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{{Short description|Opera composed by Gabriel Fauré}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Italic title}}
[[File:Représentation de "Prométhée" de Gabriel Fauré aux arènes de Béziers - Gallica 2010 (adjusted).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Premiere of ''Prométhée'']]
[[File:Représentation de "Prométhée" de Gabriel Fauré aux arènes de Béziers - Gallica 2010 (adjusted).jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Premiere of ''Prométhée'']]
⚫
'''''Prométhée''''', [[Opus number|Op.]] 82, (''Prometheus'') is a ''tragédie lyrique'' (grand [[cantata]]) in three acts by the French composer [[Gabriel Fauré]] with a French [[libretto]] by the [[Symbolism (arts)|Symboliste]] poets [[Jean Lorrain]] and {{ill|André-Ferdinand Hérold|fr}} (1865–1940). It was partly based on the opening of the Greek tragedy of ''[[Prometheus Bound]]''. The first performance at Arènes de [[Béziers]] on 27 August 1900 involved almost 800 performers (including two [[wind band]]s and 15 [[harp]]s) and was watched by an audience of 10,000. Between 1914 and 1916, [[Jean Roger-Ducasse]] reworked the score for a reduced orchestra. This version (which was later revised by Fauré) made its debut at the [[Palais Garnier|Paris Opéra]] on 17 May 1917 but never became popular.


⚫
Designated as a ''tragédie lyrique'', the work resists easy categorisation. It was intended to be on a large-scale with spoken and musical sections. [[John Warrack|Warrack]] and West call it a grand cantata, arguing that since "only some of the characters participate in the stage action it is scarcely an opera, though Fauré's conception of the work is at times more operatic than merely choral ... [and] the clearest example to date of [[Wagner]]'s influence on his music."<ref>Warrack and West 1992, p. 233.</ref>
⚫
'''''Prométhée''''' (''Prometheus'') is a ''tragédie lyrique'' (grand [[cantata]]) in three acts by the French composer [[Gabriel Fauré]] with a French [[libretto]] by [[Jean Lorrain]] and Ferdinand Hérold, based on the Greek myth of [[Prometheus]]. The first performance at Arènes de [[Béziers]] on 27 August 1900 involved almost 800 performers (including two [[wind band]]s and 15 [[harp]]s) and was watched by an audience of 10,000. Between 1914 and 1916, [[Jean Roger-Ducasse]] reworked the score for a reduced orchestra. This version (which was later revised by Fauré) made its debut at the [[Palais Garnier|Paris Opéra]] on 17 May 1917 but never became popular.

⚫
Designated as a ''tragédie lyrique'', the work resists easy categorisation. It was intended to be on a large-scale with spoken and musical sections. Warrack & West call it a grand cantata, arguing that since "only some of the characters participate in the stage action it is scarcely and opera, though Fauré's conception of the work is at times more operatic ... [and] the clearest example to date of [[Wagner]]'s influence on his music."<ref>Warrack & West 1992, p. 233.</ref>


==Roles==
==Roles==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+{{sronly|Roles, voice types, premiere cast}}
!Role
!Role
![[Voice type]]
![[Voice type]]
!Premiere cast, 27&nbsp;August&nbsp;1900<br />Conductor: Charles&nbsp;Eustace
!Premiere cast, 27&nbsp;August&nbsp;1900<br />Conductor: Charles&nbsp;Eustace<ref>{{Almanacco|dmy=27-08-1900|match=Prométhée}}</ref>
|-
|-
|Prométhée (Prometheus)
|Prométhée ([[Prometheus]])
|spoken role
|spoken role
|[[Édouard de Max]]
|Max
|-
|-
|Pandore ([[Pandora]])
|Pandore ([[Pandora]])
Line 28: Line 29:
|Torrês
|Torrês
|-
|-
|[[Bia (mythology)|Bia]]
|Bia
|soprano
|soprano
|Caroline Fiérens-Peters
|Caroline Fiérens-Peters
|-
|-
|Gaïa
|[[Gaia|Gaïa]]
|[[mezzo-soprano]]
|[[mezzo-soprano]]
|Rosa Feldy
|Rosa Feldy
Line 40: Line 41:
|Charles Rousselière
|Charles Rousselière
|-
|-
|Kratos
|[[Kratos (mythology)|Kratos]]
|tenor
|tenor
|Fonteix
|Fonteix
|-
|-
|Hephaïstos ([[Hephaestus]])
|Hephaïstos ([[Hephaestus]])
|[[bass (voice)|bass]]
|[[bass (voice type)|bass]]
|Jean Vallier
|Jean Vallier
|}
|}


==Synopsis==
==Plot==
The plot on which the opera was based has been deprecated as "patchy, and for the most part mediocre".<ref>Nectoux 2004, p.197</ref> It suffers particularly from the introduction of Pandore as the counterpart in importance of Prométhée. At the close of act 1 "she falls as if dead" and act 2 accordingly opens with the powerful funeral procession carrying her body.<ref>{{YouTube|AZjX77zxkSs|Audio}}, "Le Cortège de Pandore", [[Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra|Orchestre national de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo]], [[Roger Norrington]] conducting</ref> Illogically, but necessarily because of her balancing role, she revives later in the act and continues to take part in the action.
===Act 1===
The mortal men, led by Andros and Aenoë, are waiting for Prometheus' arrival. Prometheus comes with a gift for them. Gaia appears and warns the titan not to desobey Zeus' orders and then leaves. Prometheus does not listen to her and gives them the gift, the fire. The mortal men leave and soon arrive Kratos (power) and Bia (violence), sent by Zeus to punish him; with them is Hephaestus, the divine forger, who is a friend of Prometheus. The three tell Prometheus his sentence: he will be chained forever to a rock and every day a black eagle shall drink from his veins.


===Act 2===
;Act 1
:A musical [[Prelude (music)|prelude]] is followed by a massed choral scene, in which Andros leads the men and Aenoë leads the women in rejoicing at the gift of fire.<ref>{{YouTube|I0Cq8cmYxqk|''Prométhée'', part 1 (video)}}, {{ill|Núcleo Universitário de Ópera|pt}}, Brazil, directed and conducted by Paulo Maron</ref> Prométhée praises its benefits but Pandore opposes his action in defying Zeus. Then Gaia appears to warn the [[Titan (mythology)|Titan]] of the consequences of his action. She is followed by Kratos (power) and Bia (violence), sent by Zeus to punish him; with them is the divine smith Hephaestus, who is a friend of Prométhée. The three tell Prométhée his sentence: he will be chained forever to a rock and every day a black eagle shall drink from his veins.
Aenoë and the other girls lament for Prometheus' fate and then leave. Prometheus is back with Kratos, Bia and Hephaestus. Hephaestus laments for his friend but still has to make his chains and bind him to the rock. Bia and Kratos are there to make sure Hephaestus will do what he has to do, he delays but finishes his duty. Kratos, Bia and Hephaestus leave, Prometheus remains chained to the rock.


===Act 3===
;Act 2
:The female choir enters carrying Pandore on a bier of leafy branches, after which Aenoë makes the funeral oration. Prométhée returns with the executioners from Olympus. Though Hephaestus laments for his friend, Bia and Kratos are there to ensure that he make the chains to bind Prométhée to the rock. Having slit his veins, they leave and the revived Pandore enters again to lament his fate.
Pandora suffers for Prometheus, the nymphs try to comfort her. Bia and Kratos tell Pandora she should not suffer and warn her she can be punished for this. Hermes arrives with a gift from Zeus, a box. Prometheus warn the men not to accept a gift from Zeus, but Pandora doesn't listen and take it. The opera ends with a praise to Zeus and his benevolence, besides Prometheus' suffering.

;Act 3
:A chorus of [[Oceanids]] comforts Pandore. Bia and Kratos return to threaten her and Prométhée, followed by Hermes with the gift of a box from Zeus. Despite being warned by Prométhée to refuse, Pandore insists on taking it. She discovers that her tears have been miraculously transformed there to a balsam. The opera ends with praise for the benevolence of the tyrannical Zeus.<ref>There is a musical analysis of the plot in Nectoux 2004, pp. 194–210</ref>


==Productions==
==Productions==
This opera has been presented very rarely, but in July 2011 there was a Brazilian production by the Núcleo Universitário de Ópera (NUO), in São Paulo. This Brazilian production included recitatives instead of spoken lines and a new [[orchestration]] by their conductor and director, Paulo Maron.{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}}
The opera has been presented very rarely, but in July 2011 there was a Brazilian production by the {{ill|Núcleo Universitário de Ópera|pt}} in São Paulo. This Brazilian production included recitatives instead of spoken lines and a new [[orchestration]] by their conductor and director, Paulo Maron.<ref>[http://jovempan.uol.com.br/noticias/teatro-anhembi-morumbi-apresenta-prometheus.html "Teatro Anhembi Morumbi apresenta ''Prometheus''"], 15 June 2011, revised 14 September 2013 {{in lang|pt}}{{dead link|date=August 2022}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 67: Line 70:


'''Sources'''
'''Sources'''
* [[Jean-Michel Nectoux|Nectoux, Jean-Michel]], ''Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life'', Cambridge University 2004, [https://books.google.com/books?id=YEo5jwtbnC4C&pg=PA207 pp. 192–214]
*''The Viking Opera Guide'' ed. [[Amanda Holden (writer)|Amanda Holden]] (1993)
⚫
* [[John Warrack|Warrack, John]]; West, Ewan (1992). ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-869164-5}}.
*[http://delteatro.it/dizionario_dell_opera/p/promethee.php Del Teatro (in Italian)]

*[http://www.amadeusonline.net/almanacco.php?Start=0&Giorno=27&Mese=08&Anno=1900&Giornata=&Testo=&Parola=Stringa Amadeus Almanac online]
==Further reading==
*[http://nucleodeopera.blogspot.com/ NUO'blog]
* Murray, David (2001). "Gabriel Fauré" in ''The New Penguin Opera Guide'', edited by [[Amanda Holden (writer)|Amanda Holden]]. London: Penguin Books. {{ISBN|9780140514759}}.
⚫
* Warrack, John; West, Ewan (1992). ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-869164-5.


==External links==
==External links==
* {{IMSLP2|id=Prométhée, Op.82 (Fauré, Gabriel)|cname=''Prométhée''}}
* {{IMSLP|work=Prométhée, Op.82 (Fauré, Gabriel)|cname=''Prométhée''}}


{{Gabriel Fauré}}
{{Gabriel Fauré}}
{{Portal bar|Opera}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Promethee}}
[[Category:French-language operas]]
[[Category:French-language operas]]
[[Category:1900 operas]]
[[Category:1900 operas]]
[[Category:Operas by Gabriel Fauré]]
[[Category:Operas by Gabriel Fauré]]
[[Category:Operas based on Greco-Roman mythology]]
[[Category:Operas based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Operas]]
[[Category:Operas]]

Latest revision as of 05:20, 14 March 2023

Premiere of Prométhée

Prométhée, Op. 82, (Prometheus) is a tragédie lyrique (grand cantata) in three acts by the French composer Gabriel Fauré with a French libretto by the Symboliste poets Jean Lorrain and André-Ferdinand Hérold [fr] (1865–1940). It was partly based on the opening of the Greek tragedy of Prometheus Bound. The first performance at Arènes de Béziers on 27 August 1900 involved almost 800 performers (including two wind bands and 15 harps) and was watched by an audience of 10,000. Between 1914 and 1916, Jean Roger-Ducasse reworked the score for a reduced orchestra. This version (which was later revised by Fauré) made its debut at the Paris Opéra on 17 May 1917 but never became popular.

Designated as a tragédie lyrique, the work resists easy categorisation. It was intended to be on a large-scale with spoken and musical sections. Warrack and West call it a grand cantata, arguing that since "only some of the characters participate in the stage action it is scarcely an opera, though Fauré's conception of the work is at times more operatic than merely choral ... [and] the clearest example to date of Wagner's influence on his music."[1]

Roles

[edit]
Roles, voice types, premiere cast
Role Voice type Premiere cast, 27 August 1900
Conductor: Charles Eustace[2]
Prométhée (Prometheus) spoken role Édouard de Max
Pandore (Pandora) spoken role Cora Laparcerie
Hermès (Hermes) spoken role Odette de Fehl
Aenoë soprano Torrês
Bia soprano Caroline Fiérens-Peters
Gaïa mezzo-soprano Rosa Feldy
Andros tenor Charles Rousselière
Kratos tenor Fonteix
Hephaïstos (Hephaestus) bass Jean Vallier

Plot

[edit]

The plot on which the opera was based has been deprecated as "patchy, and for the most part mediocre".[3] It suffers particularly from the introduction of Pandore as the counterpart in importance of Prométhée. At the close of act 1 "she falls as if dead" and act 2 accordingly opens with the powerful funeral procession carrying her body.[4] Illogically, but necessarily because of her balancing role, she revives later in the act and continues to take part in the action.

Act 1
A musical prelude is followed by a massed choral scene, in which Andros leads the men and Aenoë leads the women in rejoicing at the gift of fire.[5] Prométhée praises its benefits but Pandore opposes his action in defying Zeus. Then Gaia appears to warn the Titan of the consequences of his action. She is followed by Kratos (power) and Bia (violence), sent by Zeus to punish him; with them is the divine smith Hephaestus, who is a friend of Prométhée. The three tell Prométhée his sentence: he will be chained forever to a rock and every day a black eagle shall drink from his veins.
Act 2
The female choir enters carrying Pandore on a bier of leafy branches, after which Aenoë makes the funeral oration. Prométhée returns with the executioners from Olympus. Though Hephaestus laments for his friend, Bia and Kratos are there to ensure that he make the chains to bind Prométhée to the rock. Having slit his veins, they leave and the revived Pandore enters again to lament his fate.
Act 3
A chorus of Oceanids comforts Pandore. Bia and Kratos return to threaten her and Prométhée, followed by Hermes with the gift of a box from Zeus. Despite being warned by Prométhée to refuse, Pandore insists on taking it. She discovers that her tears have been miraculously transformed there to a balsam. The opera ends with praise for the benevolence of the tyrannical Zeus.[6]

Productions

[edit]

The opera has been presented very rarely, but in July 2011 there was a Brazilian production by the Núcleo Universitário de Ópera [pt] in São Paulo. This Brazilian production included recitatives instead of spoken lines and a new orchestration by their conductor and director, Paulo Maron.[7]

References

[edit]

Notes

  1. ^ Warrack and West 1992, p. 233.
  2. ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Prométhée, 27 August 1900". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
  3. ^ Nectoux 2004, p.197
  4. ^ Audio on YouTube, "Le Cortège de Pandore", Orchestre national de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Roger Norrington conducting
  5. ^ Prométhée, part 1 (video) on YouTube, Núcleo Universitário de Ópera [pt], Brazil, directed and conducted by Paulo Maron
  6. ^ There is a musical analysis of the plot in Nectoux 2004, pp. 194–210
  7. ^ "Teatro Anhembi Morumbi apresenta Prometheus", 15 June 2011, revised 14 September 2013 (in Portuguese)[dead link‍]

Sources

  • Nectoux, Jean-Michel, Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life, Cambridge University 2004, pp. 192–214
  • Warrack, John; West, Ewan (1992). The Oxford Dictionary of Opera. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-869164-5.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
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