Many writers, painters and composers have been inspired by this. Emmy destinn antonin dvorak rusalka song to the moon. This 1998 recording of rusalka showcases flemings interpretation of the water nymph in its entirety. Ken howardmetropolitan opera brandon jovanovich as the prince, and kristine. Dvorak wrote his opera rusalka at the age of 60 when he had only three years left to live. Adherents of dvoraks work published their own protest in 1912 in which they took exception to the fanatical prejudice shown by nejedly and his group. Apr 27, 2019 song to the moon comes from antonin dvorak s opera, rusalka, an opera based on the fairy tales of karel jaromir erben and bozena nemcova. Rusalka could be described as a textbook example of unity in diversity. Brandon jovanovich as the prince, and kristine opolais in the title role of dvoraks rusalka. Nov 06, 20 classic fm writes the song is based on the folk tale of undine, and when he wrote rusalka hans christian andersens the little mermaid was already 65 years old i was asked to perform rusalka at the bowdon festival in altrincham at the end of the month, 30 th november, so i dusted the score down and lovingly refreshed my knowledge of it. Rusalka, daughter of a water goblin, falls in love with a human prince. Ken howardmetropolitan opera view full gallery kristine opolais in the title role and eric owens as the water sprite in dvoraks rusalka.
While the most direct source for this opera is the little mermaid, rusalka is not a mermaid but a water sprite much to the relief of costume designers and of sopranos who realize that flipping their fins. His four symphonic poems inspired by the ballads from erbens bouquet were followed by three operas, the devil and kate, rusalka and armida. Its heroine, who must be a highly talented soprano, is for much of the story completely mute. Order of ecclesia rusalka appears as the fifth boss, shown as an aquatic demon. As the water nymphs comment on her short stay in the human world, rusalka slowly vanishes. The spirit of the piece is brilliantly set forth, with conductor jaroslav krombholc attuned to the nuances of the sometimes shimmering, sometimes bigtoned score. In dvoraks dreamlike opera, a little mermaid abandons immortality for love, but her ultimate sacrifice goes unrewarded.
And although rusalkas fate is silence, dvoraks immortal music. But he is distinctly put out when his bridetobe cannot say a word. Dvorak rusalka download free sheet music and scores scorser. Dvorak sheet music antonin leopold dvorak september 8, 1841 may 1, 1904 was a czech composer of romantic music, who employed the idioms and melodies of the folk music of his native bohemia and moravia. For a dvd recommendation of rusalka, this is an easy choice being the only version available in the original czech language. Abandoned by this new love, the prince returns to a.
Alas, rusalka, alas, reminding the heroine and the audience of her cruel fate. Frightened, the gamekeeper and the kitchen boy have come to the woods to ask jezibaba for advice about the prince, who has fallen ill, cursed by some strange spell. Ken howardmetropolitan opera jamie barton as jezibaba in dvorak s rusalka. Conducted by sir charles mackerras heroic rescuer of unjustly neglected czech masterworks this recording reveals a luminous score brimming over with magical, moonlit music. Before beginning the narrative, we need to make an important point. It contains the song to the moon, one of the most gorgeous soprano arias ever written, but the rest of the music is just as enchanting and should be heard by every opera. I loved disneys ariel the little mermaid as a child.
Soprano ana maria martinez stars as rusalka in a production from the 2009. Her silvery voice brings this sad, supernatural character to life. Rusalka is the most popular czech opera in circulation, and according to operabase, a company that compiles and presents statistical information from over 900 opera theaters around the globe, dvoraks rusalka is the 36th most performed opera in. Ken howardmetropolitan opera jamie barton as jezibaba in dvoraks rusalka.
I absolutely loved it and will treasure this filmed record of. In 19thcentury versions, a rusalka is an unquiet, dangerous being who is no. Jan 27, 2017 the director mary zimmerman sat down on the metropolitan operas stage during a recent rehearsal for her new production of dvoraks rusalka, a czech little mermaid about a water. Fr720sacd tchaikovsky symphony no 6 in b minor dvorak. A rusalka is a water sprite from slavic mythology, usually inhabiting a lake or river. Antonin dvorak wrote ten operas, of which rusalka is his ninth. Scores at the international music score library project imslp. Rusalka is the most popular czech opera in circulation, and according to operabase, a company that compiles and presents statistical information from over 900 opera theaters around the globe, dvorak s rusalka is the 36th most performed opera in the world. Rusalka plot outline lyric opera of kansas city lyric. Written in 1900, it is regarded as something of a national treasure in the czech republic, but, until recently, it was really only the heroines ravishing song to the moon that was widely known by international audiences. This is one of the most successful czech operas, and represents a cornerstone of the repertoire of czech opera houses. The littlest mermaid is a great way for students to experience opera. The deal is she has to convince him that she is his love but she has to give up her voice to become human. In 1901 the austrian government appointed antonin dvorak and jaroslav vrchlicky a life member of the upper house of parliament.
The bored prince is soon cavorting with a foreign princess. The first performance was given on march 31, 1901, in prague. It has also been arranged for violin and used on film sound tracks. Most opera lovers only know one short excerpt from rusalka. Renee fleming has championed the title role for several years, performing it in major opera houses, including the metropolitan. The following pages contain a detailed synopsis of dvoraks rusalka. Dvorak rusalkas song to the moon sheet music for voice. The constant diatribes voiced by the smetana camp against dvorak provoked a counterattack from the more judicious members of the cultural community.
However uneven the qualities of the operatic legacy of antonin dvorak 1841 1904 might appear compared with the rest of his output, at least three of his operas namely, the jacobin. Jezibaba, a witch, tells rusalka that the price for her forbidden love is that she will lose her voice. In addition to hakens important, bigvoiced watersprite, which manages to be both paternal and scary, we have milada subrtovas perceptive rusalka, shy and fascinating and sung with solid, clear tone, and ivo zedeks prince, sung with passion and ringing high notes. The pso, known for its artistic excellence, is credited with a rich history of the worlds finest conductors and musicians, and a strong commitment to. Download the new ipad app to watch on your tv with apple tv via airplay.
Dvorak composed his opera rusalka between april and november 1900. The premiere took place in pragues national theatre where dvorak himself had once played as a musician in the house band. Renee fleming rusalka, larisa diadkova jezibaba, eva urbanova the foreign princess, franz hawlata water spirit, sergei larin the prince. One writer considered the final section of the opera the duet for the prince and rusalka as.
I believe that this was the first rusalka ever recorded, in 1952. Rendered mute by jezibaba in a fateful compromise, rusalka is in reality only part human. Their international fame has been limited because of the czech language, but rusalka, his most popular opera, is so great that singers consider it worth the effort to learn. Jan 30, 2017 kristine opolais sings the title characters song to the moon from act i of rusalka at the final dress rehearsal. This is a fine performance by one of the greatest sopranos ever and renee fleming is backed by an excellent cast of singers in an exceptionally imaginative production. The director mary zimmerman sat down on the metropolitan operas stage during a recent rehearsal for her new production of dvoraks rusalka, a czech little mermaid about a water. Although dvorak is more widely known for his symphonic and chamber works today, he considered opera his real forte, and wrote numerous stage works. Dvorak rusalkas song to the moon sheet music for voice pdf. See all productions see calendar you are a professional. The successful premiere of the devil and kate prompted dvorak to write a new. Rusalka overturns all previous opinion on dvorak as a nonreflective composer driven by impulse. Rusalka is a fairy tale for our gilded era the new republic. With rusalka, will the fourth time be the charm for mary. Rusalka has 4,091 books on goodreads, and is currently reading the cellist of sarajevo by steven galloway, faithful place by tana french, and shenzhen.
Nov 06, 2009 in dvorak s dreamlike opera, a little mermaid abandons immortality for love, but her ultimate sacrifice goes unrewarded. This act was one of the gestures through which the emperor wished to demonstrate his. They came out of the water in the spring to transfer lifegiving moisture to the fields and thus helped nurture the crops. Antonin dvorak and the opera rusalka philippe gambette free. The czech libretto was written by the poet jaroslav kvapil 18681950 based on the fairy tales of karel jaromir erben and bozena nemcova.
Print and download song to the moon piano accompaniment sheet music from rusalka arranged for piano accompaniment or recorder or flute or oboe or violin. Perhaps most interesting is the interaction between rusalka and the prince. For more than 115 years, the pittsburgh symphony orchestra pso has been an essential part of pittsburghs cultural landscape. Frightened, the gamekeeper and the kitchen boy have come to the woods to ask jezibaba for advice about the. Born september 8, 1841, muhlhausen, bohemia now nelahozeves, czech republic. Dvorak song to the moon from rusalka free downloadable. Arguably the most popular excerpt of this opera is rusalkas aria song to the moon from act i. With yannick nezetseguin, susan graham, disella larusdottir, renee tatum. Rusalka definition and meaning collins english dictionary. This popular excerpt from rusalka is the song to the moon mesicku na nebi hlubokem from act 1 which is often performed in concert and recorded separately. Rusalka, a water sprite, is sitting in the branches of a willow tree. Rusalka is unwilling to consider this but is resigned to her fate.
Ken howardmetropolitan opera view full gallery kristine opolais in the title role and eric owens as the water sprite in dvorak s rusalka. The production of rusalka was made possible by a generous. Its standout moment is the stunning song to the moon aria. Even the disney film, barely half that length, tricks the tale out with divertissements about wisecracking seagulls and calypsosinging crabs. For a dvd recommendation of rusalka, this is an easy choice being the only version available in the original. This film was made by czech tv in 1975, with a cast of goodlooking, convincing actors lipsynching supraphons superb 1961 recording of the operaexcept for the role of the watersprite, which is both excellently sung and acted by bass eduard haken. Song to the moon comes from antonin dvoraks opera, rusalka, an opera based on the fairy tales of karel jaromir erben and bozena nemcova. She is in love with a human and makes a deal with a witch to be able to be human. Kristine opolais sings the title characters song to the moon from act i of rusalka at the final dress rehearsal. Instead he accepts the hand of a foreign princess and rusalka, obeying the witch je ibabas curse, is doomed to live in the. Met opera on demand delivers instant access to more than 500 met performances, including live in hd videos, classic telecasts and radio broadcasts. Antonin dvorak rusalka met 2014 written by bluesever thursday, 20 march 2014 17. Composing rusalka the libretto was written in 1899 by jaroslav kvapil, who composed it in the country of andersen, on the island of bornholm, thinking of erbens poems.
Feb 25, 2017 brandon jovanovich as the prince, and kristine opolais in the title role of dvorak s rusalka. Rusalka is, in fact, a fairy tale about the illfated love of a. Echoing the story of the little mermaid, rusalka gives up her voice to be united with a prince. Rusalka is, in fact, a fairy tale about the illfated love of a water sprite and a prince.
Abandoned by this new love, the prince returns to a very unhappy rusalka, whose kiss kills him. The composer began writing his opera rusalka in the last stage of his career, at a time he was focusing almost exclusively on fairytale or mythical themes. A rusalka is in fact a water sprite of slavic mythology, usually inhabiting a lake or river. Antonin dvorak rusalka the royal opera houses article says rusalka is an opera about singing. According to vladimir propp, the original rusalka was an appellation used by pagan slavic peoples, who linked them with fertility and did not consider rusalki evil before the 19th century. This research will examine dvoraks operas, specifically jakobin and rusalka.
1261 936 578 687 553 800 799 725 579 1406 1178 1177 258 527 1017 1500 1408 576 879 1182 457 1342 1118 1069 896 918 1449 1254 945 907 856 221 1289