L'enfant et les sortilèges
Encyclopedia
L'enfant et les sortilèges: Fantaisie lyrique en deux parties (The Child and the Spells: A Lyric Fantasy in Two Parts) is an opera
in one act, with music by Maurice Ravel
to a libretto
by Colette
. It is Ravel's second opera, his first being L'heure espagnole
. Written from 1917 to 1925, L'enfant et les sortilèges was first performed in Monte Carlo
in 1925 under the baton of Victor de Sabata
.
After being offered the opportunity to write a musical work, Colette wrote the text in eight days. Several composers were proposed to Colette to write the music, but she only was enthused with the prospect of Ravel.
, the Opéra de Paris director Jacques Rouché asked Colette to provide the text for a fairy ballet. Colette originally wrote the story under the title Divertissements pour ma fille. After Colette chose Ravel to set the text to music, a copy was sent to him in 1916 while he was still serving in the war; however, the mailed script was lost. In 1917, Ravel finally received a copy and agreed to complete the score, humorously replying to Collette, "I would like to compose this, but I have no daughter."
Ravel began composing the work in the spring of 1920, but then stopped due to physical exhaustion and poor health. He was finally compelled to complete the work by Raoul Gunsbourg
, director of the Monte Carlo Opera, who insisted Ravel wrote a sequel to L'Heure espagnole. This was completed in 1924. Colette, who had believed that the work would never be complete, expressed her extreme pleasure, believing that her modest writing had been raised beyond its initial scope. Now officially under the title of L'enfant et les sortilèges, the first performance took place March 21, 1925 in Monte Carlo as conducted by Victor de Sabata
with ballet sequences choreographed by George Balanchine
. Ravel said of the premiere production:
on 1 February 1926. The original cast also included Henri Fabert as Veillard Arithmétique, Warnerey as the clock and cat, while at the Opera-Comique, conducted by Albert Wolff and with choreography by Louise Virard, the cast included Germaine Féraldy, Mathilde Calvet, Madeleine Sibille
, Roger Bourdin
, René Hérent
and Louis Guenot.
The opera was then seen in Prague (17 February 1927), Leipzig (6 May 1927) and Vienna (14 March 1929). The US premiere was given on 19 September 1930 by the San Francisco Opera
. The Canadian premiere of the work was a film version made by CBC Television
in 1950 with conductor Wilfrid Pelletier
. It was not until 3 December 1958 that the opera was given its UK premiere in the Town Hall in Oxford.
/ owl; the female cat / the squirrel; the male cat / grandfather clock; the armchair / tree.
Set in an old-fashioned Normandy
country home, the opera tells the story of a rude child who is reprimanded by the objects in his room which he has been destroying. After being scolded by his mother in the beginning of the opera, the child throws a tantrum destroying the room around him. He is then surprised to find that the unhappy objects in his room come to life. The furniture and decorations begin to talk; even his homework takes shape as it becomes an old man and a chorus of numbers.
Part 2
The bedroom becomes a garden filled with singing animals and plants which have been tortured by the child as well. The child attempts to make friends with the animals and plants, but they shun him because of the injuries he did to them earlier before they could talk. They leave him aside, and in his loneliness, he eventually cries out "Maman". At this, the animals turn on him and attack him, but the animals wind up jostling among each other as the child is tossed aside. At the culmination, a squirrel is hurt, which causes the other animals to stop fighting. The child bandages the squirrel, then collapses exhausted. The animals have a change of heart toward the child, and decide to try to help him home. They carry the child back to his house, and sing in praise of the child. The opera ends with the child singing "Maman", as he greets his mother, in the very last measure of the score.
, a mixed chorus
of adults, a chorus of children and eight soloists most of whom play a number of characters. The scale of the cast and fantastic setting make the opera often difficult to stage, which helps to explain why the work is not performed often. Ravel uses various subtle leitmotif
s throughout the work. The melodies were emphasized with the orchestra being considered secondary by Ravel, who said this was modelled after Gershwin
and American operetta
s of the time. Still, the composition doesn't avoid virtuosity in the instrumental writing. Ravel contrasted the work to his previous opera, L'heure espagnole
:
The opera was initially well received in Monte Carlo, but in a Paris showing the following year it was less successful. André Messager criticized the purposely imitative nature of the music, but Francis Poulenc
and Les six
were impressed. His cat screech duet Duo miaulé is often seen as a parody of Wagner
which was quite controversial, although Arthur Honegger
praised this piece in particular. The use of pentatonic music and parallel fourths in the depiction of the Chinese tea cup is an example of use of "orientalism" in orchestral music.
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...
in one act, with music by Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
to 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 Colette
Colette
Colette was the surname of the French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette . She is best known for her novel Gigi, upon which Lerner and Loewe based the stage and film musical comedies of the same title.-Early life and marriage:Colette was born to retired military officer Jules-Joseph...
. It is Ravel's second opera, his first being L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole is a one-act opera, described as a comédie musicale, with music by Maurice Ravel to a French libretto by Franc-Nohain, based on his play of the same name first performed at the Théâtre de l'Odéon on 28 October 1904...
. Written from 1917 to 1925, L'enfant et les sortilèges was first performed in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
in 1925 under the baton of Victor de Sabata
Victor de Sabata
Victor de Sabata was an Italian conductor and composer. He is widely recognized as one of the most distinguished operatic conductors of the twentieth century, especially for his Verdi, Puccini and Wagner. He is also acclaimed for his interpretations of orchestral music...
.
After being offered the opportunity to write a musical work, Colette wrote the text in eight days. Several composers were proposed to Colette to write the music, but she only was enthused with the prospect of Ravel.
Composition history
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Opéra de Paris director Jacques Rouché asked Colette to provide the text for a fairy ballet. Colette originally wrote the story under the title Divertissements pour ma fille. After Colette chose Ravel to set the text to music, a copy was sent to him in 1916 while he was still serving in the war; however, the mailed script was lost. In 1917, Ravel finally received a copy and agreed to complete the score, humorously replying to Collette, "I would like to compose this, but I have no daughter."
Ravel began composing the work in the spring of 1920, but then stopped due to physical exhaustion and poor health. He was finally compelled to complete the work by Raoul Gunsbourg
Raoul Gunsbourg
Raoul Samuel Gunsbourg was a Jewish-Romania-born opera director, impresario, composer and writer...
, director of the Monte Carlo Opera, who insisted Ravel wrote a sequel to L'Heure espagnole. This was completed in 1924. Colette, who had believed that the work would never be complete, expressed her extreme pleasure, believing that her modest writing had been raised beyond its initial scope. Now officially under the title of L'enfant et les sortilèges, the first performance took place March 21, 1925 in Monte Carlo as conducted by Victor de Sabata
Victor de Sabata
Victor de Sabata was an Italian conductor and composer. He is widely recognized as one of the most distinguished operatic conductors of the twentieth century, especially for his Verdi, Puccini and Wagner. He is also acclaimed for his interpretations of orchestral music...
with ballet sequences choreographed by George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
. Ravel said of the premiere production:
- "Our work requires an extraordinary production: the roles are numerous, and the phantasmagoria is constant. Following the principles of American operetta, dancing is continually and intimately intermingled with the action. Now the Monte Carlo Opera possesses a wonderful troupe of Russian dancers, marvelously directed by a prodigious ballet master, M. Balanchine. ... And let’s not forget an essential element, the orchestra.",
Performance history
Marie-Thérèse Gauley sang the part of the child at both the premiere in Monte-Carlo and the first performance 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...
on 1 February 1926. The original cast also included Henri Fabert as Veillard Arithmétique, Warnerey as the clock and cat, while at the Opera-Comique, conducted by Albert Wolff and with choreography by Louise Virard, the cast included Germaine Féraldy, Mathilde Calvet, Madeleine Sibille
Madeleine Sibille
Madeleine Sibille was a French operatic soprano.Sibille was born in Paris. She spent much of her career performing at the Opéra-Comique, making her debut there as Mercédès in Carmen on 11 January 1920...
, Roger Bourdin
Roger Bourdin
Roger Bourdin was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory. His career was largely based in France.- Life and career :...
, René Hérent
René Hérent
René Hérent was a French tenor whose career was centred on the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he played supporting roles for many years, and left several recordings.-Life and career:...
and Louis Guenot.
The opera was then seen in Prague (17 February 1927), Leipzig (6 May 1927) and Vienna (14 March 1929). The US premiere was given on 19 September 1930 by the San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera is an American opera company, based in San Francisco, California.It was founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola and is the second largest opera company in North America...
. The Canadian premiere of the work was a film version made by CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
in 1950 with conductor Wilfrid Pelletier
Wilfrid Pelletier
Joseph Louis Wilfrid Pelletier , CC was a Canadian conductor, pianist, composer, and arts administrator. He was instrumental in establishing the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, serving as the orchestra's first artistic director and conductor from 1935-1941...
. It was not until 3 December 1958 that the opera was given its UK premiere in the Town Hall in Oxford.
Roles
The score specifies that fire / the princess / nightingale must be sung by the same singer, and the little old man and frog by the same singer. It is also specified that the following groups or pairs of roles can be sung by the same singer: mother / china cup / dragonfly; the bergèreBergère
A bergère is an enclosed upholstered French armchair with an upholstered back and armrests on upholstered frames. The seat frame is over-upholstered, but the rest of the wooden framing is exposed: it may be moulded or carved, and of beech, painted or gilded, or of fruitwood, walnut or mahogany...
/ owl; the female cat / the squirrel; the male cat / grandfather clock; the armchair / tree.
| 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, 21 March 1925 (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... : Victor de Sabata Victor de Sabata Victor de Sabata was an Italian conductor and composer. He is widely recognized as one of the most distinguished operatic conductors of the twentieth century, especially for his Verdi, Puccini and Wagner. He is also acclaimed for his interpretations of orchestral music... ) |
|---|---|---|
| L'enfant, the child | 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... |
Marie-Thérèse Gauley |
| Part one | ||
| Maman, the mother represented by a huge skirt | contralto Contralto Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above... |
Orsoni |
| Le fauteuil | 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... |
Julien Lafont |
| La bergère Louis XV | 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... |
Narsay |
| L'horloge comtoise, a clock broken by the child | 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... |
Warnery |
| Le théière, Wedgwood Wedgwood Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an... teapot |
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... |
Gaston Dubois |
| La tasse chinoise, a broken china cup | mezzo-contralto | Lucy |
| Le feu, the fire in the fireplace | light soprano | Mathilde |
| La princesse, the princess torn out of a storybook | light soprano | Bilhon |
| Une pastourelle | soprano | Chorina |
| Un pâtre | contralto | |
| Le petit vieillard, the small old man representing the torn math book | tenor | Henri Fabert |
| Le chat | baritone | Chorina |
| La chatte | mezzo-soprano | Dubois-Lauger |
| Part two | ||
| La chouette | soprano | |
| L'arbre, a tree | bass | Baidaroff |
| La libellule, a dragonfly | mezzo-soprano | Viardot |
| Le rossignol, a nightingale | light soprano | Foliguet |
| La chauve-souris, widower bat | soprano | Lacroix |
| L'écureuil, a squirrel | mezzo-soprano | Lecourt |
| La rainette, the tree frog | tenor | Sollières |
| Chorus: Le banc, le canapé, le pouf, la chaise de paille (children's chorus); Pâtres and pastoures (shepherds and shepherdesses - torn figures from the decorative wallpaper), Les chiffres (spiteful little numbers that assist the old man in tormenting the child (children's chorus)); trees, animals. | ||
Synopsis
Part 1Set in an old-fashioned Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
country home, the opera tells the story of a rude child who is reprimanded by the objects in his room which he has been destroying. After being scolded by his mother in the beginning of the opera, the child throws a tantrum destroying the room around him. He is then surprised to find that the unhappy objects in his room come to life. The furniture and decorations begin to talk; even his homework takes shape as it becomes an old man and a chorus of numbers.
Part 2
The bedroom becomes a garden filled with singing animals and plants which have been tortured by the child as well. The child attempts to make friends with the animals and plants, but they shun him because of the injuries he did to them earlier before they could talk. They leave him aside, and in his loneliness, he eventually cries out "Maman". At this, the animals turn on him and attack him, but the animals wind up jostling among each other as the child is tossed aside. At the culmination, a squirrel is hurt, which causes the other animals to stop fighting. The child bandages the squirrel, then collapses exhausted. The animals have a change of heart toward the child, and decide to try to help him home. They carry the child back to his house, and sing in praise of the child. The opera ends with the child singing "Maman", as he greets his mother, in the very last measure of the score.
Numbers
- "J'ai pas envie de faire ma page!" (I don't want to finish my page!) - The Child
- "Bébé a été sage?" (Has my baby been good?) - Mother
- "Ça m'est égal!" (I don't care!) - The Child
- "Votre serviteur humble, Bergère" (Your humble servant, Bergère) - Bergère and Fauteuil
- "Ding, ding, ding, ding" - The Clock
- "How's your mug?" - The Teapot
- "Keng-ça-fou, mah-jong" - The Chinese Cup
- "Oh! Ma belle tasse chinoise!" (Ah! My beautiful Chinese Cup!) - The Child
- "Arrière ! Je réchauffe les bons" (Stand back! I warm the righteous) - The Fire
- "Adieu, Pastourelles!" (Farewell shepherdesses!) - Shepherds and Shepherdesses
- "Ah! C'est elle! C'est elle!" (Ah! Its her! Its her!) - The Child and the Princess
- "Toi, le coeur de la rose" (You, the heart of the rose) - The Child
- "Deux robinets coulent dans un réservoir!" (Two water faucets run into a reservoir!) - The Little Old Man and Numbers
- "Oh! Ma tête!" (Oh! My head!) - The Child
- "Duo miaulé" (Cat duet) - The Cats
- "Musique d'insectes, de rainettes, etc." (Music of insects and frogs) - Chorus of the Animals
- "Ah! Quelle joie de te retrouver, Jardin!" (Ah! What joy to have found you again, Garden!) - The Child
- "Nos Blessures!" (Our wounds!) - The Trees
- "Où es tu, je te cherche..." (Where are you? I'm looking for you...) The Dragonfly
- "Ronde des chauves-souris": 'Rends-la moi... Tsk, Tsk..." (Give her back! My companion the Bat!) The Bat
- "Danse des rainettes" (Dance of the Frogs)
- "Sauve-toi, sotte! Et la cage? La cage?" (Save yourself, dummy! And the Cage? The Cage?) - The Squirrel
- "Ah ! C'est l'enfant au couteau!" (Ah! It is the child with the knife!) - Ensemble
- "Il a pansé la plaie..." (He has bandaged the wound) - Ensemble
- "Il est bon, l'enfant, il est sage" (He is good, the child, he is good) - Ensemble
Instrumentation
- Woodwind: 2 fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s, piccoloPiccoloThe piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
(alternating third flute), slide-whistle (flute a coulisse), 2 oboeOboeThe oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, English horn, 2 clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, 1 E-flat clarinetE-flat clarinetThe E-flat clarinet is a member of the clarinet family. It is usually classed as a soprano clarinet, although some authors describe it as a "sopranino" or even "piccolo" clarinet. Smaller in size and higher in pitch than the more common B clarinet, it is a transposing instrument in E, sounding a...
, 1 bass clarinetBass clarinetThe 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...
, 2 bassoonBassoonThe bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s, double bassoon - BrassBrass instrumentA brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
: 4 horns, 3 trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, 3 tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s, tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the... - Percussion: timpaniTimpaniTimpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, xylophoneXylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, bass drumBass drumBass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, triangle (instrument)Triangle (instrument)The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals like beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. The instrument is usually held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve...
, whip (instrument)Whip (instrument)In music, a whip or slapstick is a percussion instrument consisting of two wooden boards joined by a hinge at one end. When the boards are brought together rapidly, the sound is reminiscent of the crack of a whip. It is often used in modern orchestras, bands, and percussion ensembles.There are...
, cymbals, tam-tam, ratchet (instrument)Ratchet (instrument)A ratchet, also called a noisemaker , is an orchestral musical instrument played by percussionists. Operating on the principle of the ratchet device, a gearwheel and a stiff board is mounted on a handle, which can be freely rotated...
, cheese grater, wood blockWood blockA woodblock is essentially a small piece of slit drum made from a single piece of wood and used as a percussion instrument. It is struck with a stick, making a characteristically percussive sound....
, wind machineWind machineThe wind machine is a specialist musical instrument used to produce the sound of wind. One type uses an electric fan with wooden slats added to produce the required sound...
, crotalesCrotalesthumb|right|Crotales are often used with other mallet percussionCrotales , sometimes called antique cymbals, are percussion instruments consisting of small, tuned bronze or brass disks. Each is about 4 inches in diameter with a flat top surface and a nipple on the base. They are commonly...
, snare drumSnare drumThe snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom... - Other: celestaCelestaThe celesta or celeste is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. Its appearance is similar to that of an upright piano or of a large wooden music box . The keys are connected to hammers which strike a graduated set of metal plates suspended over wooden resonators...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(or luthéalLuthéalThe luthéal is a kind of prepared piano which extended the "register" possibilities of a piano by producing cimbalon-like sounds in some registers, exploiting harmonics of the strings when pulling other register-stops, and also some registers making other objects, which were lowered just above the...
), harpHarpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
, stringsString orchestraA string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
Structure
The opera calls for a large orchestraOrchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, a mixed chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
of adults, a chorus of children and eight soloists most of whom play a number of characters. The scale of the cast and fantastic setting make the opera often difficult to stage, which helps to explain why the work is not performed often. Ravel uses various subtle leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
s throughout the work. The melodies were emphasized with the orchestra being considered secondary by Ravel, who said this was modelled after Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and American operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
s of the time. Still, the composition doesn't avoid virtuosity in the instrumental writing. Ravel contrasted the work to his previous opera, L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole is a one-act opera, described as a comédie musicale, with music by Maurice Ravel to a French libretto by Franc-Nohain, based on his play of the same name first performed at the Théâtre de l'Odéon on 28 October 1904...
:
- "More than ever, I am for melody. Yes, melody, bel canto, vocalises, vocal virtuosity – this is for me a point of departure. If, in L'heure espagnole the theatrical action itself demanded that the music be only the commentary on each word and gesture, here, on the contrary, this lyric fantasy calls for melody, nothing but melody.... The score of L'enfant et les sortilèges is a very smooth blending of all styles from all epochs, from Bach up to ... Ravel"
The opera was initially well received in Monte Carlo, but in a Paris showing the following year it was less successful. André Messager criticized the purposely imitative nature of the music, but Francis Poulenc
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
and Les six
Les Six
Les six is a name, inspired by The Five, given in 1920 by critic Henri Collet in an article titled "" to a group of six composers working in Montparnasse whose music is often seen as a reaction against the musical style of Richard Wagner and impressionist music.-Members:Formally, the Groupe des...
were impressed. His cat screech duet Duo miaulé is often seen as a parody of Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
which was quite controversial, although Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger was a Swiss composer, who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. He was a member of Les six. His most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231, which is interpreted as imitating the sound of a steam locomotive.-Biography:Born...
praised this piece in particular. The use of pentatonic music and parallel fourths in the depiction of the Chinese tea cup is an example of use of "orientalism" in orchestral music.
Recordings
| Year | Cast | Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Nadine Sautereau, Denise Scharley Denise Scharley Denise Scharley was a French contralto who made her debut in 1942, singing Pelléas et Mélisande at the Opéra-Comique.... , Solange Michel Solange Michel Solange Michel was a French classical mezzo-soprano who sang in concerts, recitals, and operas from the 1930s to the 1970s... , Odette Turba-Rabier, Martha Angelici Martha Angelici Martha Angelici , was a French operatic soprano of Corsican origin, particularly associated with the French lyric repertoire.... , Claudine Verneuil, Joseph Peyron, André Vessières, Yvon le Marc'Hadour |
Ernest Bour Ernest Bour Ernest Bour was a French conductor. Born in Thionville, Moselle, Bour studied at both the University and the Conservatoire of Strasbourg... , French National Radio Orchestra Orchestre National de France The Orchestre national de France is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. It has also been known as the Orchestre national de la Radiodiffusion française and Orchestre national de l'Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française .Since 1944, the orchestra has been based in the Théâtre... and Radio France Chorus |
Audio CD: Testament, Cat: SBT1044 |
| 1954 | Flore Wend, Marie-Luise de Montmollin, Geneviève Touraine, Adrienne Migliette, Suzanne Danco Suzanne Danco Suzanne Danco , was a celebrated Belgian soprano and mezzo-soprano.-Career:Suzanne Danco was born in Brussels and grew up in a Flemish background although French was her native language... , Juliette Bise, Gisèle Bobillier, Hugues Cuénod Hugues Cuénod Hugues-Adhémar Cuénod was a Swiss tenor known for his performances in opera, operetta, both traditional and musical theatre, and on the concert stage, where he was particularly known for his light, romantic and expressive interpretation of mélodie... , Pierre Mollet Pierre Mollet Pierre Mollet is a Canadian operatic baritone of Swiss birth. He became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1974 and in 1979 married the Canadian pianist Suzanne Blondin.... , Lucien Lovano |
Ernest Ansermet Ernest Ansermet Ernest Alexandre Ansermet was a Swiss conductor.- Biography :Ansermet was born in Vevey, Switzerland. Although he was a contemporary of Wilhelm Furtwängler and Otto Klemperer, Ansermet represents in most ways a very different tradition and approach from those two musicians. Originally he was a... , Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Orchestre de la Suisse Romande The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall... and Motet Choir of Geneva |
Audio CD: Decca, Cat: 433400 |
| 1960 | Françoise Ogéas, Jeannine Collard, Jane Berbié Jane Berbié Jane Berbié is a French mezzo-soprano particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles.- Life and career :Berbié was born Jeanne Bergougne, in Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Haute-Garonne, France, and studied piano and voice at the Music Conservatory in nearby Toulouse... , Sylvaine Gilma, Colette Herzog, Heinz Rehfuss Heinz Rehfuss Heinz Julius Rehfuss was a Swiss operatic bass-baritone, who later became an American citizen. He was particularly associated with the title roles in Don Giovanni and Boris Godunov, and Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande.... , Camille Maurane Camille Maurane Camille Maurane, born Camille Moreau , was a French baritone singer. His father was a music teacher and he started singing as a child in the Maîtrise Saint-Evode in Rouen... , Michel Sénéchal Michel Sénéchal Michel Sénéchal is a French tenor, particularly associated with French and Italian character roles in a repertory ranging from Baroque to contemporary works.- Life and career :... |
Lorin Maazel Lorin Maazel Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was... , French National Radio Orchestra Orchestre National de France The Orchestre national de France is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. It has also been known as the Orchestre national de la Radiodiffusion française and Orchestre national de l'Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française .Since 1944, the orchestra has been based in the Théâtre... and |
Audio CD: DG, Cat: 423718, 449769, 474890 |
| 1981 | Susan Davenny Wyner, Jocelyne Taillon, Arleen Auger Arleen Auger Joyce Arleen Auger was an American soprano singer, admired for her coloratura voice and interpretations of works by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Monteverdi, Gluck, and Mozart.-Biography:... , Jane Berbié Jane Berbié Jane Berbié is a French mezzo-soprano particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles.- Life and career :Berbié was born Jeanne Bergougne, in Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Haute-Garonne, France, and studied piano and voice at the Music Conservatory in nearby Toulouse... , Linda Finnie Linda Finnie Linda Finnie is a Scottish mezzo-soprano. She made her debut in 1976 with Scottish Opera, and has since made appearances all over Europe, including at Bayreuth .-References:*... , Linda Richardson, Philip Langridge Philip Langridge Philip Gordon Langridge CBE was an English tenor, considered to be among the foremost exponents of English opera and oratorio.... , Philippe Huttenlocher Philippe Huttenlocher Philippe Huttenlocher is a Swiss baritone.He was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. He first studied violin at the conservatory in Neuchâtel, and then voice in Fribourg... , Jules Bastin Jules Bastin Jules Bastin was a Belgian operatic bass. Born in Brussels, he made his debut in 1960 at La Monnaie, singing Charon in L'Orfeo. He appeared at major opera houses throughout Europe, including the Royal Opera House, La Scala, and the Palais Garnier; he also sang at opera houses in North and South... |
André Previn André Previn André George Previn, KBE is an American pianist, conductor, and composer. He is considered one of the most versatile musicians in the world, and is the winner of four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. -Early Life:Previn was born in... , London Symphony Orchestra London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:... and Ambrosian Singers Ambrosian Singers The Ambrosian Singers are one of the best-known London choral groups, particularly appreciated for its great variety of recorded repertory.They were founded after World War II in England... |
Audio CD: EMI, Cat: EMX2241 |
| 1992 | Colette Alliot-Lugaz Colette Alliot-Lugaz Colette Alliot-Lugaz is a French soprano, particularly associated with Mozart.-Career:Born in Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, she began her musical studies in Bonneville , and later in Geneva, with Magda Fonay-Besson. She completed her training at the Paris Opéra-Studio with René Koster and Vera Rosza... , Claudine Carlson, Catherine Dubosc Catherine Dubosc Catherine Dubosc is a French soprano. Born in Lille, she studied with Eric Tappy at the Opéra National de Lyon, before joining that company in 1985... , Marie-Françoise Lefort, Georges Gautier, Didier Henry Didier Henry Didier Henry is a French baritone. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris before joining the Opéra National de Lyon. He is well-known for his French opera roles, including those by Massenet, Gounod, Debussy, and Ravel. He also starred in a notable recording of Prokofiev's The Love for Three... , Lionel Sarrazin |
Charles Dutoit Charles Dutoit Charles Édouard Dutoit, is a Swiss conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of French and Russian 20th century music... , Montreal Symphony Orchestra Montreal Symphony Orchestra Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is a symphony orchestra based in Montréal, Québec, Canada, with Montréal's Place des Arts as its home.-History:... |
Audio CD: Decca, Cat: 440333 |
| 1992 | Martine Mahé, Arlette Chedel, Elisabeth Vidal, Michèle Lagrange, Léonardo Pezzino, Vincent le Texier, Marc Barrard |
Alain Lombard Alain Lombard Alain Lombard is a French conductor.-Career:Lombard attended the Conservatoire de Paris, where his studied violin with Line Talleul and conducting with Gaston Poulet. He subsequently secured an appointment at the Opéra National de Lyon in 1961, and later became principal conductor from 1961 to 1965... , Bordeaux-Aquitaine National Orchestra and Bordeaux Theatre Chorus |
Audio CD: Auvidis,Cat: V4670 |
| 1997 | Pamela Helen Stephen, Anne-Marie Owens, Elizabeth Futral Elizabeth Futral Elizabeth Futral is an American coloratura soprano who has won acclaim throughout the United States as well as in Europe, South America, and Japan.... , Juanita Lascarro, Mary Plazas, Rinat Shaham, Mark Tucker, David Wilson-Johnson David Wilson-Johnson David Wilson-Johnson is a British operatic and concert baritone.-Career:David Wilson-Johnson studied Modern and Mediaeval Languages at St Catharine's College, Cambridge... , Robert Lloyd |
André Previn André Previn André George Previn, KBE is an American pianist, conductor, and composer. He is considered one of the most versatile musicians in the world, and is the winner of four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. -Early Life:Previn was born in... , London Symphony Orchestra London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:... , London Symphony Chorus London Symphony Chorus The London Symphony Chorus is a large symphonic concert choir based in London, England, consisting of over 150 amateur singers, and is one of the major symphony choruses of the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1966 as the LSO Chorus to complement the work of the London Symphony Orchestra... and New London Children's Choir |
Audio CD: DG, 457589 |
| 2008 | Annick Massis Annick Massis - Biography :She worked as a school teacher before going to study at the Conservatoire Francis Poulenc in Paris. Her stage career began in Toulouse in the early 1990s, where she performed in operas by Mozart as well as playing the role of Leila in Bizet's The Pearl Fishers.In 1999, she took the... , François Le Roux François le Roux François le Roux is a French baritone. Le Roux began vocal studies at 19 with François Loup, winning prizes in Barcelona and Rio de Janeiro. He was a member of the Lyon Opera Company from 1980 to 1985, before appearing in many international houses, making his Paris Opéra debut in 1988 as Valentin... , Jean-Paul Fouchécourt Jean-Paul Fouchécourt Jean-Paul Fouchécourt is a French tenor, mostly as an opera singer. He was born on August 30, 1958, at Blanzy in the Burgundy region. He is best known for singing French Baroque music, especially the parts called in French haute-contre, written for a very high tenor voice with no falsetto... , José Van Dam José van Dam Joseph, Baron van Damme , known as José van Dam, is a Belgian bass-baritone.At the age of 17, he entered the Brussels Royal Conservatory and studied with Frederic Anspach. A year later, he graduated with diplomas and first prizes in voice and opera performance... , Magdalena Kožená Magdalena Kožená Magdalena Kožená is a Czech mezzo-soprano.In 2003, Kožená was awarded the title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government... , Mojca Erdmann Mojca Erdmann Mojca Erdmann is a German soprano who is particularly associated with the operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.Born in Hamburg, Erdmann sang in the children's chorus of the Hamburg State Opera in her youth. As a teenager she began studying singing seriously with soprano Evelyn Herlitzius before... , Nathalie Stutzmann Nathalie Stutzmann Nathalie Stutzmann is a contemporary opera singer, renowned for her contralto voice.Born in Suresnes, France, 1965, she first studied with her mother , then at Nantes Conservatoire and later, at the Ecole d’Art Lyrique de l’Opéra de Paris, focusing on lied, under Hans Hotter's tutelage... , Sophie Koch |
Simon Rattle Simon Rattle Sir Simon Denis Rattle, CBE is an English conductor. He rose to international prominence as conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and since 2002 has been principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic .... , Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra The Berlin Philharmonic, German: , formerly Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester , is an orchestra based in Berlin, Germany. In 2006, a group of ten European media outlets voted the Berlin Philharmonic number three on a list of "top ten European Orchestras", after the Vienna Philharmonic and the... |
EMI Music |
External links
- L'Enfant et les sortilèges: more information about this opera and other Ravel works at Maurice Ravel Frontispice.