Gluck set the same libretto Philippe Quinault had written for Lully in 1686, based on Torquato Tasso's Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered). Gluck seemed at ease in facing French traditions head-on when he composed Armide. Lully and Quinault were the very founders of serious opera in France and Armide was generally recognized as their masterpiece, so it was a bold move on Gluck's part to write new music to Quinault's words. A similar attempt to write a new opera to the libretto of Thésée by Jean-Joseph de Mondonville in 1765 had ended in disaster, with audiences demanding it be replaced by Lully's original. By utilizing Armide, Gluck challenged the long-standing and apparently inviolable ideals of French practice, and in the process he revealed these values capable of renewal through "modern" compositional sensitivities. Critical response and resultant polemic resulted in one of those grand imbroglios common to French intellectual life. Gluck struck a nerve in French sensitivities, and whereas Armide was not one of his more popular works, it remained a critical touchstone in the French operatic tradition and was warmly praised by Berlioz in his Memoirs. Gluck also set a minor fashion for resetting Lully/Quinault operas: Gluck's rival Piccinni followed his example with Roland in 1778 and Atys in 1780; in the same year, Philidor produced a new Persée; and Gossec offered his version of Thésée in 1782. Gluck himself is said to have been working on an opera based on Roland, but he abandoned it when he heard Piccinni had taken on the same libretto.
Sketch for the second acte, for a representation at the Paris Opera, 1905
Armide remained on the repertoire of the Parisian Académie Nationale de Musique throughout the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, with revivals held in 1805, 1811, 1818, 1819 and 1825. A new production directed by Émile Perrin in 1866 featured sets by Édouard Desplechin (Act II), Auguste Alfred Rubé and Philippe Chaperon (Act III), and Charles-Antoine Cambon (Acts IV and V). Another big-budget production was staged at the Opéra on 12 April 1905, starring Lucienne Bréval in the title role, Alice Verlet, Agustarello Affre, Dinh Gilly, and Geneviève Vix.[1] The costumes were designed by Charles Bianchini and Charles Bétout; the sets were by Cambon's student Eugène Carpezat (Act I), Amable (Acts II and V), and Marcel Jambon and Alexandre Bailly (Acts III and IV).
The Opéra's 1905 production was followed on 7 November 1905 by a big-budget staging at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels. Overseen by Gluck connoisseur François-Auguste Gevaert, it featured Félia Litvinne in the title role, costumes by the symbolist artist Fernand Khnopff, and eight sets by Albert Dubosq. Hugely successful, this sumptuous production enjoyed a first run of forty performances, with subsequent revivals in 1909, 1924 and 1948.
people of Damascus, nymphs, shepherds and shepherdesses, suite of Hate, demons, Pleasures, coryphaei
Synopsisedit
Rinaldo in the Garden of Armida (1763), painting by Fragonard
For the storyline, see Armide by Lully. Gluck kept the libretto unchanged, although he cut the allegorical prologue and added a few lines of his own devising to the end of Act Three. Similarly, the roles and the disposition of the voices are the same as in Lully's opera.
Audio conducted by Muti, with Antonacci/Urmana/Cole/Albert (House of Opera, recorded live in Milan on December 7, 1996)
Referencesedit
Notes
^Giroud, Vincent, liner notes for Marston 52059-2, Early French Tenors, Volume 1: Émile Scaramberg, Pierre Cornubert, and Julien Leprestre, accessed December 3, 2009 June 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
^Roles and premiere cast from The New Kobbés Opera Book; Jeremy Hayes, Armide (ii), in The New Grove Dictionary, I, p. 202; Pitou, p. 52; Lajarte, p. 291; Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Armide, 23 September 1777". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
^This role, though often ascribed to the contralto voice, was notated, as usual in the period French opera, in the soprano clef (cf. original printed score).
^stage name of Madeleine-Céleste Fieuzal (or Fieusacq) de Frossac
^ abSource: "Mercure de France" (October 1777), as cited by Arthur Pougin (Figures d'Opéra-comique, Paris, Tresse 1875, pp. 151–152; accessible for free online in archive.org).
^ abSource: Armide. Tragédie Lyrique de Quinault (Partition Piano et Chant Réduite et Annotée par F.-A. Gevaert), Paris/Bruxelles, Lemoine, 1902, p. XVII (a copy at Internet Archive).
Théodore de Lajarte, Bibliothèque Musicale du Théatre de l'Opéra. Catalogue Historique, Chronologique, Anecdotique, Parigi, Librairie des bibliophiles, 1878, Tome I, ad nomen, pp. 290–293 (in French) (accessible online at Internet Archive)
Spire Pitou, The Paris Opéra. An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers – Rococo and Romantic, 1715–1815, Greenwood Press, Westport/London, 1985 (ISBN0-313-24394-8)
Original libretto at Gallica, Bibliothéque Nationale de France (in French)
Original printed score at Gallica, Bibliothéque Nationale de France (in French)
April 11, 2024
armide, gluck, other, works, same, name, armide, disambiguation, armide, opera, christoph, willibald, gluck, libretto, philippe, quinault, gluck, fifth, production, parisian, stage, composer, favourite, among, works, first, performed, september, 1777, académie. For other works by the same name see Armide disambiguation Armide is an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck set to a libretto by Philippe Quinault Gluck s fifth production for the Parisian stage and the composer s own favourite among his works it was first performed on 23 September 1777 by the Academie Royale de Musique in the second Salle du Palais Royal in Paris Contents 1 Background and performance history 2 Roles 3 Synopsis 4 Recordings 5 References 6 External linksBackground and performance history editGluck set the same libretto Philippe Quinault had written for Lully in 1686 based on Torquato Tasso s Gerusalemme liberata Jerusalem Delivered Gluck seemed at ease in facing French traditions head on when he composed Armide Lully and Quinault were the very founders of serious opera in France and Armide was generally recognized as their masterpiece so it was a bold move on Gluck s part to write new music to Quinault s words A similar attempt to write a new opera to the libretto of Thesee by Jean Joseph de Mondonville in 1765 had ended in disaster with audiences demanding it be replaced by Lully s original By utilizing Armide Gluck challenged the long standing and apparently inviolable ideals of French practice and in the process he revealed these values capable of renewal through modern compositional sensitivities Critical response and resultant polemic resulted in one of those grand imbroglios common to French intellectual life Gluck struck a nerve in French sensitivities and whereas Armide was not one of his more popular works it remained a critical touchstone in the French operatic tradition and was warmly praised by Berlioz in his Memoirs Gluck also set a minor fashion for resetting Lully Quinault operas Gluck s rival Piccinni followed his example with Roland in 1778 and Atys in 1780 in the same year Philidor produced a new Persee and Gossec offered his version of Thesee in 1782 Gluck himself is said to have been working on an opera based on Roland but he abandoned it when he heard Piccinni had taken on the same libretto nbsp Sketch for the second acte for a representation at the Paris Opera 1905Armide remained on the repertoire of the Parisian Academie Nationale de Musique throughout the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century with revivals held in 1805 1811 1818 1819 and 1825 A new production directed by Emile Perrin in 1866 featured sets by Edouard Desplechin Act II Auguste Alfred Rube and Philippe Chaperon Act III and Charles Antoine Cambon Acts IV and V Another big budget production was staged at the Opera on 12 April 1905 starring Lucienne Breval in the title role Alice Verlet Agustarello Affre Dinh Gilly and Genevieve Vix 1 The costumes were designed by Charles Bianchini and Charles Betout the sets were by Cambon s student Eugene Carpezat Act I Amable Acts II and V and Marcel Jambon and Alexandre Bailly Acts III and IV The Opera s 1905 production was followed on 7 November 1905 by a big budget staging at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels Overseen by Gluck connoisseur Francois Auguste Gevaert it featured Felia Litvinne in the title role costumes by the symbolist artist Fernand Khnopff and eight sets by Albert Dubosq Hugely successful this sumptuous production enjoyed a first run of forty performances with subsequent revivals in 1909 1924 and 1948 The Metropolitan Opera staged the work for the opening of its 1910 1911 season Toscanini conducted a cast led by Olive Fremstad Louise Homer and Enrico Caruso 2 Roles edit nbsp Jean Joseph Rousseau as Renaud in Gluck s Armide Paris c 1780Roles voice types premiere cast Role Voice type Premiere cast 23 September 1777 3 Conductor Armide a sorceress Princess of Damascus soprano Rosalie LevasseurRenaud a Crusader haute contre Joseph LegrosPhenice Armide s confidant soprano M lle LeBourgeoisSidonie Armide s confidant soprano M lle ChateauneufHidraot a magician King of Damascus baritone Nicolas GelinHate contralto 4 Celeste Celestine Durancy 5 The Danish Knight a Crusader tenor Etienne Lainez also spelled Laine Ubalde a Crusader baritone Henri LarriveeA demon in the form of Lucinde the Danish Knight s beloved soprano Anne Marie Jeanne Gavaudan l ainee 6 A demon in the form of Melisse Ubalde s beloved soprano Antoinette Cecile de Saint HubertyAronte in charge of Armide s prisoners baritone Georges DurandArtemidore a Crusader tenor ThirotA naiad soprano Anne Marie Jeanne Gavaudan l ainee 7 A shepherdess soprano Anne Marie Jeanne Gavaudan l ainee 6 A pleasure soprano Antoinette Cecile de Saint Huberty 7 people of Damascus nymphs shepherds and shepherdesses suite of Hate demons Pleasures coryphaeiSynopsis edit nbsp Rinaldo in the Garden of Armida 1763 painting by FragonardFor the storyline see Armide by Lully Gluck kept the libretto unchanged although he cut the allegorical prologue and added a few lines of his own devising to the end of Act Three Similarly the roles and the disposition of the voices are the same as in Lully s opera nbsp Ubalde et le chevalier Danois by Louis Jean Francois Lagrenee Exhibited at Paris Salon 1785 no 3 Recordings editAudio conducted by Rossi with McKnight Gardino Picchi Mollet Melodram recorded live in Torino in 1958 Armide Felicity Palmer Renaud Anthony Rolfe Johnson La Haine Linda Finnie Hidraot Raimund Herincx City of London Sinfonia Richard Hickox EMI recorded live in London in June 1982 Video conducted by Ramin with Caballe Szirmay Lindroos Baquerizo YouTube filmed in Madrid on April 16 1985 Armide Mireille Delunsch Renaud Charles Workman La Haine Ewa Podles Hidraot Laurent Naouri Les Musiciens du Louvre Marc Minkowski Archiv recorded live in Paris in November and December 1996 Audio conducted by Muti with Antonacci Urmana Cole Albert House of Opera recorded live in Milan on December 7 1996 References editNotes Giroud Vincent liner notes for Marston 52059 2 Early French Tenors Volume 1 Emile Scaramberg Pierre Cornubert and Julien Leprestre accessed December 3 2009 Archived June 18 2010 at the Wayback Machine Anthony Tommasini November 19 1999 Opera Review Love Alas Not Sorcery Was Her True Calling The New York Times Roles and premiere cast from The New Kobbes Opera Book Jeremy Hayes Armide ii in The New Grove Dictionary I p 202 Pitou p 52 Lajarte p 291 Casaglia Gherardo 2005 Armide 23 September 1777 L Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia in Italian This role though often ascribed to the contralto voice was notated as usual in the period French opera in the soprano clef cf original printed score stage name of Madeleine Celeste Fieuzal or Fieusacq de Frossac a b Source Mercure de France October 1777 as cited by Arthur Pougin Figures d Opera comique Paris Tresse 1875 pp 151 152 accessible for free online in archive org a b Source Armide Tragedie Lyrique de Quinault Partition Piano et Chant Reduite et Annotee par F A Gevaert Paris Bruxelles Lemoine 1902 p XVII a copy at Internet Archive Sources George Lascelles and Antony Peattie eds The New Kobbes Opera Book G P Putnam s Sons New York 1997 ISBN 0091814103 Theodore de Lajarte Bibliotheque Musicale du Theatre de l Opera Catalogue Historique Chronologique Anecdotique Parigi Librairie des bibliophiles 1878 Tome I ad nomen pp 290 293 in French accessible online at Internet Archive Spire Pitou The Paris Opera An Encyclopedia of Operas Ballets Composers and Performers Rococo and Romantic 1715 1815 Greenwood Press Westport London 1985 ISBN 0 313 24394 8 Stanley Sadie ed The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Grove Oxford University Press New York 1997 ISBN 978 0 19 522186 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Armide Gluck Armide Scores at the International Music Score Library Project French Original libretto at Gallica Bibliotheque Nationale de France in French Original printed score at Gallica Bibliotheque Nationale de France in French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Armide Gluck amp oldid 1191478823, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
