Armida (Haydn)
Encyclopedia
Armida, Hob.
28/12, is an opera in three acts by Joseph Haydn
, set to a libretto based upon Torquato Tasso
's poem Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered
). The first performance was 26 February 1784 and it went on to receive 54 performances from 1784 to 1788 at the Esterháza
Court Theatre. During the composer's lifetime it was also performed in Pressburg
, Budapest
, Turin
and Vienna
. Haydn himself regarded Armida as his finest opera. Armida then disappeared from the general operatic repertoire, and in the 20th century was revived in 1968 in a concert rendition in Cologne
, and later a production in Bern. The United States premiere of the opera was givem at the Palace Theatre
in Manchester, New Hampshire with the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra
for the Monadnock Music Festival in September 1981. The production starred soprano Sarah Reese in the title role and was staged during the Vietnam War
by director Peter Sellars
.
Karl Geiringer
has commented on how Haydn adopted the "principles and methods" of Christoph Willibald Gluck
in this opera, and how the opera's overture alone encapsulates the opera's plot in purely instrumental terms. Haydn's opera contains occasional echoes of Sarti
's Giulio Sabino
, played at Esterháza in 1783.
The work is scored for flute, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns/trumpets, timpani, strings, continuo.
Act 1
Scene 1: A council chamber in the royal palace of Damascus. Idreno is alarmed that the Crusaders have crossed the river Jordan. Armida, the heathen sorceress seems to have triumphed over the Christians but feared that her conquest was not complete without gaining the love of the Christian knight Rinaldo. Now Rinaldo is obsessed with Armida and promises to fight against his fellow Christians. If victorious King Idreno offers him the kingdom and Armida’s hand. Armida prays for Rinaldo’s safety.
Scene 2: A steep mountain, Armida's fortress at the top. Knights Ubaldo and Clotarco plan to free Rinaldo from Armida’s clutches. Idreno sends Zelmira, the daughter of the Egyptian sultan, to ensnare the Christians but on encountering Clotarco she falls in love with him and offers to lead him to safety.
Scene 3: Armida's apartments. Rinaldo admires the bravery of the approaching knights. Ubaldo warns Rinaldo to beware Armide's charms, and reproaches the dereliction his duty as a Christian. Although remorseful Rinaldo is unable to escape Armida's enchantment.
Act 2
Scene 1: A garden in Armida's palace. Zelmira fails to dissuade King Idreno from planning an ambush on the Christians. Idreno pretends to agree to Clotarco's demand that the Christian knights enchanted by Armida be freed. Reluctantly, Rinaldo leaves with Ubaldo. Armida expresses her fury.
Scene 2: The Crusaders’ encampment. Ubaldo welcomes Rinaldo who prepares to go into battle. Armida begs for refuge and Rinaldo’s love. Rinaldo departs for battle with Ubaldo and the other soldiers.
Act 3
Scene 1: A dark, forbidding grove, with a large myrtle tree. Rinaldo, knowing that the tree holds the secret of Armida’s powers, enters the wood intending to cut it down. Zelmira and nymphs try to get him to return to Armida. As he is about to strike the myrtle Armida, dishevelled appears from it and confronts him. Armida cannot bring herself to kill him; Rinaldo strikes the tree and the magic wood vanishes.
Scene 2: The crusaders’ encampment. The crusaders prepare for battle against the Saracens. Armida appears swearing to pursue Rinaldo everywhere. As Rinaldo moves off she sends an infernal chariot after Rinaldo.
Hoboken-Verzeichnis
The Hoboken-Verzeichnis is the catalogue of over 750 works by Joseph Haydn as compiled by Anthony van Hoboken.Unlike Ludwig von Köchel's catalogue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's works, or Otto Erich Deutsch's catalogue of Franz Schubert's works, which are both arranged chronologically by date of...
28/12, is an opera in three acts by Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
, set to a libretto based upon Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
's poem Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered
Jerusalem Delivered
Jerusalem Delivered is an epic poem by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso first published in 1581, which tells a largely mythified version of the First Crusade in which Catholic knights, led by Godfrey of Bouillon, battle Muslims in order to take Jerusalem...
). The first performance was 26 February 1784 and it went on to receive 54 performances from 1784 to 1788 at the Esterháza
Eszterháza
Esterháza is a palace in Fertőd, Hungary, built by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. Sometimes called the "Hungarian Versailles", it is Hungary's grandest Rococo edifice.-History:...
Court Theatre. During the composer's lifetime it was also performed in Pressburg
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Haydn himself regarded Armida as his finest opera. Armida then disappeared from the general operatic repertoire, and in the 20th century was revived in 1968 in a concert rendition in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, and later a production in Bern. The United States premiere of the opera was givem at the Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre (Manchester, New Hampshire)
The Palace Theatre is a stage production venue in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.-The start:In June, 1914, Greek immigrant Victor Charas with the help of general contractor Henry Macropol and architect Leon Lempert & Son began construction on the theatre...
in Manchester, New Hampshire with the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra
New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra
The New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra was an American orchestra, one of three based in Manchester, New Hampshire. It was established in 1974. Its last listed music director was Kenneth Kiesler....
for the Monadnock Music Festival in September 1981. The production starred soprano Sarah Reese in the title role and was staged during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
by director Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars is an American theatre director, noted for his unique contemporary stagings of classical and contemporary operas and plays...
.
Karl Geiringer
Karl Geiringer
Karl Geiringer was a musicologist, educator, and biographer of composers. He was educated in Vienna but at the beginning of the Nazi years he emigrated to England and ultimately the United States, where he had a lengthy and distinguished career at several universities. He was a noted authority...
has commented on how Haydn adopted the "principles and methods" of Christoph Willibald Gluck
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck was an opera composer of the early classical period. After many years at the Habsburg court at Vienna, Gluck brought about the practical reform of opera's dramaturgical practices that many intellectuals had been campaigning for over the years...
in this opera, and how the opera's overture alone encapsulates the opera's plot in purely instrumental terms. Haydn's opera contains occasional echoes of Sarti
Giuseppe Sarti
Giuseppe Sarti was an Italian opera composer.-Biography:He was born at Faenza. His date of birth is not known, but he was baptised on 1 December 1729. Some earlier sources say he was born on 28 December, but his baptism certificate proves the later date impossible...
's Giulio Sabino
Giulio Sabino
Giulio Sabino is a dramma per musica in three acts by Giuseppe Sarti. The libretto was by Pietro Giovannini....
, played at Esterháza in 1783.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 26 February 1784 (Conductor: Joseph Haydn) |
|---|---|---|
| Armida, a sorceress | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Metilda Bologna |
| Rinaldo, a knight | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Prospero Breghetti |
| Zelmira, accomplice of Armida | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Costanza Valdesturla |
| Idreno, king of the Saracen Saracen Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam... s |
baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Paolo Mandini |
| Ubaldo, friend of Rinaldo | tenor | Antonio Specioli |
| Clotarco, a knight | tenor | Leopoldo Dichtler |
The work is scored for flute, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns/trumpets, timpani, strings, continuo.
Synopsis
In order to prevent the capture of Jerusalem by the knights of the First Crusade, The Prince of Darkness has sent the enchantress Armida into the world to seduce the Christian heroes and turn them from their duty. The bravest of these, Rinaldo, has fallen under Armida's spell. She comes to love him so deeply that she cannot bring herself to destroy him.Act 1
Scene 1: A council chamber in the royal palace of Damascus. Idreno is alarmed that the Crusaders have crossed the river Jordan. Armida, the heathen sorceress seems to have triumphed over the Christians but feared that her conquest was not complete without gaining the love of the Christian knight Rinaldo. Now Rinaldo is obsessed with Armida and promises to fight against his fellow Christians. If victorious King Idreno offers him the kingdom and Armida’s hand. Armida prays for Rinaldo’s safety.
Scene 2: A steep mountain, Armida's fortress at the top. Knights Ubaldo and Clotarco plan to free Rinaldo from Armida’s clutches. Idreno sends Zelmira, the daughter of the Egyptian sultan, to ensnare the Christians but on encountering Clotarco she falls in love with him and offers to lead him to safety.
Scene 3: Armida's apartments. Rinaldo admires the bravery of the approaching knights. Ubaldo warns Rinaldo to beware Armide's charms, and reproaches the dereliction his duty as a Christian. Although remorseful Rinaldo is unable to escape Armida's enchantment.
Act 2
Scene 1: A garden in Armida's palace. Zelmira fails to dissuade King Idreno from planning an ambush on the Christians. Idreno pretends to agree to Clotarco's demand that the Christian knights enchanted by Armida be freed. Reluctantly, Rinaldo leaves with Ubaldo. Armida expresses her fury.
Scene 2: The Crusaders’ encampment. Ubaldo welcomes Rinaldo who prepares to go into battle. Armida begs for refuge and Rinaldo’s love. Rinaldo departs for battle with Ubaldo and the other soldiers.
Act 3
Scene 1: A dark, forbidding grove, with a large myrtle tree. Rinaldo, knowing that the tree holds the secret of Armida’s powers, enters the wood intending to cut it down. Zelmira and nymphs try to get him to return to Armida. As he is about to strike the myrtle Armida, dishevelled appears from it and confronts him. Armida cannot bring herself to kill him; Rinaldo strikes the tree and the magic wood vanishes.
Scene 2: The crusaders’ encampment. The crusaders prepare for battle against the Saracens. Armida appears swearing to pursue Rinaldo everywhere. As Rinaldo moves off she sends an infernal chariot after Rinaldo.
Selected recordings
- Philips 6769 021: Jessye NormanJessye NormanJessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
, Claes J. Ahnsjö, Norma BurrowesNorma BurrowesNorma Burrowes is an Irish coloratura soprano, particularly associated with Handel and Mozart roles.-Life and career:...
, Samuel RameySamuel RameySamuel Edward Ramey is an American operatic bass with a long, distinguished career.During his best years, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique to enable him to sing the music of Handel, Mozart, Rossini, yet power...
, Robin Leggate, Anthony Rolfe JohnsonAnthony Rolfe JohnsonAnthony Rolfe Johnson, CBE was an English operatic tenor.-Life and career:Born in Tackley in Oxfordshire, Rolfe Johnson studied with Ellis Keeler and Vera Rosza at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He first appeared in opera in the chorus and in small roles at the Glyndebourne Festival...
; Lausanne Chamber Orchestra; Antal DorátiAntal DorátiAntal Doráti, KBE was a Hungarian-born conductor and composer who became a naturalized American citizen in 1947.-Biography:...
, conductor - Teldec 81108-2: Cecilia BartoliCecilia BartoliCecilia Bartoli is an Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist. She is best-known for her interpretation of the music of Mozart and Rossini, as well as for her performances of lesser-known Baroque and classical music...
, Christoph PrégardienChristoph PrégardienChristoph Prégardien is a German lyric tenor whose career is closely associated with the roles in Mozart operas, as well as performances of Lieder, oratorio roles, and Baroque music...
, Patricia PetibonPatricia PetibonPatricia Petibon is a French coloratura soprano who has been acclaimed for her interpretations of French Baroque music.-Biography:...
, Oliver Widmer, Scot Weir, Markus Schäfer; Concentus Musicus WienConcentus Musicus WienConcentus Musicus Wien is a baroque music ensemble founded by Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt in 1953. It generated the now well-established movement in performance and recordings to play early music on period instruments....
; Nikolaus HarnoncourtNikolaus HarnoncourtNikolaus Harnoncourt is an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the Classical era and earlier. Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble in the 1950s, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement...
, conductor