Opera Choruses Booklet - Buywell

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RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO 1857-1919 7 Din, don, suona vespero (Bell Chorus) from Pagliacci 3’05 Words by Ruggero Leoncavallo Like Mascagni, Leoncavallo was a master of verismo opera, and Pagliacci is one of his best-loved works. Its principal characters are members of a troupe of players who travel around performing to the Italian peasantry. Much is made of the contrast between the comic characters the principals must play, and the dark emotions of their real lives. The players arrive in the village, to much excitement from the locals. Some good-natured teasing from the crowd provokes a surprisingly vehement response when one of the players, Canio, threatens violence should his wife Nedda ever be unfaithful. The villagers are slightly shocked by his intensity, although he tries to smooth it over with a reassuring kiss on Nedda’s forehead. The church bells ring for vespers, and the people sing the Bell Chorus as they disperse to the church or to the tavern. This cheerful chorus is carefully placed to provide much-needed lightness – against which the shadows of Canio’s temper, when Nedda does indeed turn out to be unfaithful, will stand out more strongly. It also gives the audience a momentary emotional respite, too, with its charming ‘din don’ motif. GIUSEPPE VERDI 8 Patria oppressa (Chorus of the Scottish Refugees) from Macbeth 5’54 Words by Francesco Maria Piave 1810-1876, after William Shakespeare Macbeth was the first of Shakespeare’s plays to be set by Verdi, and although the later Falstaff and Otello now appear more often in the programs of opera companies, it is also a wonderful piece of musical drama. It was written in 1846, before most of his really big successes, though after the instant hit Nabucco (1844). The latter’s Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves is echoed in Macbeth’s Chorus of the Scottish Refugees, which opens Act IV with an affecting scene of displaced people longing for their country’s freedom (in this case, from the tyrant Macbeth). WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART 1756-1791 9 O Isis und Osiris, welche Wonne! (Chorus of the Priests) from The Magic Flute 2’33 Words by Emanuel Schikaneder 1751-1812 The Magic Flute was written in 1791, the year of Mozart’s death. Happily, he lived long enough to enjoy its success with Viennese audiences. Technically it is a ‘Singspiel’, sung in the vernacular German and including spoken moments (rather than the grander ‘opera’, which was entirely sung, usually in Italian). Its enduring appeal springs not only from its many great melodies, showy arias and wonderful characters, but also from its unifying theme of good triumphing over evil, through love. Mozart was a Freemason, and musicologists and social historians have enjoyed picking out all the Masonic references in this work. Not least among these is the symbolism given to Sarastro, the high priest, and his under-priests. They gather as the hero, Tamino, prepares to undergo trials by fire and by water, and in this chorus they pray to Isis and Osiris, rejoicing that their new initiate’s enlightenment is near. GIACOMO PUCCINI 0 Gira la cote (Turn the grindstone!) from Turandot 2’37 Words by Giuseppe Adami 1878-1946 and Renato Simoni 1875-1952 Turandot was the last opera Puccini worked on before his death, and he never completed it. Like Madama Butterfly, it is notable for its attention to musical colouring. At least eight Chinese melodies have been identified in the score, and the instrumentation (such as the percussion in this chorus) also reflects a fin-de-siècle Italian conception of Asian timbres. Some scholars have thought that Puccini would never have finished this work anyway. The main problem is that the icy and cruel Princess Turandot has a complete change of heart in the final act for no apparent reason. As well, the supposedly secondary soprano role, the slave girl Liù, is far more developed and appealing as a character. Liù loves her master’s son, the Prince Calaf of Tartary, who must remain disguised, as his country has been conquered by Turandot’s father. Calaf is smitten by the sight of Turandot, who is avoiding marriage by setting suitors the challenge of answering three riddles. Failure means execution. This bloodthirsty behaviour provides the opera with a striking opening, as a handsome young Prince of Persia is led to his death. The chorus shouts ‘Turn the grindstone!’ to the executioner sharpening the blade. 6 7
GIUSEPPE VERDI ! Gloria all’Egitto (Triumphal March) from Aida 12’11 Words by Antonio Ghislanzoni 1824-1893 Egypt’s leader in 1869, Ismail Pasha, was fully aware of the international public relations value of culture. He asked the world-famous Italian composer, Verdi, to write a piece for the opening of the Suez Canal; when that was refused, he commissioned a work for the new opera house in Cairo. Time was short, and so it was the earlier Rigoletto which opened the house. But in 1871 Cairo saw the premiere of its very own Egyptian-themed opera, Aida, which has remained one of the most popular in the repertoire. As so often in Verdi, the political themes – war between Egypt and what he calls Ethiopia (really the ancient kingdom of Nubia) – are mirrored by a personal, human drama. Aida is an enslaved Ethiopian who serves the Egyptian princess Amneris. Both women love the Egyptian warrior Radames. Aida is torn between her personal love for him and her love and duty to her country. When Radames is off fighting her father, the Ethiopian king, she dreads the outcome. At the end of Act II, Amneris cruelly tricks Aida into thinking Radames is dead; this heightens the emotional drama of his subsequent triumphant return. These excerpts from the Act II finale are taken from the march – led by Radames – of the victorious army and their captives, with the Egyptian populace offering thanksgiving to the gods. MODEST MUSSORGSKY 1839-1881 @ Coronation Scene from Boris Godunov 6’01 Words by Modest Mussorgsky, after Alexander Pushkin; English translation by Narelle French Robert Harrington tenor solo The setting of Mussorgsky’s great opera is Russia in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Boris Godunov was a real historical figure, who loomed large in what is known in Russian history as ‘The Time of Troubles’. This was a period of political instability following the death of Ivan the Terrible which lasted until the rise of the Romanovs in 1613. Godunov is rich fodder for an opera subject, as (like Shakespeare’s Richard III) history, truth and legend are difficult to clarify at this distance. In the opera, the people are encouraged (or coerced) to acclaim Boris as the rightful Tsar. He accepts their greeting in the marvellous Coronation Scene: a dramatic and colourful extravaganza which the impresario Diaghilev felt really required a minimum of 300 people on stage to do it justice! The orchestra mimics the bells of Moscow as a great procession makes its way to the Cathedral for Boris’ coronation. Afterwards, the people cheer him back to the royal apartments with shouts of ‘Glory! Glory!’ K.P. Kemp 8 The <strong>Opera</strong> Queensland Chorus in Puccini’s Turandot (director: Graeme Murphy), 2008 9
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Opera Choruses Booklet - Buywell

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