The Complete Opera Book Part 5

Emanuel Johann Schikaneder, who wrote it with the aid of a chorister named Gieseke, was a friend of Mozart and a member of the same Masonic Lodge. He also was the manager of a theatrical company and had persuaded Mozart to compose the music to a puppet show for him. He had selected for this show the story of "Lulu" by Liebeskind, which had appeared in a volume of Oriental tales brought out by Wieland under the t.i.tle of "Dschinnistan." In the original tale a wicked sorcerer has stolen the daughter of the Queen of Night, who is restored by a Prince by means of magic. While Schikaneder was busy on his libretto, a fairy story by Perinet, music by Wenzel Muller, and treating of the same subject, was given at another Viennese theatre. Its great success interfered with Schikaneder's original plan.

At that time, however, freemasonry was a much discussed subject. It had been interdicted by Maria Theresa and armed forces were employed to break up the lodges. As a practical man Schikaneder saw his chance to exploit the interdicted rites on the stage. Out of the wicked sorcerer he made _Sarastro_, the sage priest of Isis. The ordeals of _Tamino_ and _Pamina_ became copies of the ceremonials of freemasonry.

He also laid the scene of the opera in Egypt, where freemasonry believes its rites to have originated. In addition to all this Mozart's beautiful music enn.o.bled the libretto even in its dull and unpoetical pa.s.sages, and lent to the whole a touch of the mysterious and sacred. "The muse of Mozart lightly bears her century of existence," writes a French authority, of this score.

Because of its supposed relation to freemasonry, commentators have identified the vengeful _Queen of the Night_ with Maria Theresa, and _Tamino_ with the Emperor. _Pamina_, _Papageno_, and _Papagena_ are set down as types of the people, and _Monostatos_ as the fugleman of monasticism.

Mozart wrote on "The Magic Flute" from March until July and in September, 1791. September 30, two months before his death, the first performance was given.

In the overture to "The Magic Flute" the heavy reiterated chords represent, it has been suggested, the knocking at the door of the lodge room, especially as they are heard again in the temple scene, when the novitiate of _Tamino_ is about to begin. The brilliancy of the fugued allegro often has been commented on as well as the resemblance of its theme to that of Clementi's sonata in B-flat.

The story of "The Magic Flute" opens Act I, with _Tamino_ endeavouring to escape from a huge snake. He trips in running and falls unconscious. Hearing his cries for help, three black-garbed _Ladies-in-Waiting_ of the _Queen of the Night_ appear and kill the snake with their spears. Quite unwillingly they leave the handsome youth, who, on recovering consciousness, sees dancing toward him an odd-looking man entirely covered with feathers. It is _Papageno_, a bird-catcher. He tells the astonished _Tamino_ that this is the realm of the _Queen of the Night_. Nor, seeing that the snake is dead, does he hesitate to boast that it was he who killed the monster. For this lie he is immediately punished. The three _Ladies-in-Waiting_ reappear and place a padlock on his mouth. Then they show _Tamino_ the miniature of a maiden, whose magical beauty at once fills his heart with ardent love. Enter the _Queen of the Night_. She tells _Tamino_ the portrait is that of her daughter, _Pamina_, who has been taken from her by a wicked sorcerer, _Sarastro_. She has chosen _Tamino_ to deliver the maiden and as a reward he will receive her hand in marriage. The _Queen_ then disappears and the three _Ladies-in-Waiting_ come back. They take the padlock from _Papageno's_ mouth, give him a set of chimes and _Tamino_ a golden flute. By the aid of these magical instruments they will be able to escape the perils of their journey, on which they will be accompanied by three youths or genii.

Change of scene. A richly furnished apartment in _Sarastro's_ palace is disclosed. A brutal Moor, _Monostatos_, is pursuing _Pamina_ with unwelcome attentions. The appearance of _Papageno_ puts him to flight.

The bird-catcher recognizes _Pamina_ as the daughter of the _Queen of the Night_, and a.s.sures her that she will soon be rescued. In the meantime the _Three Youths_ guide _Tamino_ to a grove where three temples stand. He is driven away from the doors of two, but at the third there appears a priest who informs him that _Sarastro_ is no tyrant, no wicked sorcerer as the _Queen_ had warned him, but a man of wisdom and of n.o.ble character.

The sound of _Papageno's_ voice arouses _Tamino_ from the meditations inspired by the words of the priest. He hastens forth and seeks to call his companion by playing on his flute. _Papageno_ is not alone.

He is trying to escape with _Pamina_, but is prevented by the appearance of _Monostatos_ and some slaves, who endeavour to seize them. But _Papageno_ sets the Moor and his slaves dancing by playing on his magic chimes.

Trumpet blasts announce the coming of _Sarastro_. _Pamina_ falls at the feet of the High Priest and explains that she was trying to escape the unwelcome attentions of the Moor. The latter now drags _Tamino_ in, but instead of the reward he expects, receives a sound flogging.

By the command of _Sarastro_, _Tamino_ and _Pamina_ are brought into the Temple of Ordeals, where they must prove that they are worthy of the higher happiness.

Act II. In the Palm Grove. _Sarastro_ informs the priests of the plans which he has laid. The G.o.ds have decided that _Pamina_ shall become the wife of the n.o.ble youth _Tamino_. _Tamino_, however, must prove, by his own power, that he is worthy of admission to the Temple.

Therefore _Sarastro_ has taken under his protection _Pamina_, daughter of the _Queen of the Night_, to whom is due all darkness and superst.i.tion. But the couple must go through severe ordeals in order to be worthy of entering the Temple of Light, and thus of thwarting the sinister machinations of the _Queen_.

In the succeeding scenes we see these fabulous ordeals, which _Tamino_, with the a.s.sistance of his magic flute and his own purity of purpose, finally overcomes in company with _Pamina_. Darkness is banished and the young couple enter into the light of the Temple of the Sun. _Papageno_ also fares well, for he receives _Papagena_ for wife.

There is much nonsense and even buffoonery in "The Magic Flute"; and, in spite of real n.o.bility in the role and music of _Sarastro_, Mr.

Krehbiel's comment that the piece should be regarded as somewhat in the same category as a Christmas pantomime is by no means far-fetched.

It lends itself to elaborate production, and spectacular performances of it have been given at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Its representation requires for the role of _Astrofiammante, Queen of the Night_, a soprano of extraordinarily high range and agility of voice, as each of the two great airs of this vengeful lady extend to high F and are so brilliant in style that one a.s.sociates with them almost anything but the dire outpouring of threats their text is intended to convey. They were composed because Mozart's sister-in-law, Josepha Weber (Mme. Hofer) was in the cast of the first performance and her voice was such as has been described above. The _Queen_ has an air in Act I and another in Act II. A quotation from the second, the so-called "Vengeance aria," will show the range and brilliancy of voice required of a singer in the role of _Astrofiammante_.

[Music]

One is surprised to learn that this _tour de force_ of brilliant vocalization is set to words beginning: "Vengeance of h.e.l.l is boiling in my bosom"; for by no means does it boil with a vengeance.

_Papageno_ in his dress of feathers is an amusing character. His first song, "A fowler bold in me you see," with interludes on his pipes, is jovial; and after his mouth has been padlocked his inarticulate and oft-repeated "Hm!" can always be made provocative of laughter. With _Pamina_ he has a charming duet "The manly heart that love desires."

The chimes with which he causes _Monostatos_ and his slaves to dance, w.i.l.l.y-nilly, are delightful and so is his duet with _Papagena_, near the end of the opera. _Tamino_, with the magic flute, charms the wild beasts. They come forth from their lairs and lie at his feet. "Thy magic tones shall speak for me," is his princ.i.p.al air. The concerted number for _Pamina_ and trio of female voices (the _Three Youths_ or genii) is of exceeding grace. The two _Men in Armour_, who in one of the scenes of the ordeals guard the portal to a subterranean cavern and announce to _Tamino_ the awards that await him, do so to the vocal strains of an old German sacred melody with much admired counterpoint in the orchestra.

Next, however, in significance to the music for _Astrofiammante_ and, indeed, of far n.o.bler character than the airs for the _Queen of the Night_, are the invocation of Isis by _Sarastro_, "O, Isis and Osiris," with its interluding chant of the priests, and his air, "Within this hallowed dwelling." Not only the solemnity of the vocal score but the beauty of the orchestral accompaniment, so rich, yet so restrained, justly cause these two numbers to rank with Mozart's finest achievements.

"Die Zauberflote" (The Magic Flute) was its composer's swan-song in opera and perhaps his greatest popular success. Yet he is said to have made little or nothing out of it, having reserved as his compensation the right to dispose of copies of the score to other theatres. Copies, however, were procured surrept.i.tiously; his last illness set in; and, poor business man that he was, others reaped the rewards of his genius.

In 1801, ten years after Mozart's death, there was produced in Paris an extraordinary version of "The Magic Flute," ent.i.tled "Les Mysteres d'Isis" (The Mysteries of Isis). Underlying this was a considerable portion of "The Magic Flute" score, but also introduced in it were fragments from other works of the composer ("Don Giovanni," "Figaro,"

"Clemenza di t.i.to") and even bits from Haydn symphonies. Yet this hodge-podge not only had great success--owing to the magic of Mozart's music--it actually was revived more than a quarter of a century later, and the real "Zauberflote" was not given in Paris until 1829.

Besides the operas discussed, Mozart produced (1781) "Idomeneo" and (1791) "La Clemenza di t.i.to." In 1768, when he was twelve years old, a one-act "Singspiel" or musical comedy, "Bastien and Bastienne," based on a French vaudeville by Mme. Favart, was privately played in Vienna.

With text rearranged by Max Kalbeck, the graceful little piece has been revived with success. The story is of the simplest. Two lovers, _Bastien_ (tenor) and _Bastienne_ (soprano), have quarrelled. Without the slightest complication in the plot, they are brought together by the third character, an old shepherd named _Colas_ (ba.s.s). "Der Schauspieldirektor" (The Impresario), another little comedy opera, produced 1786, introduces that clever rogue, Schikaneder, at whose entreaty "The Magic Flute" was composed. The other characters include Mozart himself, and Mme. Hofer, his sister-in-law, who was the _Queen of the Night_ in the original cast of "The Magic Flute." The story deals with the troubles of an impresario due to the jealousy of prima donnas. "Before they are engaged, opera singers are very engaging, except when they are engaged in singing." This line is from H.E.

Krehbiel's translation of the libretto, produced, with "Bastien and Bastienne" (translated by Alice Matullah, as a "lyric pastoral"), at the Empire Theatre, New York, October 26, 1916. These charming productions were made by the Society of American Singers with a company including David Bispham (Schikaneder and Colas), Albert Reiss (Mozart and Bastien), Mabel Garrison, and Lucy Gates; the direction that of Mr. Reiss.

There remain to be mentioned two other operatic comedies by Mozart: "The Elopement from the Serail" (Belmonte und Constanze), 1782, in three acts; and "Cos fan Tutte" (They All Do It), 1790, in two. The music of "Cos fan Tutte" is so sparkling that various attempts have been made to relieve it of the handicap imposed by the ba.n.a.lity of the original libretto by da Ponte. Herman Levi's version has proven the most successful of the various rearrangements. The characters are two Andalusian sisters, _Fiordiligi_ (soprano), _Dorabella_ (soprano); two officers, their fiances, _Ferrando_ (tenor), and _Guglielmo_ (baritone); _Alfonso_ (ba.s.s); and _Despina_ (soprano), maid to the two sisters.

_Alfonso_ lays a wager with the officers that, like all women, their fiancees will prove unfaithful, if opportunity were offered. The men pretend their regiment has been ordered to Havana, then return in disguise and lay siege to the young ladies. In various ways, including a threat of suicide, the women's sympathies are played upon. In the original they are moved to pledge their hearts and hands to the supposed new-comers. A reconciliation follows their simple p.r.o.nouncement that "they all do it."

In the revised version, they become cognizant of the intrigue, play their parts in it knowingly, at the right moment disclose their knowledge, shame their lovers, and forgive them. An actual wager laid in Vienna is said to have furnished the basis for da Ponte's libretto.

Ludwig van Beethoven

FIDELIO

"Fidelio," opera in two acts, by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Produced in three acts, as "Fidelio, oder, die eheliche Liebe" (Fidelio, or Conjugal Love), at the Theatre on the Wien [Transcriber's Note: should be 'Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna'], November 20, 1805. Revised and given at the Imperial Private Theatre, March 29, 1806, but withdrawn after a few performances. Again revised and successfully brought out May 23, 1814, at the Karnthnerthor Theatre (Theatre at the Carinthian Gate), Vienna. Paris, Theatre Lyrique, May 5, 1860. London, King's Theatre, May 18, 1832; Covent Garden, June 12, 1835, with Malibran; May 20, 1851, in Italian, with recitatives by Balfe. New York, Park Theatre, September 9, 1839. (See last paragraph of this article.) The libretto was by Sonnleithner after Bouilly; first revision by Breuning; second by Treitschke. Four overtures, "Leonore," Nos. 1, 2, and 3; and "Fidelio."

CHARACTERS

FLORESTAN, a Spanish n.o.bleman _Tenor_ LEONORE, his wife, in male attire as FIDELIO _Soprano_ DON FERNANDO, Prime Minister of Spain _Ba.s.s_ PIZARRO, Governor of the prison and enemy to FLORESTAN _Ba.s.s_ ROCCO, chief jailer _Ba.s.s_ MARCELLINA, daughter of ROCCO _Soprano_ JACQUINO, a.s.sistant to ROCCO _Tenor_

Soldiers, prisoners, people.

_Time_--18th Century.

_Place_--A fortress, near Seville, Spain, used as a prison for political offenders.

Ludwig van Beethoven, composer of "Fidelio," was born at Bonn, December 16, 1770. He died at Vienna, March 26, 1827. As he composed but this one opera, and as his fame rests chiefly on his great achievements outside the domain of the stage--symphonies, sonatas, etc.--it is possible, as Storck suggests in his _Opernbuch_, to dispense with biographical data and confine ourselves to facts relating to "Fidelio."

The libretto, which appealed to the composer by reason of its pure and idealistic motive, was not written for Beethoven. It was a French book by Bouilly and had been used by three composers: Pierre Gabeaux (1798); Simon Mayr, Donizetti's teacher at Bergamo and the composer of more than seventy operas (1805); and Paer, whose "Leonora, ossia l'Amore Conjugale" (Leonora, or Conjugal Love) was brought out at Dresden in December, 1804.

It was Schikaneder, the librettist and producer of Mozart's "Magic Flute," who commissioned Beethoven to compose an opera. But it was finally executed for Baron von Braun, who had succeeded to the management of the Theatre on the Wien.

Beethoven's heart was bound up in the work. Conscientious to the last detail in everything he did, this n.o.ble man, inspired by a n.o.ble theme, appears to have put even more labour into his opera than into any other one work. There are no less than sixteen sketches for the opening of _Florestan's_ first air and 346 pages of sketches for the opera. Nor did his labour in it cease when the opera was completed and performed.

Bouilly's libretto was translated and made over for Beethoven by Schubert's friend Joseph Sonnleithner. The opera was brought out November 20th and repeated November 21 and 22, 1805. It was a failure.

The French were in occupation of Vienna, which the Emperor of Austria and the court had abandoned, and conditions generally were upset. But even Beethoven's friends did not blame the non-success of the opera upon these untoward circ.u.mstances. It had inherent defects, as was apparent even a century later, when at the "Fidelio" centennial celebration in Berlin, the original version was restored and performed.

To remedy these, Beethoven's friend, Stephan von Breuning, condensed the three acts to two and the composer made changes in the score. This second version was brought forward April 29, 1806, with better success, but a quarrel with von Braun led Beethoven to withdraw it. It seems to have required seven years for the _entente cordiale_ between composer and manager to become re-established. Then Baron von Braun had the book taken in hand by a practical librettist, Georg Friedrich Treitschke. Upon receiving the revision, which greatly pleased him, Beethoven in his turn re-revised the score. In this form "Fidelio" was brought out May 23, 1814, in the Theatre am Karnthnerthor. There was no question of failure this time. The opera took its place in the repertoire and when, eight years later, Mme. Schroder-Devrient sang the t.i.tle role, her success in it was sensational.

There are four overtures to the work, three ent.i.tled "Leonore" (Nos.

1, 2, and 3) and one "Fidelio." The "Leonore" overtures are incorrectly numbered. The No. 2 was given at the original performance and is, therefore, No. 1. The greatest and justly the most famous, the No. 3, is really No. 2. The so-called No. 1 was composed for a projected performance at Prague, which never came off. The score and parts, in a copyist's hand, but with corrections by Beethoven, were discovered after the composer's death. When it was recognized as an overture to the opera, the conclusion that it was the earliest one, which he probably had laid aside, was not unnaturally arrived at. The "Fidelio" overture was intended for the second revision, but was not ready in time. The overture to "The Ruins of Athens" was subst.i.tuted.

The overture to "Fidelio" usually is played before the opera and the "Leonore," No. 3, between the acts.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photo by White

Matzenauer as Fidelio]

Of the "Leonore," No. 3, I think it is within bounds to say that it is the first great overture that sums up in its thematic material and in its general scope, construction, and working out, the story of the opera which it precedes. Even the trumpet call is brought in with stirring dramatic effect. It may be said that from this time on the melodies of their operas were drawn on more and more by composers for the thematic material of their overtures, which thus became music-dramas in miniature. The overture "Leonore," No. 3, also is an established work in the cla.s.sical concert repertoire, as is also _Leonore's_ recitative and air in the first act.