Program Notes (PDF)

Lincoln Center Festival lead support is provided by American Express July 15 –18 Avery Fisher Hall The Cleveland Orchestra Music Director and Conductor Franz Welser-Möst July 15 and 18 Richard Strauss Daphne Regine Hangler Norbert Ernst Andreas Schager Ain Anger Nancy Maultsby Concert Chorale of New York July 16 Olivier Messiaen Hymne Chronochromie Antonín Dv oˇrák Symphony No. 5 in F major July 17 Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 6 in F major (“Pastoral ”) Richard Strauss Symphonia domestica Major support for Lincoln Center Festival 2015 is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This performance is made possible in part by the Josie Robertson Fund for Lincoln Center. The Lincoln Center Festival 2015 presentation of the Cleveland Orchestra is made possible in part by generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Lincoln Center Festival 2015 is made possible in part with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL 2015 THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA A Conversation With Q: How is Daphne different from other Strauss operas and why does it fall into the Franz Welser-Möst “rarely performed yet much-discussed work” category? Question: What do you like most about is different from other Daphne FW-M: Daphne Strauss’s ? What are the musical Strauss operas because it is equally a challenges and rewards of this opera? challenge for the orchestra and for the What I like most Franz Welser-Möst: singers, and also in how it must be acted out. about is that it is ancient Greek Daphne This is why, in part, it is so rarely performed. mythology, but turned into a musical Stylistically, Strauss was a huge fan of the dream—especially the conclusion when history and the legends of ancient Greek Daphne turns into a tree. The transformation culture. He read all of the philosophers, and scene includes some of the most beautiful knew their work inside and out. For him, music written by Strauss. In this moment this opera was a piece that communicates of the opera, in the musical writing and in everything humanity is about, both the how it echoes the emotions of the characters, good and the bad. Strauss was an atheist, it is on the same level of beauty as the final but he had very strong beliefs in humanity. sections of and . Der Rosenkavalier Capriccio Hellenistic culture was important to him as the root and source of Western culture. He The challenge with Daphne is that it is so hellishly difficult. This is one of the most supposedly complained to the school his technically complex scores that Strauss grandson attended because he felt that the ever wrote. The roles of Daphne and Apollo young boy was not getting a solid education are extraordinarily demanding vocally, and in ancient Greek learning and philosophy. require great stamina. In fact, these lead This shows us that Daphne was more than roles are virtually impossible to sing. It is so just a legend for him. Daphne was important rare to find singers who can perform to Strauss because of all that it represents. them—in recent history, or even looking back all the way since it was written, aside Q: How do the works that make up these from the great American heldentenor three concerts relate to one other? How do James King, there have been very few you view the aspects of the natural world and tenors able to sing Apollo. Yet we have human nature within them and across them? assembled a cast that can make this opera FW-M: When you look at Daphne , nature soar. The technical demands for all the and the forces of nature are represented by singers across the opera are almost inhuman, the ancient Greek gods: Gaea as mother but this can make them even more godlike earth and Peneios as god of the sea. The in the way they must approach each role. other two programs we are playing reflect LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL 2015 THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA patterns and ideas along this same Orchestra, and we are excited to share theme—of the forces of nature coming with New York audiences the opportunity together to create and to inspire, to affect to experience Daphne in concert. humanity and to reflect truths from within. We look at Dvo ˇrák, who always found The Cleveland Orchestra is an ensemble inspiration from nature for his compositions, that really enjoys challenges. The musicians and at Messiaen, who listened to nature don’t want to do the same thing over and for new ideas. We continue with over. They are always excited to play a Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony and work like Daphne , and the works we are Strauss’s Symphonia domestica . Through presenting alongside it by Strauss, all of these works, nature is received and Messiaen, Beethoven, and Dvo rˇák—to interpreted in unique ways by a group of tackle things that are uncommon, or to great composers. perform standards with fresh perspectives. Taken together, the works we are presenting Q: Why are you excited for The Cleveland at Lincoln Center Festival are incredibly Orchestra to perform these works in New challenging, both musically and thematically. York at the Lincoln Center Festival? When we were at FW-M: We suggested Daphne for this Lincoln Center Festival summer’s Festival because it is rarely per - performing works by John Adams and formed and the festival is always looking for Bruckner in 2011, it was a huge challenge to something different, for programming that present all of those works within just a few challenges the audience and the boundaries days. All of us were really excited about it, of traditional performance. This score is a and gave every note our full attention—and fantastic opportunity for The Cleveland were genuinely and happily tired afterwards! The Cleveland Orchestra Music Director and Conductor Franz Welser-Möst Wednesday, July 15, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 18, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. Daphne OPERA IN CONCERT Bucolic Tragedy in One Act, Op. 82 Music Richard Strauss (1864-1949) Libretto Joseph Gregor (1888-1960) Daphne Regine Hangler Leukippos, a shepherd Norbert Ernst Apollo, the sun god Andreas Schager Peneios, Daphne’s father, a fisherman Ain Anger Gaea, wife to Peneios Nancy Maultsby Shepherds Christopher Feigum, Matthew Plenk, Ryan Speedo Green, Nikola Budimir Maids Lauren Snouffer, Anya Matanovic Concert Chorale of New York Approximate performance time: 1 hour 35 minutes, with no intermission These performances of Strauss’s Daphne are made possible in part by a generous grant to The Cleveland Orchestra from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL 2015 THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA Synopsis It is the eve of the summer Festival of Dionysos. Near Peneios’s hut on the shore of the river bearing his name. Upon instructions from Daphne’s father, Peneios, and her mother Gaea, Shepherds are preparing for the annual feast in celebration of the god. As the twilight emerges from the setting sun, Daphne praises the beauty and peace of the natural world and the natural warmth of sunlight. She laments the clumsy ways of men, who spoil nature’s simplicity. The shepherd Leukippos, Daphne’s childhood friend and playmate, reminisces with her about the past. He tries to embrace her lovingly, but she rejects both him and the coming festivities of wine and human pleasures. She refuses to wear the special clothes that have been made for her. Two maidens persuade Leukippos to wear the clothes instead. Apollo arrives disguised as a cowherd. Daphne’s father Peneios orders her to make the stranger feel welcome. Apollo is passionately drawn to Daphne. She is intrigued by his poetic visions of the sun, but will not surrender to him fully. The celebration of Dionysos begins, and the disguised Leukippos offers Daphne a taste of wine. She accepts, believing it to be just a ritual for women. But Apollo becomes jealous and causes the sky to explode in thunder. Apollo says that Leukippos is not who he appears to be, forcing Daphne’s friend to reveal himself. Leukippos, in turn, challenges Apollo to reveal his true identity. Apollo and Leukippos argue for Daphne’s attention and affections. Leukippos calls the god a liar, and Apollo angers. Daphne is conflicted in her heart and cannot protect her childhood friend. Apollo kills him. Daphne acknowledges her responsibility for the tragedy that has unfolded. Apollo begs forgiveness, asking to love Daphne in the ennobled form of a laurel tree. She tries to move, but is unable to as her transformation begins, until her silvery disembodied voice is heard above her shimmering laurel leaves. LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL 2015 THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA About the Program book Strauss admired titled History of the Theater . In July 1935, Gregor stayed for several weeks at Strauss’s villa in Richard Strauss Garmisch while the two worked on an Daphne , Op. 82 (1935 –37) operatic double bill: the Zweig-inspired The death in 1929 of poet and dramatist Friedenstag and another one-act based on Hugo von Hofmannsthal threatened to bring Gregor’s own version of the Greek myth the entire Richard Strauss opera enterprise of Daphne. to a halt. During their first collaboration, on The latter subject must have appealed to Elektra in 1906, Strauss had pronounced himself and Hofmannsthal “made for each Strauss’s competitive side, since the story other”—and subsequently proved it in of the maiden wooed by gods and mortals and rescued from them by being transformed operas including Der Rosenkavalier , into a laurel tree had inspired the first Ariadne auf Naxos , and Die Frau ohne opera ever performed, Jacopo Peri’s Schatten .

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