from french literature to music. 2015/6/23dr. montoneri2 outline introduction part i. french...
Post on 21-Dec-2015
222 views
TRANSCRIPT
From French Literature to Music
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 2
Outline• Introduction• Part I. French Literature and Opera• A. The Marriage of Figaro• B. Carmen• C. Rigoletto• Part II. French Literature and Musical• A. The Phantom of the Opera• B. Notre Dame de Paris• C. Le Petit Prince• Conclusion• References
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 3
Introduction
French literature is considered one of the richest and most varied national literatures
French stories has been influential since the Middle Ages
A large number of opera libretti is based on French plays and novels
French novels have found a way to become even more famous in the 20th century as many musicals were based on French novels
Here are some of the most famous operas and musicals inspired by French literature
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 4
Part I. French Literature and Opera
As defined in the dictionary, an opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music
Opera clearly resembles theater; however, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung rather than spoken
Male singers are classified as bass, bass-baritone, baritone, tenor and countertenor. Female singers are classified, as contralto, mezzo-soprano and soprano
The word opera means simply "works" in Latin; The earliest work considered an opera in the sense the work is usually understood dates from around 1597
The golden age of opera: 17-19 centuries; Even if Italian libretti were the norm, many operas were based on a French story
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 5
A. The Marriage of Figaro Novel written by
Beaumarchais (1732-1799)
Le Mariage de Figaro (1784), part II of a trilogy dedicated to the life of Figaro
The story set in Count Almaviva's castle in Seville; The Count has married Rosine and Figaro is about to marry Suzanne (Rosine's maid)
Opera composed by Mozart (1756-1791)
Libretto written by Lorenzo da Ponte (original title Le Nozze di Figaro) Four acts
First performance in Vienna in May 1786
The story is a continuation of The Barber of Seville (Rossini composed an opera in 1816)
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 6
A. The Marriage of Figaro Lorenzo da Ponte took this popular play, removed
"political" content that would have offended the Viennese imperial censors (the French Revolution was only a few years away), and faithfully translated the rest into Italian
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 7
B. Carmen
Novel written by Prosper Mérimée (1803-1870)
Carmen (1846), story of an unfaithful gypsy girl who is killed by the soldier who loves her
Mérimée met and befriended the Countess of Montijo in Spain in 1830. When her daughter became the Empress Eugenie of France in 1853 he was made a senator
Opera composed by Georges Bizet (1838-1875)
Libretto written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
Four acts; 1874 First performance in
Paris in March 1875 Influenced by Giuseppe
Verdi, he composed the title role in Carmen for a mezzo-soprano.
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 8
B. Carmen
During its time, Carmen was
considered a failure, denounced as
“immoral” and “superficial.” Today it
is often seen as the greatest romantic
opera of the era and one of the most
popular works in operatic history.
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 9
C. Rigoletto Victor Hugo’s "Le Roi
s’amuse" Five acts; 1832; Paris The Renaissance; Francis I
represented as an odious character
Rigoletto was not staged in Paris, due to objections from Victor Hugo himself
It took 6 years to convince him to listen to the music
When he finally was persuaded to watch a performance of the opera, Hugo found himself extremely enthusiastic
Opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
Libretto written by Francesco Maria Piave
Three acts; March 1851 The jester of the prince
(Triboulet in Hugo’s work) became Rigoletto (from French rigolo = funny). The name of the work too was changed (it was first called The Malediction).
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 10
C. Rigoletto
The play tells the story of a libertine
king. When the opera was written, northern
Italy was under the domination of
Austria. Verdi had to compromise with the Austrian censors; the French King became a fictitious Duke of
Mantua.
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 11
Part II. French Literature and Musical
Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue
Related to opera, frequently being distinguished by the use of popular music
The musical developed from opera and operetta at the end of the 19th century
Since the beginning of the 20th century, a large number of musicals produced on Broadway in New York and London's West End
The 1980s and 1990s saw the influence of European "mega-musicals" or "pop operas with English and French hits such as Les Misérables, Miss Saigon and The Phantom of the Opera
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 12
A. The Phantom of the Opera Andrew Lloyd Webber;
musical in 1986 His second wife was the
soprano who plays Christine in the musical: Sarah Brightman. They were married in 1984 and divorced in 1990.
2004, a movie based on the musical was released
The screenplay was written in the south of France in 1989 by Joel Schumacher and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Gaston Leroux (1868-1927) wrote Le Fantôme de l'opéra in 1910
19th century Paris at the Opera Garnier
The young diva Christine Daaé achieves sudden prominence on the opera stage when she replaces the current prima donna Carlotta
Christine is loved by the handsome Raoul, but also by a ghost that haunts the opera house
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 13
A. The Phantom of the Opera
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 14
B. Notre Dame de Paris Victor Hugo’s novel 1831 Enormous popularity;
Gothic revival Social justice, the gothic
cathedral; mistreatment of the ugly Quasimodo
The human drama revolves around the gypsy Esmeralda, and which of several suitors she will choose: Frollo the priest, Phoebus the captain or Quasimodo the bell-ringer
Musical composed by Richard Cocciante and Luc Plamandon
In 1997 performed "The Pagan Ave Maria" from Notre Dame de Paris before Pope John Paul II at the Vatican
Hugo himself wrote a libretto for an opera version in 1835, four years after the novel was originally published
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 15
B. Notre Dame de Paris
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the Franco-Canadian musical "Notre Dame de Paris" enjoyed the most successful first year of any musical ever
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 16
C. Le Petit Prince Saint-Exupéry’s novel,
1943; written near New York in 1942
Profound and idealistic points about life and love in time of war
The writer imagines himself lost in the Sahara desert after a plane crash
He meets a young extra-terrestrial prince
In 1944, Saint-Exupéry’s plane crashed again and disappeared
Musical composed by Richard Cocciante; 2002
Daniel Lavoie, singing Frollo in Notre Dame, is Saint-Exupéry
It is a great success as it respects the text and the spirit of the novel
Jeff, the singer who pays the Little Prince is 13 years old; from Lyon
Costumes designed by Castelbajac, a famous Paris designer
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 17
C. Le Petit Prince
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 18
Conclusion Because of its long and illustrious history and its
influence on other literatures, French literature occupies a central position since the Middle Ages
French plays and novels have not only influenced opera and musical, but also cinema
A successful French story has a great chance to become a successful opera, musical and (or) movie; there are also many examples of French stories first despised that became worldwide hits (Carmen or Le roi s’amuse)
Among the most appreciated French novels are romantic stories (Cyrano de Bergerac), fairy tales (Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella), adventure (Dumas) and science fiction (Jules Verne)
112/04/18 Dr. Montoneri 19
References
http://www.naxos.com http://en.wikipedia.org http://encarta.msn.com/artcenter_/browse.html http://encarta.msn.com/artcenter_/browse.html http://www.operacolorado.org/images/Rigoletto
%20COMPILED.pdf
Merci et à bientôt