Goyescas (opera)

"Goyescas" is an opera in one act, written in 1915 by the Spanish composer Enrique Granados. Granados composed the opera to a Spanish libretto by Fernando Periquet y Zuaznabar with melodies taken from his 1911 piano suite, which was also called Goyescas. The opera was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1916.

Performance history

Prevented by World War I from being presented at the Paris Opéra, the premiere of "Goyescas" took place on January 28, 1916 at the Metropolitan Opera. [ [http://www.answers.com/topic/enrique-granados Enrique Granados. "Enrique Granados." Biographies. Answers Corporation, 2006.] ] It was the first opera to be performed there in Spanish. Paired on a double bill with Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci", the cast included the leading artists Giovanni Martinelli and Giuseppe De Luca. The stage production was directed by Jules Speck. It featured sets by the Milanese designer Antonio Rovescalli, and costumes by G. B. Santoni that followed the paintings of Goya. [ [http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/frame.htm The Metropolitan Opera Database.] ] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C06E4DF1439E233A25750C2A9679C946796D6CF "Spanish Opera to have its premiere this week". "The New York Times" Jaunary 23, 1916.] ]

The opera was well received. In his review for the "New York Times", Richard Aldrich wrote that the music was "profoundly felt" and possessed "an intensely national color". [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F05E1DB103FE233A2575AC2A9679C946796D6CF Richard Aldrich (uncredited), "World's premiere of opera "Goyescas". "The New York Times", January 29, 1916.] ] In spite of this success, the short opera has never found a permanent place the opera repertoire. [ [http://www.answers.com/topic/enrique-granados Enrique Granados. "Enrique Granados." Biographies. Answers Corporation, 2006.] ] It was never repeated at the Met after its original five performances. More recently, "Goyescas" was presented in a well-received production at Central City Opera (Colorado) in 2003. [ [http://www.sfcv.org/arts_revs/centralcity_7_22_03.php Janos Gereben, "Letter from Central City". "San Francisco Classical Voice", July 15-17, 2003.] ]

Separate from the opera, its "Intermezzo" became a popular concert piece. It is performed in arrangements for orchestra, and for cello and piano. [ [http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/Enrique_Granados/26077.htm "Granados biography. Naxos.com] ]

"Goyescas" was recorded for Decca Records by Spanish conductor Ataulfo Argenta with soprano Consuelo Rubio in 195?. A second recording featuring tenor Ramon Vargas with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid was released in 1997.

A Spanish film of "Goyescas", adapted from the opera, was made in 1942. It was directed by Benito Perojo and starred Imperio Argentina. [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A07EEDB143EE03BBC4151DFB366838F659EDE "Movie review: "Goyescas". "The New York Times", May 29, 1944] ]

Background

Goyescas was inspired to write his popular piano suite by the paintings of Francisco Goya. After the enthusiastic response to the piano work, he was encouraged to compose the opera by Ernest Schelling, an American pianist who premiered the suite in the US.

Regarding "Goyescas", the composer wrote, "I am enamored with the psychology of Goya, with his palette, with him, with his muse the Duchess of Alba, with his quarrels with his models, his loves and flatteries. That whitish pink of the cheeks, contrasting with the blend of black velvet; those subterranean creatures, hands of mother-of-pearl and jasmine resting on jet trinkets, have possessed me."

As noted above the opera was not written as an entirely new work. The opera was based on themes from the famous piano suite, which he orchestrated and augmented to form a three-scene work. The libretto had to be fitted to existing melodies, the reverse of the usual way of writing an opera. Though the opera is rarely performed, the piano suite forms part of the standard Romantic piano repertoire. ["The Oxford Dictionary of Opera", by John Warrack and Ewan West (1992), 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5]

The success of the Met premiere of "Goyescas" led to Granados being invited by President Woodrow Wilson to perform a piano recital at the White House. By accepting the invitation, Granados had to postpone his return to Spain. He and his wife lost their lives by drowning on March 24, 1916 when their ship, the French steamer "Sussex", was torpedoed by a German U-boat in the English Channel; their original travel plans would have avoided this tragedy.

Roles

References

External links

* [http://www.musicwithease.com/granados-goyescas.html Link to Synopsis of "Goyescas" at Music with Ease.com]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Granados-Goyescas-Vargas-Baquerizo-Casariego/dp/B000003I1F Amazon.com listing for "Goyescas" recording.]