Les Enfants terribles is a danced chamber opera for four voices and three pianos (grand pianos or electronic), composed in 1996 by Philip Glass, to a French-language libretto by the composer, in collaboration with the American choreographer Susan Marshall, after Jean Cocteau's eponymous novel published in 1929 and Jean-Pierre Melville's 1950 film. Commissioned by the "Steps" dance festival organized by the Pour-cent culturel Migros [fr] in several Swiss cities, this is the last part of a trilogy in homage to the French poet after Orphée (1993) and La Belle et la Bête (1994). The world premiere of the work took place on 18 May 1996 in Zug conducted by Karen Kamensek.
The work was performed in Albertslund, Denmark, on 28 and 29 May 1996 as part of Kulturby 96 [da] when Copenhagen was the European Capital of Culture.[1] It was subsequently performed at the Teatro Olimpico (Roma) [it] on 17 October 1996,[2] at the Brooklyn Academy of Music of New York on 20 November 1996 for the American premiere,[3] at the Alexander Theatre of Helsinki for the Finnish premiere for seven days from 23 September 2005,[4] with the Skaala Opera ensemble conducted by Sasha Mäkilä at the Oakland Opera House on 6 October 2006, at the Maison de la Culture de Bourges [fr] for three days from 20 March 2007 for the French premiere, at the Staatstheater Nürnberg for the German premiere for five days from 29 April 2007, and at the Duško Radović Little Theatre of Belgrade (under the title Derišta), on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment, on 7 December 2009 under the direction of Srđan Marković for the Serbian premiere.[5]
After the death of their mother, Elizabeth and Paul, orphaned brother and sister left to their own devices and bound by an exclusive affection, live together in their large Parisian apartment.
They have built themselves a chimeric universe governed by sibylline symbols. Their room is a real sanctuary where a "treasure" is enthroned with a meaning that is also known only to them. "Elizabeth" met Michael and married him, but the next day he died in an accident without their marriage having been consummated.
She inherited Michael's fortune, including a large private mansion where Paul came to join her with their famous treasure. Gérard, a comrade of Paul and his friend Agathe, who strangely resembles Dargelos (a schoolboy that Paul idolized), soon come to live with them. But when Elizabeth understands that love is born between her brother and Agatha, like a Greek divinity, a kind of Parque, she weaves a Machiavellian web so that her brother cannot escape it. As in all ancient tragedies, the outcome can only be fatal.
Fascinating by the morbid desire carried by the Paul/Elisabeth relationship, this seemingly banal story hides a tragedy: the inevitable end of adolescence, its myths, its grace, its illusions. Elizabeth and Paul die for breaking this law by wanting to eternalize a moment of passage. Indeed, as soon as Dargelos' snowball reaches Paul in the chest, time stops, "the room" begins to live. It became their deserted island, the little piece of land isolated from the rest of the world where they built cabins with their pillows and led a Robinson's existence at night. Their bodies grow, Paul's legs protrude under his sheets, they play at having the desires of grown-ups; but in fact, nothing moves. If they move, it's to rebuild the room immediately. Behind their incessant quarrels, their constant agitation, there is a morbid desire for immobility...
It was Dargelos, the hidden god of this tragedy, who precipitated its outcome by sending a poisoned black ball to Paul, who completed the work of the first snowball. Elizabeth, priestess of the chamber, is only the instrument of fate. By killing herself and her brother, she brings their adolescence into eternity.
StructureEdit
Scenes:
1: Ouverture
2: Paul est mourant
3: Une boule de neige
4: Deux moitiés dans un même corps
5: Il n’a pas dit au revoir
6: Le somnambule
7: Elle m’a giflé
8a: Ils vivaient leur rêve
8b: Et puis laisser
9: Appelez-moi Elisabeth
11: Modèle entrecroisé
11a: Terrible Interlude
11: le Verdict
13: Interlude Musicale – le Retour chez Orphée
14a, b: Cocon de châles
15: Perdu
16: Il écrivit son propre nom
17: Es-tu amoureuse, Agathe?
18: De la part de Dargelos
19: Elle prit la route
20: La fin de Paul
RecordingsEdit
Christine Arand (soprano), Philip Cutlip[8] (bass-baritone), Hal Cazalet (tenor), Valérie Komar[9] (mezzo-soprano), Philip Glass, Nelson Padgett,[10] Eleanor Sandresky[11] (pianos) conducted by Karen Kamensek, recorded in December 1996 and January 1997. Orange Mountain Music (April 2005).
ReferencesEdit
^Levinsen, Jakob (1996–1997). "Der var engang en kulturby" [There was once a city of culture]. Dansk Musik Tidsskrift [da] (in Danish). 71 (5): 147–151 – via seismograf.org.
^"I terribili ragazzi di Glass", Corriere della Sera, 8 October 1996 (in Italian)
^"A Fusion Inspired by Cocteau" by Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times, 22 November 1996. Further productions took place on 22 November 1996
^"Ooppera Skaala tuo esiin Glassin oopperabaletin" by Matti Lehtonen, Turun Sanomat, 26 September 2005
^"Naslućivanje raja" by Zorica Kojić, Danas, 9 December 2009
^Clements, Andrew (24 August 2010). "Les Enfants Terribles – Opera review". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
^Mackrell, Judith (29 January 2017). "Les Enfants Terribles review – Javier De Frutos teases out sex-games siblings' inner damage". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
enfants, terribles, opera, other, uses, enfants, terribles, enfants, terribles, danced, chamber, opera, four, voices, three, pianos, grand, pianos, electronic, composed, 1996, philip, glass, french, language, libretto, composer, collaboration, with, american, . For other uses see Les Enfants Terribles Les Enfants terribles is a danced chamber opera for four voices and three pianos grand pianos or electronic composed in 1996 by Philip Glass to a French language libretto by the composer in collaboration with the American choreographer Susan Marshall after Jean Cocteau s eponymous novel published in 1929 and Jean Pierre Melville s 1950 film Commissioned by the Steps dance festival organized by the Pour cent culturel Migros fr in several Swiss cities this is the last part of a trilogy in homage to the French poet after Orphee 1993 and La Belle et la Bete 1994 The world premiere of the work took place on 18 May 1996 in Zug conducted by Karen Kamensek Philip Glass in 1993 Contents 1 Performance history 2 Roles 3 Synopsis 4 Structure 5 Recordings 6 References 7 External linksPerformance history EditThe work was performed in Albertslund Denmark on 28 and 29 May 1996 as part of Kulturby 96 da when Copenhagen was the European Capital of Culture 1 It was subsequently performed at the Teatro Olimpico Roma it on 17 October 1996 2 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music of New York on 20 November 1996 for the American premiere 3 at the Alexander Theatre of Helsinki for the Finnish premiere for seven days from 23 September 2005 4 with the Skaala Opera ensemble conducted by Sasha Makila at the Oakland Opera House on 6 October 2006 at the Maison de la Culture de Bourges fr for three days from 20 March 2007 for the French premiere at the Staatstheater Nurnberg for the German premiere for five days from 29 April 2007 and at the Dusko Radovic Little Theatre of Belgrade under the title Derista on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment on 7 December 2009 under the direction of Srđan Markovic for the Serbian premiere 5 The opera received its UK premiere on 20 August 2010 at the Arcola Theatre directed by Andrea Ferran It transferred to the Lilian Baylis Theatre 6 A second British production choreographed be Javier de Frutos with dancers from the Royal Ballet was staged at the Barbican Centre in 2017 7 Roles EditRoles voice types premiere cast Role Voice type Premiere cast 18 May 1996Conductor Karen KamensekPaul bass baritone Philip CutlipElisabeth soprano Christine ArandGerard tenor Hal CazaletDargelos Agathe mezzo soprano Valerie KomarSynopsis EditAfter the death of their mother Elizabeth and Paul orphaned brother and sister left to their own devices and bound by an exclusive affection live together in their large Parisian apartment They have built themselves a chimeric universe governed by sibylline symbols Their room is a real sanctuary where a treasure is enthroned with a meaning that is also known only to them Elizabeth met Michael and married him but the next day he died in an accident without their marriage having been consummated She inherited Michael s fortune including a large private mansion where Paul came to join her with their famous treasure Gerard a comrade of Paul and his friend Agathe who strangely resembles Dargelos a schoolboy that Paul idolized soon come to live with them But when Elizabeth understands that love is born between her brother and Agatha like a Greek divinity a kind of Parque she weaves a Machiavellian web so that her brother cannot escape it As in all ancient tragedies the outcome can only be fatal Fascinating by the morbid desire carried by the Paul Elisabeth relationship this seemingly banal story hides a tragedy the inevitable end of adolescence its myths its grace its illusions Elizabeth and Paul die for breaking this law by wanting to eternalize a moment of passage Indeed as soon as Dargelos snowball reaches Paul in the chest time stops the room begins to live It became their deserted island the little piece of land isolated from the rest of the world where they built cabins with their pillows and led a Robinson s existence at night Their bodies grow Paul s legs protrude under his sheets they play at having the desires of grown ups but in fact nothing moves If they move it s to rebuild the room immediately Behind their incessant quarrels their constant agitation there is a morbid desire for immobility It was Dargelos the hidden god of this tragedy who precipitated its outcome by sending a poisoned black ball to Paul who completed the work of the first snowball Elizabeth priestess of the chamber is only the instrument of fate By killing herself and her brother she brings their adolescence into eternity Structure EditScenes 1 Ouverture 2 Paul est mourant 3 Une boule de neige 4 Deux moities dans un meme corps 5 Il n a pas dit au revoir 6 Le somnambule 7 Elle m a gifle 8a Ils vivaient leur reve 8b Et puis laisser 9 Appelez moi Elisabeth 11 Modele entrecroise 11a Terrible Interlude 11 le Verdict 13 Interlude Musicale le Retour chez Orphee 14a b Cocon de chales 15 Perdu 16 Il ecrivit son propre nom 17 Es tu amoureuse Agathe 18 De la part de Dargelos 19 Elle prit la route 20 La fin de PaulRecordings EditChristine Arand soprano Philip Cutlip 8 bass baritone Hal Cazalet tenor Valerie Komar 9 mezzo soprano Philip Glass Nelson Padgett 10 Eleanor Sandresky 11 pianos conducted by Karen Kamensek recorded in December 1996 and January 1997 Orange Mountain Music April 2005 References Edit Levinsen Jakob 1996 1997 Der var engang en kulturby There was once a city of culture Dansk Musik Tidsskrift da in Danish 71 5 147 151 via seismograf org I terribili ragazzi di Glass Corriere della Sera 8 October 1996 in Italian A Fusion Inspired by Cocteau by Anna Kisselgoff The New York Times 22 November 1996 Further productions took place on 22 November 1996 Ooppera Skaala tuo esiin Glassin oopperabaletin by Matti Lehtonen Turun Sanomat 26 September 2005 Naslucivanje raja by Zorica Kojic Danas 9 December 2009 Clements Andrew 24 August 2010 Les Enfants Terribles Opera review The Guardian Retrieved 24 August 2021 Mackrell Judith 29 January 2017 Les Enfants Terribles review Javier De Frutos teases out sex games siblings inner damage The Guardian Retrieved 24 August 2021 Philip Cutlip on Bach Cantatas Website Valerie Komar Archived from the original on 2017 10 13 Retrieved 2018 10 09 Nelson Padgett Archived from the original on 2017 03 23 Retrieved 2018 10 09 Eleanor SandreskyExternal links Edit Les Enfants terribles work details in French and English IRCAM Les Enfants terribles on the composer s site Argument on operaonline Les Enfants terribles on the North Carolina Opera official website Steps Official site of the festival Press release for the premiere at the Opera national de Bordeaux in November 2011 in French 15 pages Portal nbsp Opera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Les Enfants terribles opera amp oldid 1096591474, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
