Rappaccini's Daughter (Catán opera)
| Rappaccini’s Daughter | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Daniel Catán | |
| Librettist | Juan Tovar |
| Language | Spanish |
| Based on | La hija de Rappaccini (Play) by Octavio Paz & Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne |
| Premiere | 25 April 1991 |
La hija de Rappaccini (Rappaccini's Daughter) is an opera in two acts composed by Daniel Catán to a libretto by Juan Tovar based on the play by Octavio Paz and the short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It premiered at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City in 1991 and had its US premiere in 1994 at San Diego Opera. Upon its premiere in San Diego, Rappaccini's Daughter became the first work by a Mexican composer to be produced by a major opera house in the United States. Although Catán's second opera, Rappaccini's Daughter was his first commercial success.[1]
Roles
| Role | Voice type[2] | Premiere cast[3] |
|---|---|---|
| Beatriz | soprano | Encarnacion Vazquez |
| Dr. Baglioni | tenor | Ignacio Clapes |
| Dr. Rappaccini | baritone | Jesús Suaste |
| Isabela | mezzo-soprano | Inmaculada Egido |
| Giovanni | tenor | Alfonso Orozco |
Synopsis
The story is set in Padua in a distant, but unspecified past. From his quarters, Giovanni, a young student of medicine, observes Beatriz, the beautiful daughter of Dr. Rappaccini, a scientist working in isolation. Beatriz is confined to the lush and locked gardens in which experiments involving poisonous plants take place. Having fallen in love, Giovanni ignores the warning of his mentor, Professor Baglioni, that Rappaccini is up to no good and he and his work should be shunned. Eventually, Giovanni sneaks into the forbidden garden to meet his lover, and begins to suffer the consequences of the encounter with the plants - and with Beatriz, who dwells among them and has been rendered both immune to their effects and poisonous to others. In the end, Beatriz dies after being given an antidote by Giovanni.
Recordings
- 2011: Manhattan School of Music, Newport Classic. Conductor Eduardo Diazmuñoz. NPD85623/2
- 2002: Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, Naxos Records. Excerpts. Conductor Eduardo Diazmuñoz. 8.557034.
References
Notes
- ^ "Daniel Catán - Biography". Daniel Catán - Official Site.
- ^ "Daniel Catán - La Hija de Rappaccini (Rappaccini's Daughter) (1983) - Music Sales Classical". www.musicsalesclassical.com. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
- ^ "North American Works Directory - Rappaccini's Daughter". www.operaamerica.org. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
Sources
- Bernheimer, Martin (March 7, 1994). "'La Hija de Rappaccini': Venturing a Mexican Fantasy". Los Angeles Times.
- Smith, Patrick J. (March 1998). Recording review: Catan: La Hija de Rappaccini. Opera News (subscription required)
- Tommasini, Anthony (April 25, 1997). "A Mad Botanist's Idea of Fathering". New York Times
External links
- Official Website of Daniel Catán
- Official Facebook Page of Daniel Catán
- G. Schirmer Inc. Daniel Catán's Music Publisher