Opera Productions Old and New

5. Grandest of the Grand Grand Opera

 Essentially a French phenomenon of the 1830s through 1850s, although many of its composers were foreign.

 Large-scale works in five acts (sometimes four), calling for many scene-changes and much theatrical spectacle.

 Subjects taken from history or historical myth, involving clear moral choices.

 Highly demanding vocal roles, requiring large ranges, agility, stamina, and power.

 Orchestra more than accompaniment, painting the scene, or commenting.

 Substantial use of the chorus, who typically open or close each act.

 Extended ballet sequences, in the second or third acts.

Robert le diable at the Opéra Giacomo Meyerbeer (Jacob Liebmann Beer, 1791–1864)

Germany, 1791 Italy, 1816 Paris, 1825

Grand Operas for PAris

1831, Robert le diable 1836, Les Huguenots 1849, Le prophète 1865, L’Africaine

Premiere of Le prophète, 1849 The Characters in Robert le Diable

ROBERT (tenor), Duke of Normandy, supposedly the offspring of his mother’s liaison with a demon.

BERTRAM (bass), Robert’s mentor and friend, but actually his father, in thrall to the Devil.

ISABELLE (coloratura soprano), Princess of Sicily, in love with Robert, though committed to marry the winner of an upcoming tournament.

ALICE (lyric soprano), Robert’s foster-sister, the moral reference-point of the opera.

Courbet: Louis Guéymard as Robert le diable Robert le diable, original design for Act One Robert le diable, Act One (Chantal Thomas, designer) Robert le diable, Act Two (Chantal Thomas, designer) Robert le diable, Act Two (Chantal Thomas, designer) Robert le diable, Act Three (Chantal Thomas, designer) Degas: The Nun’s Ballet in Robert le diable The Nun’s ballet in Robert le diable (Paris Opéra, date unknown) Robert le diable, Ballet of the Dead Nuns (Lionel Hoche, choreographer) Robert le diable, Act V trio: Bertram (Nicolas Levasseur), Robert (Adolphe Nourrit), Alice (Cornélie Falcon)

Opera Productions Old and New Gioacchin0 Rossini (1792–1868)

Guillaume Tell premiered in Paris in 1829 Based on Wilhelm Tell (1804) by Friedrich Schiller The last of Rossini’s roughly three dozen operas William Tell

Swiss folk hero, possibly legendary, but rooted in a period of real national struggle.

Assassinates Albrech Gessler, representative of the Habsburg monarchy, traditional date 1307.

Triggers rebellion of the Swiss cantons against Austrian rule, leading to the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy.

Schiller: Wilhelm Tell (1804) Rossini: Guillaume Tell (1829) Guillaume Tell, opening scene Covent Garden, London, 2015 (Damiano Michieletto,director ) La Scala Vienna

La Scala Guillaume Tell, Act III, scene 2 (London, 2015, Damiano Michieletto, director) Guillaume Tell, Act II finale (London, 2015, Damiano Michieletto,director ) Opera Productions Old and New