Armida (Weir)
Encyclopedia
Armida is an opera
by British composer Judith Weir
. It premiered on 25 December 2005 as a television broadcast on the UK
station, Channel 4
which had commissioned the work. The English libretto
, also written by Weir, is loosely based on the story of Rinaldo and Armida, in Torquato Tasso
's 1581 epic poem set in the First Crusade
, La Gerusalemme liberata
(Jerusalem Delivered).
In Weir's 50 minute long opera, the setting is updated to a modern Middle-East conflict which alludes to but never specifically mentions the Iraq War. Rinaldo, Tasso's Christian
knight, becomes an army officer conflicted about his love for peace and his duty as a soldier. Armida, Tasso's beautiful Muslim
sorceress, becomes a high-powered television journalist, equally conflicted by her profession as a war reporter in her occupied country. She enters the army camp, ostensibly to interview the soldiers, but with the intention of subverting them. When she and Rinaldo fall in love, she spirits him away in her news helicopter to an enchanted Moorish
city. His fellow soldiers try to free him, but Rinaldo no longer has an appetite for combat. In the end, love triumphs as both journalism and soldiering are replaced by what Weir calls in her libretto "cultivation and repose". Rinaldo and his comrades start growing flowers and vegetables in the desert. Armida's employer, Metropolis News, decides to stop covering wars and specialise in gardening shows.
The instrumental score was written for bass clarinet
, soprano saxophone
, percussion
, piano and strings
and was performed in the premiere by The Continuum Ensemble conducted by Philip Headlam. The title role was sung by American soprano Talise Trevigne while the American tenor, Kenneth Tarver
sang Rinaldo. The production, filmed in Morocco
, was directed by Margaret Williams.
The opera was also the subject of a 2005 documentary film, Judith Weir: Armida and Other Stories, directed by Teresa Griffiths.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
by British composer Judith Weir
Judith Weir
Judith Weir CBE, is a British composer.-Biography:Her music has been appreciated by audiences and critics alike. She trained with John Tavener while still at school and subsequently with Robin Holloway at King's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1976...
. It premiered on 25 December 2005 as a television broadcast on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
station, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
which had commissioned the work. The English libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
, also written by Weir, is loosely based on the story of Rinaldo and Armida, in 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 1581 epic poem set in the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, La Gerusalemme liberata
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...
(Jerusalem Delivered).
In Weir's 50 minute long opera, the setting is updated to a modern Middle-East conflict which alludes to but never specifically mentions the Iraq War. Rinaldo, Tasso's Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
knight, becomes an army officer conflicted about his love for peace and his duty as a soldier. Armida, Tasso's beautiful Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
sorceress, becomes a high-powered television journalist, equally conflicted by her profession as a war reporter in her occupied country. She enters the army camp, ostensibly to interview the soldiers, but with the intention of subverting them. When she and Rinaldo fall in love, she spirits him away in her news helicopter to an enchanted Moorish
Moorish architecture
Moorish architecture is the western term used to describe the articulated Berber-Islamic architecture of North Africa and Al-Andalus.-Characteristic elements:...
city. His fellow soldiers try to free him, but Rinaldo no longer has an appetite for combat. In the end, love triumphs as both journalism and soldiering are replaced by what Weir calls in her libretto "cultivation and repose". Rinaldo and his comrades start growing flowers and vegetables in the desert. Armida's employer, Metropolis News, decides to stop covering wars and specialise in gardening shows.
The instrumental score was written for bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, soprano saxophone
Soprano saxophone
The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, piano and strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
and was performed in the premiere by The Continuum Ensemble conducted by Philip Headlam. The title role was sung by American soprano Talise Trevigne while the American tenor, Kenneth Tarver
Kenneth Tarver
Kenneth Tarver is a tenore di grazia. He has appeared at some of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, such as the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro Municipal in Santiago de Chile , Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Bayerische Staatsoper, Dresden...
sang Rinaldo. The production, filmed in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, was directed by Margaret Williams.
The opera was also the subject of a 2005 documentary film, Judith Weir: Armida and Other Stories, directed by Teresa Griffiths.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 25 December 2005 (Conductor: Philip Headlam) |
|---|---|---|
| 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... |
Talise Trevigne |
| Rinaldo | 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... |
Kenneth Tarver |
| Goffredo | bass | Dean Robinson |
| Ms. Pescado, a weather reporter, Armida's friend | soprano | Donna Bateman |
| Idraote | bass or bass-baritone Bass-baritone A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende... |
Nicholas Folwell |
| Carlo | 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... |
Grant Doyle |
| Ubaldo | tenor | Olivier Dumait |
External links
- Photographs of the production and commentary on the official web site of The Continuum Ensemble