Cléopâtre
Encyclopedia
Cléopâtre is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet
to a French libretto
by Louis Payen. It was first performed in at the
Opéra
Monte-Carlo on February 23, 1914, nearly two years after Massenet's death.
Cléopâtre is one of three operas by Massenet to be premiered posthumously; the others are Panurge
(1913) and Amadis
(1922). The piece has seen limited revival since its premiere and has a modest modern recording history.
, the role of Cléopâtre was created by the soprano Maria Kuznetsova
. The first American performance took place in Chicago
on January 10, 1916 with Kuznetsova. The first New York
performance was on January 23, 1919 with Mary Garden
. It was revived at the Massenet Festival
in Saint-Étienne
in 1990 with Kathryn Harries in the title role. This production yielded a live recording (Koch Swann). In 2004, a concert version was performed at the Liceu
in Barcelona
with Montserrat Caballé
.
. Marc-Antoine sees Cléopâtre for the first time following the conquering of Egypt and is instantly entranced by her beauty. Dismissing his obligations in Rome, Marc-Antoine goes with Cléopâtre, and even after returning to fulfill his promise of marriage to Octavia, he is lured back by lust and jealousy. Being told, falsely, that Cléopâtre has been killed, Marc-Antoine falls on his own sword and is then brought to Cléopâtre. As she watches him die by her side, she pulls a poisonous snake from a basket of fruit and clutches it to her breast.
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...
to a French 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...
by Louis Payen. It was first performed in at the
Opéra
Opéra de Monte-Carlo
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo is an opera house located in the principality of Monaco.With the lack of cultural diversions available in Monaco in the 1870s, Prince Charles III, along with the Société des Bains de Mer, decided on the construction of an opera house. Initially, it was Charles III's...
Monte-Carlo on February 23, 1914, nearly two years after Massenet's death.
Cléopâtre is one of three operas by Massenet to be premiered posthumously; the others are Panurge
Panurge (opera)
Panurge is an opera in three acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Georges Spitzmuller and Maurice Boukay, after Pantagruel by Rabelais...
(1913) and Amadis
Amadis (Massenet)
Amadis is an opera in three acts with prologue by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Jules Claretie based on the Spanish knight-errantry romance Amadis de Gaula, originally of Portuguese origin, by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo....
(1922). The piece has seen limited revival since its premiere and has a modest modern recording history.
Performance history
Though the opera was written for the mezzo Lucy ArbellLucy Arbell
Lucy Arbell , was a French mezzo-soprano whose operatic career was mainly centred in Paris, and who was particularly associated with the composer Jules Massenet.-Life and career:...
, the role of Cléopâtre was created by the soprano Maria Kuznetsova
Maria Kuznetsova
Maria Nikolayevna Kuznetsova , was a famous 20th century Russian opera singer and dancer.Prior to the Revolution, Kuznetsova was one of the most celebrated opera singers in Imperial Russia, having worked with Richard Strauss, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Jules Massenet. She was frequently paired...
. The first American performance took place in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on January 10, 1916 with Kuznetsova. The first New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
performance was on January 23, 1919 with Mary Garden
Mary Garden
Mary Garden , was a Scottish operatic soprano with a substantial career in France and America in the first third of the 20th century...
. It was revived at the Massenet Festival
Massenet Festival
Massenet Festival is a biennale festival of music by French composer, Jules Massenet held at Saint-Étienne, France, close to the area where the composer was born....
in Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
in 1990 with Kathryn Harries in the title role. This production yielded a live recording (Koch Swann). In 2004, a concert version was performed at the Liceu
Liceu
The Gran Teatre del Liceu , or simply Liceu in Catalan and Liceo in Spanish, is an opera house on La Rambla in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
with Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé is a Spanish operatic soprano. Although she sang a wide variety of roles, she is best known as an exponent of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi....
.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 23 February 1914 (Conductor: - Léon Jehin Léon Jehin Léon Jehin, born Spa, Belgium 17 July 1853, died Monaco 14 February 1928, was a conductor and composer, especially associated with musical life and the opera house in Monte Carlo.-Life and career:... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Cléopâtre | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Maria Kuznetsova Maria Kuznetsova Maria Nikolayevna Kuznetsova , was a famous 20th century Russian opera singer and dancer.Prior to the Revolution, Kuznetsova was one of the most celebrated opera singers in Imperial Russia, having worked with Richard Strauss, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Jules Massenet. She was frequently paired... |
| Marc-Antoine | baritone | Alfred Maguénat |
| Octavie | 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... |
Lilian Grenville |
| Spakos | 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... |
Huchet-Rousselière |
| Amnhès | baritone | Pierre Clauzure |
| Charmion | soprano | Carton |
| Ennius | baritone | Feiner |
| Severus | baritone | Ghastau |
| L'Esclave de la Porte | baritone | Gasparini |
| Amados | mute | Magliani |
| A voice | baritone | Lozé |
Synopsis
The story concerns the ill-fated love of Cléopâtre and Marc-AntoineMark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
. Marc-Antoine sees Cléopâtre for the first time following the conquering of Egypt and is instantly entranced by her beauty. Dismissing his obligations in Rome, Marc-Antoine goes with Cléopâtre, and even after returning to fulfill his promise of marriage to Octavia, he is lured back by lust and jealousy. Being told, falsely, that Cléopâtre has been killed, Marc-Antoine falls on his own sword and is then brought to Cléopâtre. As she watches him die by her side, she pulls a poisonous snake from a basket of fruit and clutches it to her breast.