Daphne (opera)

Daphne (opera)

Daphne is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss, his 13th opera, subtitled "A Bucolic Tragedy in One Act". The German libretto was by Joseph Gregor. The opera is based loosely on a myth from Ovid's Metamorphoses, and also includes elements taken from The Bacchae by Euripides. The opera premiered at Dresden on October 15, 1938, originally intended as a double bill with Friedenstag, but as the scale of Daphne grew, that idea was abandoned.[1] The conductor of the first performance was Karl Böhm, to whom the opera was dedicated.

Contents

Roles

Role Voice type Dresden Premiere,
October 15, 1938
(Conductor: Karl Böhm)
Peneios, a fisherman bass Sven Nilsson
Gaea, his wife contralto Helene Jung
Daphne, their daughter soprano Margarete Teschemacher
Leukippos, a shepherd tenor Martin Kremer
Apollo tenor Torsten Ralf
Four shepherds baritone, tenor, basses Arno Schellenberg, Heinrich Tessmer, Hans Löbel, Erich Händel,
Two maids sopranos Angela Kolniak, Marta Rohs

Synopsis

The chaste girl Daphne sings a hymn of praise to nature. She loves the sunlight as trees and flowers do, but she has no interest in human romance. She cannot return the love of her childhood friend Leukippos, and she refuses to put on the ceremonial clothes for the coming festival of Dionysos, leaving Leukippos with the dress she has rejected.

Daphne's father Peneios tells his friends he is certain that the gods will soon return among men. He advises preparing a feast to welcome Apollo. Just then a mysterious herdsman appears. Peneios sends for Daphne to care for the visitor.

The strange herdsman tells Daphne that he has watched her from his chariot, and repeats to her phrases from the hymn to nature she sang earlier. He promises her that she need never be parted from the sun, and she accepts his embrace. But when he begins to speak of love she becomes fearful and runs out.

At the festival of Dionysos, Leukippos is among the women wearing Daphne's dress, and he invites her to dance. Believing him to be a woman she agrees, but the strange herdsman stops the dance with a thunderclap and says she has been deceived. Daphne answers that both Leukippos and the stranger are in disguise, and the stranger reveals himself as the sun-god Apollo. Daphne refuses both her suitors, and Apollo pierces Leukippos with an arrow.

Daphne mourns with the dying Leukippos. Apollo is filled with regret. He asks Zeus to give Daphne new life in the form of one of the trees she loves. Daphne is transformed, and she rejoices in her union with nature. This transformation scene, the (metamorphosis), is opulently silvery in the string section.

Recordings

Year Cast:
Daphne,
Leukippos,
Appolo,
Paneios,
Gaea
Conductor,
Opera House and Orchestra
Label[2]
1948 Rose Bampton,
Set Svanholm,
Anton Dermota,
Ludwig Weber,
Lydia Kindermann
Erich Kleiber,
Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires) Orchestra and Chorus, live
Audio CD: Preiser Records
Cat: 90371
1950 Anneliese Kupper,
Hans Hopf,
Georg Hann,
Georg Hann,
Res Fischer
Eugen Jochum,
Bavarian State Orchestra and chorus
Audio CD: Preiser Records
Cat: 90487
1964 Hilde Gueden,
Fritz Wunderlich,
James King,
Paul Schoffler
Vera Little
Karl Böhm,
Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Vienna State Opera chorus
Audio CD (with cuts): Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 445 322-2
1982 Lucia Popp,
Peter Schreier,
Reiner Goldberg,
Kurt Moll,
Ortrun Wenkel
Bernard Haitink,
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Audio CD (First uncut complete recording): EMI Classics
Cat: CDS 7 49309-2 [3]
2004 Renée Fleming,
Michael Schade,
Johan Botha,
Kwangchul Youn,
Anna Larsson
Semyon Bychkov,
West Deutscher Rundfunk (WDR) orchestra and men's chorus
Recording appears to be of a concert performance in the Kölner Philharmonie, 13 or 16 March)
Audio CD: Decca
Cat: 475 6926
2005 June Anderson,
Robert Sacca,
Scott Mac Allister,
Daniel Lewis Williams,
Birgit Remmert
Stefan Anton Reck,
Teatro La Fenice orchestra and chorus
( Audio and video recordings made at performances in the Teatro La Fenice, June)
Audio CD: Dynamic
Cat: 499/1
Video DVD: Dynamic
Cat.33499

References

Notes
  1. ^ Christopher J. Thomas, "Daphne. Richard Strauss". The Opera Quarterly, 2, 146-148 (1984).
  2. ^ Recordings of Daphne on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
  3. ^ Kenneth Birkin, Review of Haitink recording of Richard Strauss: Daphne. Tempo (New Ser.), 150, pp. 50-51 (September 1984).

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Daphné (opéra) — Daphne (opéra) Daphne, op. 82, TrV 272[1], est une tragédie bucolique de Richard Strauss sur un livret de Joseph Gregor. Il s agit du treizième opéra de Strauss. Daphné précède Die Liebe der Danae (L Amour de Danaé), dont le livret est également… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Daphne (ópera) — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Daphne es una opera del compositor alemán Richard Strauss (1868 1949) basada en el mito de Dafne. Es en un solo acto llevando por subtitulo Tragedia bucólica en un acto Apolo y Dafne …   Wikipedia Español

  • Daphne (opéra) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Daphné. Daphne, op. 82, TrV 272[1], est une tragédie bucolique de Richard Strauss sur un livret de Joseph Gregor. Il s agit du treizième opéra de Strauss. Daphné précède Die Liebe der Danae (L Amour de Danaé),… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Daphne (disambiguation) — Daphne Pronunciation /ˈdæfniː/ daf nee Gender Female Daphne is a female first name. Daphne, Dafni or Dafne may refer to …   Wikipedia

  • Daphne Clarke — Elaine Smith as Daphne Clarke Neighbours character Portrayed by Elaine Smith Created by Reg Watson Introduced by Reg Watson …   Wikipedia

  • Opera North: history and repertoire, seasons 1981–82 to 1989–90 — Opera North is an opera company based at The Grand Theatre, Leeds. This article covers the period between the severing of its ties with English National Opera and the departure of its founding Music Director David Lloyd Jones. Contents 1 History… …   Wikipedia

  • Daphne DiMera — Days of our Lives Portrayed by Madlyn Rhue First appearance 1982 Last appearance 1984 Cause/reason Died in a plane crash Profile Gender …   Wikipedia

  • Daphne Anderson — Born Daphne Scrutton 27 April 1922 (1922 04 27) (age 89) London, England Years active 1949 1992 Daphne Anderson, born Daphne Scrutton (27 April 1922), is a British stage and film actress, dancer, and singer. She made her London theatre debut …   Wikipedia

  • Daphne Pollard — (19 October 1892 in Fitzroy, Melbourne – 22 February 1978 in Los Angeles) was an Australian actress in American films, mostly short comedies. She was also a vaudeville performer and dancer. Contents 1 Diminutive stage star 2 Screen comedian 3… …   Wikipedia

  • Daphne du Maurier — The young Daphne du Maurier Born May 13, 1907(1907 05 13) London, England Died 19 April 1989(1989 04 19) (aged 81) Cornwall, United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”