Dinorah
Encyclopedia
Dinorah, originally Le pardon de Ploërmel (The Pardon of Ploërmel), is an 1859 French opéra comique
in three acts with music by Giacomo Meyerbeer
and a libretto
by Jules Barbier
and Michel Carré
. The story takes place near the rural town of Ploërmel
and is based on two Breton
tales by Émile Souvestre
, "La Chasse aux trésors" and "Le Kacouss de l'Armor
", both published separately in 1850 in the Révue de deux mondes.
(Salle Favart), in Paris
, on April 4, 1859 under the title Le pardon de Ploërmel. The stage designs for Acts 1 and 3 were by Edouard-Désiré-Joseph Despléchin and Chéret. Those for the more technically demanding Act 2, which included onstage running water, were by Joseph and Karl Wilhelm Mühldorfer. The principal singers were highly acclaimed: "Marie Cabel for her vertiginous-virtuoso interpretation of Dinorah; Sainte-Foy for his overwhelmingly convincing characterization of Corentin, lyrically as well as dramatically; Jean-Baptiste Faure for his fascinating stage presence as Hoël, Meyerbeer's first big baritone role." The supporting singers were also greatly admired, in particular, Barreille as the huntsman and Warot as the harvester. Meyerbeer's music was praised for its originality, but the libretto was found incomprehensible and even met with derision. In the initial run of performances up to the end of 1859, changes were made, the most significant being the casting of the contralto Palmyre Wertheimber in the role of Hoël.
The opera was translated into Italian for its premiere in London on July 26, 1859 (with Miolan-Carvalho
), became internationally known as Dinorah, and was first seen in New York in 1862. (It is also sometimes known as Les chercheurs de trésor.) Under its original title it received over 200 performances at the Opéra-Comique by 1912.
The opera was initially extremely popular and became a great favorite of Adelina Patti
, but is nowadays virtually forgotten except for the famous virtuoso aria for soprano "Ombre légère", sometimes known as the Shadow Song as it is a one-sided 'duet' by Dinorah with her shadow
. Other sopranos who have enjoyed considerable success in the role of Dinorah are Amelita Galli-Curci
, Ilma di Murskal
, Luisa Tetrazzini
and Maria Barrientos
.
Although the opera has been largely neglected in recent years, a rare broadcast performance of the overture by Arturo Toscanini
and the NBC Symphony Orchestra
from November 12, 1938, has been preserved. This unusual overture has several sections with chorus, ample percussion, and is seen to compare favorably with those of Rossini and Verdi
.
During the annual pilgrimage to the chapel of the Virgin, Dinorah has gone mad because her bridegroom Hoël disappeared following a storm that interrupted their wedding on the same day the previous year. Hoël returns to the village, having discovered the whereabouts of a treasure. He enlists Corentin to help him recover the riches, but not without sinister intent, since according to the legend, the first to touch them will perish.
They descend upon the cache where Dinorah also happens to be. From her, Corentin learns about the legend, and later he and Hoël invite each other first to inspect the treasure. During that time, Dinorah, in pursuit of her pet goat, steps on a tree trunk by a river as it is hit by lightning, and falls in the water and is swept away by the current. Hoël having witnessed the scene leaps to her rescue.
Opéra comique
Opéra comique is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged out of the popular opéra comiques en vaudevilles of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent , which combined existing popular tunes with spoken sections...
in three acts with music by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
and a 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 Jules Barbier
Jules Barbier
Paul Jules Barbier was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré...
and Michel Carré
Michel Carré
Michel Carré was a prolific French librettist.He went to Paris in 1840 intending to become a painter but took up writing instead. He wrote verse and plays before turning to writing libretti. His libretto for Mirette was never performed in France but was later performed in English adaptation in...
. The story takes place near the rural town of Ploërmel
Ploërmel
Ploërmel is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-Character of the town:It is a growing and developing community with a thriving economy and a lively atmosphere. The town is modern rather than romantically mediaeval, but it is clean and attractive and offers a...
and is based on two Breton
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
tales by Émile Souvestre
Émile Souvestre
Émile Souvestre was a French novelist who was a native of Morlaix, Finistère.He was the son of a civil engineer and was educated at the college of Pontivy, with the intention of following his father's career by entering the Polytechnic School...
, "La Chasse aux trésors" and "Le Kacouss de l'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor is a department in the north of Brittany, in northwestern France.-History:Côtes-du-Nord was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Brittany. Its name was changed in 1990 to...
", both published separately in 1850 in the Révue de deux mondes.
Performance history
The opera was first performed at the Opéra-ComiqueOpéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
(Salle Favart), in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, on April 4, 1859 under the title Le pardon de Ploërmel. The stage designs for Acts 1 and 3 were by Edouard-Désiré-Joseph Despléchin and Chéret. Those for the more technically demanding Act 2, which included onstage running water, were by Joseph and Karl Wilhelm Mühldorfer. The principal singers were highly acclaimed: "Marie Cabel for her vertiginous-virtuoso interpretation of Dinorah; Sainte-Foy for his overwhelmingly convincing characterization of Corentin, lyrically as well as dramatically; Jean-Baptiste Faure for his fascinating stage presence as Hoël, Meyerbeer's first big baritone role." The supporting singers were also greatly admired, in particular, Barreille as the huntsman and Warot as the harvester. Meyerbeer's music was praised for its originality, but the libretto was found incomprehensible and even met with derision. In the initial run of performances up to the end of 1859, changes were made, the most significant being the casting of the contralto Palmyre Wertheimber in the role of Hoël.
The opera was translated into Italian for its premiere in London on July 26, 1859 (with Miolan-Carvalho
Marie Caroline Miolan-Carvalho
Marie Caroline Miolan-Carvalho was a famed French operatic soprano, particularly associated with light lyric and coloratura roles....
), became internationally known as Dinorah, and was first seen in New York in 1862. (It is also sometimes known as Les chercheurs de trésor.) Under its original title it received over 200 performances at the Opéra-Comique by 1912.
The opera was initially extremely popular and became a great favorite of Adelina Patti
Adelina Patti
Adelina Patti was a highly acclaimed 19th-century opera singer, earning huge fees at the height of her career in the music capitals of Europe and America. She first sang in public as a child in 1851 and gave her last performance before an audience in 1914...
, but is nowadays virtually forgotten except for the famous virtuoso aria for soprano "Ombre légère", sometimes known as the Shadow Song as it is a one-sided 'duet' by Dinorah with her shadow
Shadow
A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or reverse projection of the object blocking the...
. Other sopranos who have enjoyed considerable success in the role of Dinorah are Amelita Galli-Curci
Amelita Galli-Curci
Amelita Galli-Curci was an Italian operatic soprano. She was one of the best-known coloratura singers of the early 20th century with her gramophone records selling in large numbers.-Early life:...
, Ilma di Murskal
Ema Pukšec
Ema Pukšec , also known as Ilma de Murska, as well as Ilma di Murska, was a famous 19th century soprano opera singer from Croatia.-Life:...
, Luisa Tetrazzini
Luisa Tetrazzini
Luisa Tetrazzini was an Italian coloratura soprano of great international fame.Tetrazzini's voice was remarkable for its phenomenal flexibility, thrust, steadiness and thrilling tone...
and Maria Barrientos
Maria Barrientos
Maria Barrientos was a Spanish opera singer, a light coloratura soprano, one of the most eminent sopranos of her time.- Life and career :...
.
Although the opera has been largely neglected in recent years, a rare broadcast performance of the overture by Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
and the NBC Symphony Orchestra
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
from November 12, 1938, has been preserved. This unusual overture has several sections with chorus, ample percussion, and is seen to compare favorably with those of Rossini and Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
.
Roles
| Role | Voice type Voice type A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics. Voice classification is the process by which human voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types... |
Premiere cast, April 4, 1859 (Conductor Conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble... : Meyerbeer) |
|---|---|---|
| Dinorah, a peasant girl | 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... |
Marie Cabel Marie Cabel Marie Cabel was a Belgian coloratura soprano. She is probably best remembered for having created the role of Philine in Ambroise Thomas' opera Mignon.-Early life and career:... |
| Shepherd | soprano | Breuillé |
| Shepherd | 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... |
Emma Belia |
| Corentin, a bag-piper | 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... |
Charles-Louis Sainte-Foy |
| Goatherd | soprano | Dupuy |
| Goatherd | soprano | Marguerite Decroix |
| Hoël, a goat-herd | 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... |
Jean-Baptiste Faure Jean-Baptiste Faure Jean-Baptiste Faure was a celebrated French operatic baritone and an art collector of great significance. He also composed a number of classical songs.-Singing career:Faure was born in Moulins... |
| A huntsman | bass Bass (voice type) A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C... |
Barreille |
| A harvester | tenor | Victor Warot Victor Warot Victor Alexandre Warot was a Belgian opera singer. He began his career as a lyric tenor but later grew into a fine dramatic singer. He was particularly known for his portrayal of Wagner and Meyerbeer heroes.-Biography:... |
| Loïc | baritone | Lemaire |
| Claude | tenor | Palianti |
| Chorus: peasants and villagers | ||
Act 1
In the Breton village of PloërmelPloërmel
Ploërmel is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-Character of the town:It is a growing and developing community with a thriving economy and a lively atmosphere. The town is modern rather than romantically mediaeval, but it is clean and attractive and offers a...
During the annual pilgrimage to the chapel of the Virgin, Dinorah has gone mad because her bridegroom Hoël disappeared following a storm that interrupted their wedding on the same day the previous year. Hoël returns to the village, having discovered the whereabouts of a treasure. He enlists Corentin to help him recover the riches, but not without sinister intent, since according to the legend, the first to touch them will perish.
Act 2
A mysterious valleyThey descend upon the cache where Dinorah also happens to be. From her, Corentin learns about the legend, and later he and Hoël invite each other first to inspect the treasure. During that time, Dinorah, in pursuit of her pet goat, steps on a tree trunk by a river as it is hit by lightning, and falls in the water and is swept away by the current. Hoël having witnessed the scene leaps to her rescue.
Act 3
Hoël admits his love and regrets to Dinorah as she regains consciousness. She recognizes him and regains her sanity. The villagers arrive and sing a hymn of forgiveness and lead the two lovers to the chapel where they will be married.Recordings
- Dinorah - Deborah Cook (Dinorah), Christian du PlessisChristian du PlessisChristian du Plessis is a South African baritone, largely based in England, and particularly associated with the bel canto repertory....
(Hoël), Alexander Oliver (Corentin) - Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, Philarmonia Orchestra - James Judd (conductor) - Opera RaraOpera RaraOpera Rara is a British record label, founded in the early 1970s by Americans Patric Schmid and Don White to promote concerts of rare and/or forgotten operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer and Donizetti and such other "bel canto" composers as Giovanni Pacini, Saverio Mercadante, and Federico Ricci.The...
(1979) - The aria "Ombre légère" has been recorded by many coloratura sopranos, including Maria CallasMaria CallasMaria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique, a wide-ranging voice and great dramatic gifts...
, Joan SutherlandJoan SutherlandDame Joan Alston Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s....
, Anna MoffoAnna MoffoAnna Moffo was an Italian-American opera singer and one of the leading lyric-coloratura sopranos of her generation...
, and Natalie DessayNatalie DessayNatalie Dessay is a French coloratura soprano. She dropped the silent "h" in her first name in honor of Natalie Wood when she was in grade school and subsequently simplified the spelling of her surname outside France...
.
Libretto and scores
Meyerbeer's manuscripts have not been found, and most published libretti reflect cuts to the score made in almost all productions. A complete libretto has recently been published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing as part of the series Giacomo Meyerbeer: The Complete Libretti in Eleven Volumes. The following are the early printed sources which were used in the preparation of that libretto:- Le Pardon de Ploërmel; opéra-comique en trois actes. Paris: Brandus & Dufour, 1859. (First edition of the full orchestral score with spoken dialogue.)
- Le Pardon de Ploërmel; opéra en trois actes. “Edition contenant les récitatifs et les morceaux ajoutés par l’auteur.” Paris: Benoit, 1885. (Score with sung recitatives in place of spoken dialog.)
- Le Pardon de Ploërmel; opéra-comique en trois actes. Paris: Michel Lévy Frères, 1859. (Second edition of the libretto used for additional stage directions and scenic descriptions.)