself. On his deathbed Alexandre Duval, after the , Romuald confesses to the murder of Constantin’s ch. 37:41–45; Feydeau, 17 February 1807). The father. The people are persuaded of Constantin’s action takes place in Ancient Memphis. Joseph innocence and the opera ends happily. The tells how his brothers sold him into slavery, overture is bright and arresting, and maintains a and of his subsequent rise to power after his lively character throughout, with repetitive figures prophetic interpretation of dreams and advice generating a motor propulsion. It is dominated

8.574122 4 by the brightly emphatic opening motif (three touching and tender character. The overture is identical semiquavers rising to a crochet), a striking, essentially a potpourri in binary form. It chordal sequence dominated by the strings. This opens with a grand marching theme, repeated is the same rhythmic pattern as the opening motif piano, then pianissimo. There is a transition of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. This leads by to a lyrical adagio, growing to an emotional way of an appogiated bass line into the second crescendo. The main theme is a tripping allegro, subject, extensively repeated with woodwind like an equine canter, punctuated by loud chords. commentary and bell-like figures. The opening This transmutes into a cantabile melody for the theme returns only to be suddenly interrupted trumpet with gentle string figurations, leading by a bright trumpet call, introducing a portentous back into the first theme. Full chords initiate a stillness. The first theme now passes in variation loud transition to a reprise of the cantabile, now between the various instrumental groups for high woodwinds then full orchestra, before before a full reprise of both subjects, the first launching into the sparkling coda. Act III is the then transforming into the coda. There were 36 most musical of the work, with the couplets of performances in 20 months before it disappeared reproach ‘Pour vous sauver, on se dévoue’, and from the repertoire. Beethoven’s liberating trumpet the touching duet of tears ‘Tu pleures, Graziella’. call in Fidelio was inspired by Héléna. The work was very successful.

Alexandre- (1832–1918), Aimé Maillart (1817–1871), an obscure figure principal composer of the second period of though he opened Adam’s Opéra-National with French operetta (the early Third Republic), his opera Gastibelza. Les Dragons de Villars is especially of the charming La Fille de Madame an opéra-comique in three acts (libretto: Eugène Angot. Graziella, ou la Petite mariée is an opéra- Cormon and Joseph Lockroy; first performance: bouffe in three acts (libretto: and Théâtre Lyrique, 19 September 1856). The story Eugène Leterrier; first performance: Théâtre was borrowed from La Petite Fadette by George de la Renaissance, 21 December 1875). This Sand, updated by the librettists to the time of work is one of the best comic operas by this Louis XIV. Rose Friquet is a young woman prolific composer. Graziella, having just married whose bizarre character has rendered her an San Carlo, who loves her, is an object of object of suspicion and aversion throughout the interest to the podestà Rodolfo. To escape his countryside. Under this singular exterior, she attentions, she is obliged to pass for the wife of hides an excellent heart and a perceptive spirit. Montefiasco, himself in the power of a spouse Thanks to her, some wretched outlaws are able who is uncompromising on the subject of her to escape from a cave in Cévennes where they conjugal rights, insisting on them with riding crop had found refuge, and are able to capture Savoy. in hand. The young married couple undergo a She saves the farmer Thibaud from a misguided variety of comical incidents, many of them of a marriage just in time. Finally, she inspires a

5 8.574122 sincere and passionate love in the young villager in the manner of the ‘Turkish operas’ prevalent Sylvain, and the two are married. The overture since Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail. It makes use of the military instruments to set begins with a serene, almost langorous melody the scene, and focuses on the character of the for the strings before the commencement of the heroine, whose nodal is cited at length. The cheerful and vivacious allegro, announced on score abounds in charming, beautiful melodies. dancing strings with woodwind ripostes before an The prayer ‘Soutien de l’innocent’ has a strong exhilarating tutti. Three mildly exotic themes are harmony and largeness of melody that perfectly developed with skill, and there is persistent use captures the energetic character and religious of jangling percussion (cymbals and triangle). fervour of the inhabitants of Cévennes. The The work had nearly 800 performances into the opera, which had 153 performances by 1863, late 19th century. became popular throughout Europe, passing to New Orleans (1859), New York (1868), and even (1819–1880), the famous Mauritius (1872). Revived at the Opéra-Comique creator of the first period of French operetta (the in 1868, it achieved 377 performances by 1917. Second Empire), with the legendary Orphée aux enfers (1858). Le Mariage aux lanternes François- Boieldieu (1775–1834), composer is an opérette in one act (libretto: Jules Dubois of the famous Romantic La Dame blanche, and [Michel Carré] and Léon Battu; first performance: the father figure of the genre in the 19th century. Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens [Salle Choiseul], is an opéra-comique in one 10 October 1857). This was a reworking of act (Claude Godard d’Aucour, after a tale from Offenbach’s Le Trésor à Mathurin (1853). A Thousand and One Nights; first performance: Denise, industrious, but taciturn and sad, works Salle Favart 1, 16 December 1800). This was on the farm of her cousin Guillot. Denise is in the composer’s first great success. Two years love with Guillot but does not dare to confess later he married the dancer Clothilde Malfleurai, this to him. Both receive letters from an uncle, in but disillusioned by her infidelities, he left for St which they are requested to come to the village Petersburg to work for Tsar Alexander I (1804– linden when the bells ring for Vespers: there they 10). The Caliph Isaoin wants reassurance that he will find a treasure. When the two appear at the can be loved for his own sake, and in disguise fixed time, the meaning of the letter becomes pays court to the lovely Zetulbé. Despite all clear. Under the light of the nightwatchman’s his deceptive tricks, the young girl’s affections lantern, Denise and Guillot are betrothed. This remain constant. The music is charming, of great was one of the composer’s most popular one-act freshness. The overture is one of Boieldieu’s works, one in his more pastoral and sentimental best orchestral pieces, a delightful fantasy style rather than the bouffonnerie of some of his on the opera, notable for its depiction of local contemporary stage works. The short overture colour, with restrained use of Oriental effects begins with a slow dotted rhythm, moving into

8.574122 6 a woodwind melody for the lovers, repeated in accelerating in crescendo to a reprise for the full broken form, transitioning into 6/8 for the oboe, orchestra, before launching into the exhilarating then all the woodwind, then the full orchestra. coda. The work was produced in Berlin, Vienna This builds in crescendo to a second melody, (1858), Prague, Graz, Budapest (1859), London, very lyrical, for high strings and bell, of gossamer New York, , Stockholm (1860), Moscow delicacy, representing the Vesper hour. There (1871), Milan (1875), and Grahamstown (1972). is another transition to an augmented repeat, Robert Ignatius Letellier

ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra

Photo: Lukas Beck

An ensemble of international renown, the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (ORF Vienna RSO) is a paragon of Viennese orchestral tradition. Known for its exceptional programming, the orchestra combines 19th-century repertoire with contemporary works and rarely performed pieces from other periods. All ORF Vienna RSO performances are broadcast on the radio, and the orchestra performs

7 8.574122 in two subscription series in Vienna, in the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus. In addition, it appears every year at major Austrian and international festivals, such as the Salzburg Festival, musikprotokoll im steierischen herbst and Wien Modern. The ORF Vienna RSO enjoys a successful collaboration with the Theater an der Wien, has an excellent reputation as an opera orchestra, and is also equally at home in the film music genre. The orchestra regularly tours internationally, and its discography spans a broad range of cross-genre recordings. Under the leadership of its former chief conductors, which include Milan Horvat, Leif Segerstam, Lothar Zagrosek, Pinchas Steinberg, Dennis Russell Davies, Bertrand de Billy and Cornelius Meister, the orchestra has continuously expanded its repertoire and its international reputation. Marin Alsop is the current chief conductor. www.rso.orf.at

Michael Halász Michael Halász’s first engagement as a conductor was at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Munich, where, between 1972 and 1975, he directed all operetta productions. In 1975 he moved to Frankfurt to work as principal Kapellmeister with Christoph von Dohnányi, and here he conducted the most important works of the operatic repertoire. Many engagements as a guest conductor followed and in 1977 Dohnányi took him to the Staatsoper Hamburg as principal Kapellmeister. From 1978 to 1991 he was GMD (general music director) of the Hagen Opera House and in 1991 he took up the post of resident conductor at the Wiener Staatsoper for 20 years. Michael Halász’s recordings for Naxos include ballets by Tchaikovsky, operatic excerpts of Wagner, symphonies by Beethoven, Schubert and Mahler, Rossini’s overtures, three volumes of Liszt’s symphonic poems (the latter critically acclaimed by the Penguin Guide), Fidelio (8.660070-71), Don Giovanni (8.660080-82), Le nozze di Figaro (8.660102-04), Die Zauberflöte (8.660030-31), and a pioneering recording of Schreker’s opera Der ferne Klang (8.660074-75). He has also recorded Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Orfeo (8.550766), ’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (8.553379), Rubinstein’s (8.555394) and, for Marco Polo, ballet music by Rubinstein (8.220451) and Schmidt’s Symphony No. 1 (8.223119).

8.574122 8 NAXOS OPÉRA-COMIQUE OVERTURES 8.574122

℗ & © 2020 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd Booklet notes in English Made in 67:01 DDD 8.574122 Playing Time 7 47313 41227 3 www.naxos.com 7:28 5:29 5:37 8:10 6:33 8:07 5:53 6:00 6:00 7:23 Michael Halász (c. 1800) by Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761–1845) ℗ & © 2020 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra Radio Symphony Vienna ORF OPÉRA-COMIQUE OVERTURES OPÉRA-COMIQUE Cover: François-Adrien Boieldieu Recorded: 10, 11 and 30 January 2019 at Großer Sendesaal, ORF Funkhaus, Vienna, Austria Vienna, and 30 January 2019 at Großer Sendesaal, ORF Funkhaus, Recorded: 10, 11 Producer and editor: Erich Hofmann • Engineer: Friedrich Trondl • Booklet notes: Robert Ignatius Letellier Trondl Producer and editor: Erich Hofmann • Engineer: Friedrich (1817–1871) Louis-Aimé MAILLART (1775–1834) François-Adrien BOIELDIEU Jacques OFFENBACH (1819–1880) Jacques Fromental HALÉVY (1799–1862) HALÉVY Jacques Fromental (1836–1891) Léo DELIBES Ferdinand HÉROLD (1791–1833) (1763–1817) MÉHUL Étienne-Nicolas LECOCQ (1832–1918) Alexandre-Charles Charles GOUNOD (1818–1893) Charles GOUNOD (‘The Dragoons of Villars’ or ‘The Hermit’s Bell’) ‘The Hermit’s or Villars’ (‘The Dragoons of Villars Les Dragons de (1800) of Baghdad’) – Overture Le Calife de Bagdad (‘The Caliph (1857) Lantern Light’) – Overture by (‘Marriage Le Mariage aux lanternes (1846) – Overture Musketeers’) (‘The Queen’s de la reine Les Mousquetaires (1873) King Has Spoken’) – Overture Le Roi l’a dit (‘The (1831) Zampa – Overture (1805) Joseph – Overture (1803) Héléna – Overture (1875) – Overture Wife’) (‘The Little La Petite mariée La Nonne sanglante (‘The Bleeding Nun’) – Ouverture dramatique (1854) (‘The Bleeding Nun’) – Ouverture La Nonne sanglante (arr. Charles Delsaux, 18??–1958) (1925) Charles Delsaux, (arr. (1856) – Overture

8 9 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

emerged in the 19th century as an intermediary between grand opera and and grand opera between an intermediary as century the 19th in emerged Opéra-comique the origins tracing genre, distinct as a its progression charts album This operetta. burlesque such as of masters vitality the classic via the century in early and Méhul Boieldieu from features, innovative With and Lecocq. of Offenbach style operetta into the Maillart and Hérold very popular proved writing, the operas atmospheric , wit and orchestration, colourful charm. and vivacity immense their encapsulate overtures and these

NAXOS OPÉRA-COMIQUE OVERTURES 8.574122