King Arthur: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:49, 26 July 2013

Semi-opera first performed in 1691 in London. Full title: King Arthur, or The British Worthy. Music composed by Henry Purcell. Libretto by John Dryden.

The semi-opera consists of 5 acts and 12 musical pieces. It tells the story of the mythical British king Arthur, more precisely about his attempt to rescue his beloved and blind fiancée Emmeline, who was abducted. It deals with all kinds of magical, supernatural figures and ideas and has the central message that love is the strongest forces of all. Dryden’s text is a motley mix of English myths, fairy tales and legends. It was originally meant to glorify Charles II, but due to his death the focus was set on William III instead (James II, who ended up in exile after the Glorious Revolution, does not figure). The story manages to glorify the monarch not by being a love story but by showing qualities in Arthur that people want to see in their monarch: strength, loyalty, love and a sense of control.

The prologue, representing the restoration of Charles II, was expanded into an independent semi-opera: Albion and Albanius, which actually made it onto the stage earlier than King Arthur.

In 1970 the piece was revised by Colin Graham and Philipp Ledger. They added music from other pieces by Purcell, because up until then only two of the characters were singing while the others were speaking parts. But even in this edition, many parts are still purely speaking parts, accompanied by music in the background, putting the libretto and plot in the centre of the audience’s attention. Still, Purcell’s music from King Arthur, especially the Chaconne at the opera’s beginning and the ending’s trumpet tunes, are still well-known and popular and King Arthur is known and treated as (semi-)opera, since by now Henry Purcell’s music plays a much bigger role than Dryden’s words, which in some cases get left out completely.

German new-wave artist Klaus Nomi made the so-called "Frost Song" popular (without too many people aware that it stems from King Arthur, it originally was part of a scene in the third act): http://www.openculture.com/2011/08/klaus_nomi_the_brilliant_performance_of_a_dying_man.html

Sources:

Barnard, John. "Dryden and Patronage." The Cambridge Companion to John Dryden. Ed. Steven Zwicker. Cambridge: CUP, 2004. 199-220.

Dent, Edward. Foundations of English Opera. A Study of Musical Drama in England during the Seventeenth Century. New York: Da Capo Press, 1965.

Fath, Rolf. Reclams Opernlexikon. Stuttgart: Philipp Reclam jun., 1989.

Price, Curtis Alexander. Henry Purcell and the London Stage. Cambridge: CUP, 1984.

Schreiber, Ulrich. Opernführer für Fortgeschrittene. Eine Geschichte des Musiktheaters von den Anfängen bis zur französischen Revolution. Frankfurt a.M.: Bärenreiter-Verlag, 1988.

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 Semi-opera first performed in 1691 in London. Full title: ''King Arthur, or The British Worthy''. Music composed by [[Henry Purcell]]. Libretto by [[John Dryden]].
-The semi-opera consists of 5 acts and 12 musical pieces. It tells the story of the mythical British king [[Arthur]], more precisely about his attempt to rescue his beloved and blind fiancée Emmeline, who was abducted. It deals with all kinds of magical, supernatural figures and ideas and has the central message that love is the strongest forces of all. Dryden’s text is a motley mix of English myths, fairy tales and legends. It was originally meant to glorify Charles II, but due to his death the focus was set on William III instead. The restoration of Charles II also marked the end of the Commonwealth and the revival of theatres and recognition of the arts in general. The story manages to glorify the monarch not by being a love story but by showing qualities in Arthur that people want to see in their monarch: strength, loyalty, love and a sense of control.
+The semi-opera consists of 5 acts and 12 musical pieces. It tells the story of the mythical British king [[Arthur]], more precisely about his attempt to rescue his beloved and blind fiancée Emmeline, who was abducted. It deals with all kinds of magical, supernatural figures and ideas and has the central message that love is the strongest forces of all. Dryden’s text is a motley mix of English myths, fairy tales and legends. It was originally meant to glorify Charles II, but due to his death the focus was set on William III instead (James II, who ended up in exile after the Glorious Revolution, does not figure). The story manages to glorify the monarch not by being a love story but by showing qualities in Arthur that people want to see in their monarch: strength, loyalty, love and a sense of control.
-Between the reigns of Charles II and William III, Charles’ brother James II was King. He however only reigned for 3 years and was rather unpopular since he was Catholic and suspected to be sympathetic to the French. When he produced a Catholic heir, his Protestant daughter and her husband William of Orange took the throne.
 The prologue, representing the restoration of Charles II, was expanded into an independent semi-opera: ''Albion and Albanius'', which actually made it onto the stage earlier than ''King Arthur''.
-In 1970 the piece was revised by Colin Graham and Philipp Ledger. They added music from other pieces by Purcell, because up until then only 2 of the characters were singing while the others were speaking parts. But even in this edition, many parts are still purely speaking parts, accompanied by music in the background, putting the libretto and plot in the centre of the audience’s attention.
+In 1970 the piece was revised by Colin Graham and Philipp Ledger. They added music from other pieces by Purcell, because up until then only two of the characters were singing while the others were speaking parts. But even in this edition, many parts are still purely speaking parts, accompanied by music in the background, putting the libretto and plot in the centre of the audience’s attention.
-Still, Purcell’s music from King Arthur, especially the Chaconne at the opera’s beginning and the ending’s trumpet tunes, are still well-known and popular and King Arthur is known and treated as the typical semi opera, since by now Henry Purcell’s music plays a much bigger role than Dryden’s words, which in some cases get left out completely.
+Still, Purcell’s music from King Arthur, especially the Chaconne at the opera’s beginning and the ending’s trumpet tunes, are still well-known and popular and King Arthur is known and treated as (semi-)opera, since by now Henry Purcell’s music plays a much bigger role than Dryden’s words, which in some cases get left out completely.
 German new-wave artist Klaus Nomi made the so-called "Frost Song" popular (without too many people aware that it stems from ''King Arthur'', it originally was part of a scene in the third act): http://www.openculture.com/2011/08/klaus_nomi_the_brilliant_performance_of_a_dying_man.html